◆ Sports Hochi Journalist Column "From Ryogoku"

I visited Kusanagi Stadium in Shizuoka to cover Rakuten Eagles vs. Nippon-Ham exhibition game. I rarely have the opportunity to interview either team, so I didn't know most of the players. But then I spotted a familiar face practicing on the sub-ground. It was pitcher Chiharu Tanaka who transferred from The Giants to Rakuten Eagles in January.

This right-handed pitcher's weapons are his fastball in the 150 km/h range and his sharp-dropping fork with a unique trajectory. He underwent right elbow cleaning surgery in the offseason of 2024 and did not make any appearances in the first team last season, but he posted an excellent ERA of 1.51 in 36 games in the second team. He pitched in the first farm team game I covered last June, just three months after joining the company. I photographed him many times after that. He came up to me to say hello, saying he was surprised to see a familiar face, and he seemed surprised that I was covering Rakuten Eagles.

The Giants From the era catch ball time was getting longer and he changed his medicine ball to a smaller one for training. When I told him about the change, he said, "It's the core, where you are looking. He is also working on a novel practice to acquire new sensations. That is, walking barefoot. When I increased weight training, I didn't like it because my center of gravity was on my heels when I threw. I want to put weight on the soles of my feet, so I walk barefoot to get a feel for it. I felt that he was determined to make it to the first team this year! I felt his ambition to make it to the first team this year.

His goal for this season is, of course, to make 50 appearances in the first team with ERA in the 1.00s. I look forward to reuniting with Tanaka Chihiro and covering his success in his new team. (Photo by Tomomi Watanabe)

◆Tomomi Watanabe: Joined the company in 2025. Her goal for her second year is to convey the appeal of the players.