The 2018 preseason games are nearing completion, and the start of the season is just around the corner.
Based on their performance in training camps and exhibition games, I'd like to make some predictions about which players I'm personally interested in.
I plan to review this article after the season ends and rate how well it performed.
table of contents
① Main pitcher
② Main infielders
③Main outfielder
④ Secondary ace pitcher
⑤ Secondary infielder
⑥Semi-main outfielder
⑦ Expected Slot
⑧ A crucial year
① Main pitcher
Shinnosuke Ogasawara
He had the best performance in the preseason games and is even being considered as a candidate for opening day.
He has been steadily improving so far, so he definitely has the potential to become a top-class player this season.
I think the biggest factor is that his curveball accuracy has improved, allowing him to throw strikes more often.
Shinji Tajima
He served as the closer throughout last season, but there are some concerns, such as him getting hit hard at venues like Tokyo Dome.
He hasn't performed particularly well in the preseason games, but I think he'll do reasonably well once the season starts.
He's the kind of versatile pitcher who would ideally be better suited as a setup man than a closer, but the team's current situation doesn't allow for that.
Keisuke Tanimoto
He's a promising relief pitcher who joined the team midway through last year.
Last year, the environment changed suddenly, and I'm sure there were many difficult aspects, but as expected of a seasoned veteran with a proven track record, things have settled down nicely.
We expect him to perform brilliantly right from the start of this season.
We hope he can handle anything skillfully, whether it's long relief when the starting pitcher falters, relief in close games, or relief in winning situations.
Katsuki Matayoshi
He was trying out as a starting pitcher, but has been moved back to the bullpen.
It must be frustrating for him, as he wants to be a starting pitcher, but for the fans, having Matayoshi in the bullpen is very reassuring.
When he's pitching in relief, the velocity of his pitches is noticeably different from when he's starting.
Yuya Yanagi
He struggled with injuries last year, but he's capable of much more.
He has lived up to those expectations, demonstrating exceptional consistency in the preseason games.
I hope he approaches this season as his first and pitches throughout the entire year.
He's a reliable and highly polished starting pitcher, so I'm sure he'll be included in the rotation.
・Shota Suzuki
His fastball is characterized by its exceptional movement and seems to possess something more than what the speed gun indicates.
He's a starting pitcher who relies on his fastball, but he has trouble with control.
I think it would be counterproductive if he focuses too much on control and his fastball suffers, but he still lacks consistency.
It looks like it'll be a mix of good times and bad times.
・Yudai Ohno
Despite high expectations, he's a starting pitcher who hasn't been able to consistently secure wins.
It's hard to say anything for sure, as we won't know until we open the lid.
Unfortunately, their performance in the preseason games hasn't been great, so the outlook for this year may be bleak as well.
Daisuke Sobue
As a middle reliever, I think I'll pitch in around 30 to 40 games this year.
It's scary how a bad slider can ruin everything, but I like the new form that Colón has.
・Takuya Mitsuma
Along with Tanimoto and Matayoshi, he's a pitcher who's often seen as being overworked.
Last year, he often pitched on consecutive days or for multiple innings, and there were many times when I felt sorry for him.
I know it's not good to show your distress on your face, but it's also true that you can't help but want to cheer them on.
If he builds up his stamina properly, he should be able to pitch well in the second half of the season as well.
G
He's a right-handed starting pitcher who joined the team this year and has approximately 50 wins in the major leagues.
His distinguishing features include not having a clean straight pitch, relying primarily on a two-seam fastball, and possessing a variety of breaking balls.
Perhaps because of this, batters often miss the sweet spot and hit ground balls, and if the infield defense is solid, the number of pitches will also decrease.
His control is also good, so he's practically guaranteed a spot in the starting rotation for now.
I think it will be quite useful.
Junki Ito
He didn't have much success in the preseason games, but he did well as a relief pitcher last year.
I think he'll be a reliable asset this year as well, whether as a long reliever or a setup man.
I think last year was essentially the first time I pitched seriously as a relief pitcher, so I think I'll do a bit better this year, on par with Mitsuma.
② Main infielders
Masahiro Araki
Reaching 400 career stolen bases might be difficult, but I think he's a cut above the rest in terms of overall ability, including hitting, fielding, and base running.
Honestly, unless there's a reason to develop younger players, I think it's perfectly fine to keep him in the starting lineup.
It's likely that Araki will often be in the starting lineup at second base when facing a left-handed pitcher.
