BayStar Outlook 2010

I know that at the end of last season I promised to write about my opinion about all of the changes happening to Yokohama, and it's well overdue. Well, this is it.

First of all, I was very critical of the BayStars for hiring a "Dentsu man." But after listening to Kaji Takao-president

From 2009 SeaRex Fan Festa

talk at the SeaRex Fan Festa back in November, I have become completely sold that he was a good choice.

First of all, Kaji-president doesn't sound like your typical stuffed shirt executive. In fact, he sounds like a huge fan! He's actually attended games as a fan, in the stands with the general population. He's interested in engaging with the oendan directly. He wants to make the team something the city can be proud of, and he loves the city of Yokohama. Whereas most club presidents (and executives) shun a microphone except to make prepared statements, it was hard to get the microphone back from him during the presentation ceremonies at the Fan Festa. He likes talking openly, and I really like that.

Next is his work on the team so far this off season. Unlike past years, Kaji-president has been busy making trades and even signing a free agent. (Who was the last free agent we signed? Komada?)

Coming:

• LOT P Shimizu, Naoyuki
• LOT C Hashimoto, Tasuku
• LOT OF Hayakawa, Daisuke
• NIP P Matsuyama, Suguru
• NIP P Sakamoto, Yataro
• NIP IF Inada, Naoto
• NIP OF Sledge, Terrmel
• SFT P Shinohara, Takayuki

OK, none really stood out last season. But Shimizu, Hashimoto, Inada, and Sledge all have championship experience and several more good years ahead of them. I like this lot.

Going:

• LOT P Nasuno, Takumi
• LOT C Saitoh, Toshio
• NIP P Katoh, Takeharu
• NIP P Matsuka, Takahiro
• NIP OF Sekiguchi, Yuta
• SEI P Kudoh, Kimiyasu

Nasuno never lived up to his potential (or high price tag). I really think that Yokohama robbed Lotte on this deal, as all Lotte could focus on was doing away with Bobby's Boys. Their loss.

I liked Katoh, and really hoped to see Matsuka develop. I wish them the best with Nippon Ham. And while Kudoh has been the lovable Hama no ojiisan, each of his appearances made me very nervous (though many were quite successful).

I don't think that anybody (myself included) has really sat down and done a thorough look at what true needs the team has, but these trades/acquisitions do seem to take care of the perceived needs of the team while adding winning experience. If that experience can be passed on through taking on some leadership responsibilities by some of these players, all the better.

Finally, with regard to the top change enacted by Kaji-president, I approve of his choice of Obana-kantoku to take over as manager. There are a few things I'm kind of wary of with regard to Obana-kantoku (overworking pitchers!), but his overall approach is exactly what the team needs. Obana's "Analyzing Baseball" sounds like a new iteration of Nomura-kantoku's Yakult era "ID Yakyu." (Note: Nomura-kantoku was guilty of throwing out many an arm, thus a two-year cycle of winning and resting pitchers.)

The biggest perceived problem has been pitching - ippatsu-byo (an illness whereby pitchers vomit up numerous home runs) in particular. Obana-kantoku has a proven record as pitching coach everywhere he's gone. If he can cure ippatsu-byo, the BayStars will start to have a chance.

The big question will be if he can turn the inept batting with runners on base around. For all the BayStars' home runs over the past few years, they really haven't been scoring many runs. The Fighters have shown that good pitching can make up for limiting batting, and Sledge accounted for a good portion of the clutch hits on those Fighters teams. I know it's too much to hope for a revival of the 1998 Machine Gun Offense, but clutch hitting has been as much a problem as ippatsu-byo over the past couple of years. I'll be very interested to see Obana's approach to the batting order next season.

So, at long last, I've come out of hiding behind my work to voice an opinion on the biggest front office change since TBS took over the BayStars. I like what I've seen so far.