Coach Nishiguchi explains Watanabe’s change in batting order after Seibu win

Seibu picked up their first Estádio Jingu win since 2021 by beating Yakult 2-1 in 11 innings in the first Série Interligas Nippon Life match. Outfielder Seiya Watanabe provided the decisive hit that ended the match after the team’s 7-game losing streak at the venue. Fumiya Nishiguchi, Seibu’s coach, gave an interview shortly after the end of the game to analyze the performance and tactical decisions adopted.

Desempenho of Watanabe and its importance in victory

Watanabe played a decisive role in the match by registering 2 crucial hits. In the seventh inning, he put Seibu ahead on the scoreboard, and in overtime, he hit the hit that sealed the victory. Nishiguchi praised the player’s entry into the game. “He came on at the end, when we needed him most, so it was great,” said the coach about Watanabe’s participation in the critical moments of the match.

Alteração in justified batting order

The coach explained in detail the change he made in Watanabe’s positioning in the batting order:

• Watanabe was moved from 3rd to 7th position
• The reason was below-expected performance in recent games
• Nishiguchi sought to reduce pressure on the athlete temporarily
• The batting order, according to the coach, does not determine the importance of the player

“The reason is simple, isn’t it? Porque he wasn’t hitting very well. Ele wasn’t getting many good hits, so I thought about lowering his batting order once,” Nishiguchi explained, causing laughter among the reporters present.

Estratégia of Pitchers and Roster Management

Nishiguchi revealed his choices regarding the use of pitchers in the match. The coach chose not to use Iwaki, keeping the player rested, and also avoided using Shinohara in the lineup. “He was resting. Eu also didn’t want to use Shinohara today. Achei shouldn’t use it when it got to that point”, the coach justified his decision to preserve the athletes.

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The second half of the game demanded commitment from all Seibu pitchers after Kaihino’s home run with two outs in the ninth inning, which sent the game into overtime.

Desempenho of Taira and final analysis

Pitcher Taira received special praise from Nishiguchi for his performance in the game. Até the sixth inning, the pitcher had allowed no hits, and remained runless until the eighth inning. “His pitching today was really excellent. Ele also got a hit and seemed to be having fun at bat, so it was all very good,” said the coach.

Nishiguchi looked at the win from an overall perspective: “Ideally, we would have liked to have finished in the ninth inning, but Kaihino gave up a home run with two outs. Depois besides, every pitcher did their best.”

Seibu’s collective overtime performance cemented Estádio Jingu’s return to victory after years of difficulty at the venue, offering hope for the interleague series’ development.