"Let's gather here." Midway through the first inning of the August 3rd game against Rakuten Eagles, the first home game at Tokyo Dome in 17 years, Orix Buffaloes pitching coach and wall coach Katsumi Yamazaki made an unusual decision in the dugout. He made eye contact with infield defense and base base running coach Ryoichi Adachi and outfield defense base base running coach Yusuke Matsui, but the three of them didn't need to say a word. After giving up four runs due to defense errors and ending the first defense, Coach Yamazaki instructed catcher Kenya Wakatsuki, the team captain who was not in the starting lineup, to gather the players who were heading back to the dugout.

It was the start of an "emergency meeting" in front of the dugout. It's not uncommon for the coaching staff to form a huddle and give instructions to motivate the players, but usually the focus is on offense and is often handled by the hitting coach. One player who had just come back from defense recalled, "I thought they were going to give some kind of strategic instructions (for counterattacking)," so it was extremely unusual for the defensive coach to gather the defense in the bottom of the first inning. It was the first time this season for Orix Buffaloes as well.

"I told them, 'Let's get back to being solid in defense.' We've been giving up runs defense since the second half of the season (against Seibu at Seibu Lions), and it's not a good trend. It's not about what any one player did wrong. Errors are inevitable in baseball. We're not trying to eliminate errors, but rather we need to win through defense as a team. I felt that something had to change since Belluna. The other coaches felt the same way. I felt that now was the right time to talk about it," said Coach Yamazaki.

Coach Matsui explained, "The three of us (coaches) were talking about the importance of being thorough in the basics, and how both outfield and outfielders need to be more focused on every single pitch. It's not about who made the mistake, but about raising the team's awareness. The players are the ones who do the work, but we also need to be involved not only in terms of technique, but also in terms of preparation, such as calls and communication." Coach Adachi revealed, "I always tell them, 'It's okay to just get one out, not double play.' If they rush, they won't be able to get a single out. It depends on the situation, but I tell them to make sure they make sound judgments about the situation. It's really important to get the outs they can get."

In this game, the game was overrun by Kotaro Kobayashi player with a two-run homer (2 innings), Ryoto Kita a solo homer (6 innings), a two-run homer by Yuma Mune (7 innings), and a three-run homer by Kita in the 9th inning to win walk-off, avoiding a three-game losing streak. In the following two games, their strong performance in defense areas shone. In the Rakuten Eagles game on the 5th, which moved to Kyocera Dome, in the 5th inning with the score tied 2-1, Keita Nakagawa Ryosuke Tatsumi hit a fly ball to the left with a wall while jumping catch, and Sho Gibo completed a double play with jumping throws and good decisions, assisting Espinoza in his tenth win with solid defense. On the 6th, they lost 1-3, missing out on a three-game winning streak against the same series, but Kuririn's excellent defense and Kurita's brilliant skills energized the game. Giho said, "Rather than forcing myself to get two outs, I'm doing it with the mindset of finishing the play. I was conscious of it from the start, but it feels like I've realized it again," and Mune also revealed, "I think the team's defense have become more focused."

With pitcher Hiroya Miyagi pitcher Shumpeita Yamashita sidelined due to Tommy John (TJ) surgery, and many other players still recovering from injuries, Orix Buffaloes continue to struggle. Starting with the second half of the season against Seibu Lions, pitcher coach Kazuyuki Atsuzawa, a veteran, and pitcher coach Motoki Higa, in his second year, have switched roles, with the bench and bullpen being helmed by different coaches. This change is seen as an attempt to create a "chemical reaction" within the team and revitalize it, and the unusual emergency meeting has also yielded positive results.

In fact, the emergency meeting was held without the approval of manager Mamoru Kishida or head coach Toshio Haru. "There are just over 40 games left. Even if we can't get first place, we have a chance to get second or third. In that sense, we can't afford to lose to Seibu Lions or Rakuten Eagles. I think this meeting came at a good time to tighten up the team," said head coach Haru. By doing the obvious things as usual, they can withstand the crisis and create opportunities. Orix Buffaloes will move forward strongly once again.

Interview and text by Masaki Kitano