◆ Baseball Musings 2026 - Part 34

This year's Seibu Lions are more tenacious and stronger than imagined.

In early August, a string of losses resulted in a drop to third place, swapping positions with the fiercely pursuing Nippon-Ham. There were fears of a late-summer slump, just like last year. However, after winning the series against Nippon-Ham on the 11th, the team followed up with consecutive series wins against Lotte and the Orix Buffaloes. In the subsequent series against the Rakuten Eagles, they prevailed in a fierce struggle to sweep the three-game series, once again opening up a three-game lead over their rivals, Nippon-Ham, and starting another strong run. (Records are as of the 24th; the same applies below.)

The team's situation is not easy. Seiya Watanabe, Masayuki Kuwahara, Shinya Hasegawa, Natsuo Takizawa, and other key players are leaving the lineup one after another due to injuries. The pitcher staff is also struggling to maintain the starting rotation, as Kona Takahashi and others have reported feeling unwell.

The reason they are able to continue winning is that the young pitcher staff is stepping up, and the emergence of a "daily hero" in the batting lineup is energizing the team.

In the game against the Rakuten Eagles on the 21st, 25th-year player Takeya Nakamura pulls off a major feat.

extra inning In the 11th inning with two outs and bases loaded, the pinch hitter Nakamura was announced. On the fourth pitch, the score was quickly tied 0-2 before Rakuten Eagles 's Katsutoshi Tai pitcher. He swung a fastball, a high inside pitch, and slammed it into the left field stands. Pinch hitter final grand slam.

With his 23rd career grand slam since entering the pros, he broke his own NPB record, leaving others far behind.

Even after jumping into the circle of celebration, his expression remained largely unchanged as he simply said, 'Well, I'm glad I could hit it.' For 'Okawari-kun,' it might have been just one more in the accumulation of his career total of 482 Home Run.

He joined the team in 2002 as a second-round draft pick from Osaka Toin High School. He traveled to Tokyo on the same Shinkansen as his contemporary, Takumi Kuriyama (from Hyogo Ikuei).

Nakamura, who became the Eastern League Home Run leader in his second professional year, went on to win the Home Run title six times and the RBI title four times. As he hit home runs repeatedly, the nickname 'Okawari-kun' became firmly established.

Every off-season, players such as Kazuma Okamoto, currently of the Blue Jays, gather around Nakamura to learn the secrets of hitting.

Nakamura's teaching is extremely simple. Don't overthink the incoming ball; just bring the bat out in a straight line. Thinking too much about various things leads to hesitation in the batter's box. It is all about how to hit back the incoming ball with a clear mind. He challenges the pitcher in a serious battle every at-bat. That is why, although Nakamura is struck out often, he can also produce dramatic home runs in large numbers.

He turned 43 this August. As expected, he has spent much of this season adjusting in the minor leagues, and his appearances in the major league have been limited. Even so, the fact that he can turn an inside fastball into a Home Run by tucking his left elbow and rotating his hips shows that his mature skills are still very much alive.

The eldest son, Yuto, followed in his father's footsteps and entered Osaka Toin High School this spring. He has already come within reach of becoming a regular player at this prestigious school. "My father is a good role model," says Yuto, who has two years left until graduation. It is not just a dream that a unique "father-son duo" will emerge for the Seibu Lions.

In 2019, The Lions set records that will go down in baseball history.

They swept the batting titles with leading hitter Tomoya Mori, Home Run King Hotaka Yamakawa, RBI King Takeya Nakamura, and Shogo Akiyama for most hits.

Seven years have passed since then. Everyone except Nakamura has moved to other teams. His close friend Kuriyama will also hold his retirement game on the 30th of this month.

Nevertheless, "Okawari-kun" continues to step up to the plate, so that "Okawari" can remain "Okawari." The old hero is not dead yet.

Text by Kazuo Arakawa