Kazuyuki Shirai, who served as a commentator for Nippon-Ham vs. Hanshin Tigers game broadcast on Nippon Broadcasting System on the 3rd (produced by STV Radio), commented on the strength of Nippon-Ham, who are currently leading Pacific League.
Shirai analyzed, “The Fighters’ relief pitchers are not in top form. This means that The Fighters have room for improvement in this area. There are some concerns about the relief pitchers. The batting line-up has yet to find consistency, yet they are leading the league. The fact that they are in first place with plenty of energy left means that they have made solid progress in improving the overall team.”
Since manager Tsuyoshi Shinjo took over in 2010, Nippon-Ham has been able to develop young fielder, and pitcher have been strong, with 10 complete game, the most in both leagues. Shirai said, “They use a variety of players and use them in a variety of situations. There’s no doubt that the players have grown as they gain experience.”
(Provided by STV The Fighters LIVE)
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