【Buffaloes Inside】
Orix Buffaloes infielder Kotaro Kobayashi, who had been struggling at the plate since the preseason, hit three hit, including his first home run of the season, in the third game of the season against Rakuten Eagles (Kyocera Dome), contributing to the team's opening series victory. It was manager Mamoru Kishida's loving encouragement and reprimands that awakened Kurebayashi, who had even prepared himself to be dropped from starting line-up.
I didn't think I would play today, but they let me play, so I just wanted to live up to their expectations," he said. After the game, Benrin expressed his relief. He finished the open games with a .071 batting average, and in the first and second games of the season opener, he hit 5 At Bat unearned hit runs. In the second game, he was sent to second base with one out in the sixth inning and Tomoya Noguchi infielder came in to play in the seventh inning defense and hit a timely doble, so Benibayashi also expected Noguchi to be used in the starting line-up game.
It was during catch practice that manager Kishida spoke to Kurebayashi. "You can hit home run if you want." It wasn't an unusual thing for the manager to say, but Kurebayashi felt like, "Oh, I'm starting line-up today." "Even if I can't hit, I'm grateful to be given the opportunity, and I think that feeling came out rather than focusing on how to hit." It was because he sensed the manager's expectations hidden in the lighthearted remark that he was able to simply step up to the plate.
In the middle of the exhibition game, he was substituted out due to a series of defensive errors. The next day, before the game, he was called aside by manager Kishida and they had a long conversation in the dugout. "I wasn't hitting at all, but he told me, 'What we're looking for in you isn't just results. Your younger teammates are watching your demeanor (when you're not hitting) too.' I wasn't getting results, and I was so focused on myself that I couldn't look at the team. He reminded me that as a player who guards center fielder line, there are other things I need to do besides just hitting," Kurebayashi said, grateful that he was able to re-examine himself.
"In February and March, from spring training to the open games, we weren't getting the results we wanted, and there were times when I wondered if what I was doing was wrong. But I kept believing in myself and continued, and the results I got gave me confidence." This incident offered a glimpse into the trusting bond within the team, showcasing manager Kishida's management style that empathized with the players' feelings and helped them achieve results, and Kurebayashi's response to those expectations.
Interview and text by Masaki Kitano
