◆ Sports Hochi Journalist Column "From Ryogoku"
I was once again amazed by base running of Softbank Hawks Hawks outfielder Ukyo Shuto (30). In the game against the Lotte Marines on the 10th of this month (at Mizuho PayPay Dome), with the score 1-2 in the bottom of the 3rd inning with two outs and a runner on third base, Shuto took off from third base on the first pitch to Yanagita by Lotte's Mori. He sprinted headfirst into home plate at lightning speed, recording a solo home steal that tied the game.
A case of scoring a run against a surprise trick, pitcher is a balk, catcher is a blow interference is a case of scoring a run even if it is taken. I think the offensive play that Shuto talked about after the game, "It will be hard to throw just to make people think this kind of thing is going to happen," continued to give the other teams the creeps.
His head-slide to first base is also packed with skill. On April 7, in the game against Seibu Lions (Mizuho PayPay), he went 1-1 in the third inning with one out. count From 2-2, he swung a bat to Seibu Lions Sumida's breaking ball. The ball was a grounder to the shortstop between second. Renowned shortstop Genda handled the ball with nimble movements, but Shuto's left hand touched the first base just a little earlier, resulting in a infield hit.
There's debate about whether it's faster than running through, but Shuto's headfirst slide has a reason. Unlike typical movements where there's a lot of contact with the ground, Shuto's style involves his body barely touching the ground until he reaches the base, and he touches the base directly with his hands. "Mimori (now with DeNA) does it, and it's been shown to be the fastest." Considering the risk of injury, manager Kokubo is not in favor of headfirst slides to first base as a general rule, but "it happens instinctively. You can't baseball if you're afraid of getting injured," (Shuto) he says, acting on instinct.
The "secret technique" of one of the fastest players in baseball. His dedication to shaving off even fractions of a second shows his professionalism. (Softbank Hawks correspondent: Nobuo Moriguchi)
◆Toui Moriguchi: Joined the company in 2024. He's now assigned to cover the Hawks this season.
