Itoh Turns Down Managerial Post to Play

Four managers announced their retirement at the end of the year, and each ball club was quick at announcing who would be taking over. That is, all but one, the Seibu Lions.

Well, in a sense, they weren't really slow. After all, the season isn't even over yet. But the reason it took longer than the other teams was that the Lions' first choice to take over the club was 20 year veteran catcher Itoh Tsutomu, and he wasn't quite ready to retire his catcher's gear. Furthermore, from the start, didn't like the idea of being a playing manager, so had to think long and hard about what he really wanted to do.

The last playing catcher/manager was Nomura-kantoku (now managing the Hanshin Tigers) from 1970 to 1977. During that streach, he continued his duties as full time catcher, hitting 190 home runs in the 8 year span. It is often stated in the press that catchers make the best managers because they call the games from behind the plate. Nomura literally did just that, and is often sited as the prime example of the theory's validity.

But Itoh-san, after long deliberation with him self and his family, finally turned down the managerial job. He says that he still has much to contribute to developing pitchers from behind the plate. Instead, the current rumors flying around is that he will take a duel position as playing catcher/battery coach.

Now that Itoh-san has turned the job down, Seibu appears to be promoting Mr. Third Base Coach, Ihara Haruki to the top post on the team. Ihara's 10 year career as a player wasn't that spectactular, playing in 450 games with a batting average of .241 and 12 home runs. However, he was a coach for Seibu from 1981 to 1999, coached the 2000 year with Hanshin, then returned to the Lions as defensive and base coach this past season for a distinguished 21 year coaching career.

Ihara says that he's just holding the position until Itoh is ready to do the job.