・Shuhei Takahashi
He's a promising player that the team is "trying to make the regular second baseman."
He's certainly a player who gives us hope every year that his batting will improve, but this year we'll see how it goes with his attempt at playing second base.
I think my defense has improved quite a bit, but the people I'm being compared to are Araki and Kamezawa, so the bar is set pretty high (laughs).
Fans won't be satisfied unless he hits a lot.
It would be best if I could impress them with my power hitting, something the other two don't have.
・Yota Kyoda
He won the undisputed starting shortstop position last year, becoming last year's Rookie of the Year.
Based on their experience competing throughout last year, we hope they can achieve even better results this year.
I think we can expect him to perform at about the same level as last year.
This year, we're hoping to see him show the tenacity to draw walks.
Kyohei Kamezawa
I think he's the kind of player who could easily be a regular on some teams.
It's a highly competitive position again this year, but I hope he does his best.
He can do anything – pinch-hitting, defensive substitution, pinch-running – and he'll likely be a valuable utility player in the infield again this year.
・Nagamasa Fukuda
He boasts one of the highest home run rates among Japanese players and is the most promising player on the team this year.
Fans unanimously agree that he possesses the power to hit 30 home runs in a year.
I hope you can achieve that this year and gain confidence.
While your serious nature shines through, I hope you can relax a bit so that your mental fragility doesn't show.
Naomichi Dojo
With Kyoda joining the team, the competition for second base has intensified, and Fukuda is now at third base, leaving no room for anyone to break in.
However, his impenetrable defensive skills are indispensable for solidifying the defense in the late stages of games, so he will likely remain on the first team roster throughout this year as well.
・Viciedo
Last year, I was absent for an extended period due to issues related to obtaining citizenship.
If they stay with us throughout the year, I think they'll achieve some pretty good results.
His unique and powerful downswing allows him to hit even outside pitches into the right-field stands, making him a very reliable player.
Two years ago, he struggled when pitchers attacked him with inside pitches, but I hope he can overcome that this year.
③Main outfielder
- Atsushi Fujii
He's a player who can do everything—running, hitting, and fielding—so he's more useful when he's on the bench than when he's in the starting lineup.
Therefore, I think I'll be able to stay on the first team all year.
Ryosuke Hirata
If he stays injury-free, he's a five-tool player with speed, good fielding skills, a good eye for pitches, and the ability to hit home runs.
(Like former Yokohama player Tamura...)
He would achieve considerable success if he avoided injuries, but that's probably unlikely.
Fortunately, we have a fair number of players who can fill the gaps.
Yohei Oshima
He's the most reliable hitter on the Dragons.
With his consistent ability to hit .300 every year, his speed to steal bases regularly, and his occasional home run, he's sure to have another successful year.
Almonte
He's a powerful switch-hitter who joined the team this year.
The swing appears to involve only small steps and the use of the upper body, but it produces an astonishing amount of distance.
I think he'll be the type of player who combines power hitting and contact hitting, similar to Seguinol during his time with the Nippon Ham Fighters.
He was also seen skillfully scooping up many breaking balls, demonstrating his ability to handle curveballs.
If you can overlook his sluggish defense, he could be entrusted with left field or designated hitter.
④ Secondary ace pitcher
・Hitoshi Iwase
Last year, he showed surprisingly good pitching ability, but signs of decline were still evident.
However, by learning a new breaking ball, he showed that he still has room to compete in the preseason games.
He was a key player during the team's golden age, so it's great to see him doing well, but it's a little sad that no player has emerged who can replace Iwase.
I hope he'll do his best, also serving as a coach for the younger players.
・Kazuki Yoshimi
Since the surgery, my pitching speed, which wasn't particularly fast to begin with, has decreased, and I've been having a tough season.
No matter how good your control is, if your fastball velocity isn't in the mid-140s, you'll likely struggle to make it in the major leagues.
I feel that he possesses a very high level of professionalism, and I hope that younger generations will learn from his attitude.
I think there's a possibility he could fill a gap in the rotation.
Koji Fukutani
Despite having a decent fastball speed, he has an inconsistent quality that makes him prone to giving up hits.
Even when I see him pitch, his fastball doesn't seem to have good control, and he always appears inconsistent.
Takuma Achira
Despite having a considerable track record as the ace pitcher in the minor leagues, he's not being called up to the major leagues very often.
It's so well-balanced that I feel like it lacks any particular strengths.
With the starting rotation for the first team already established, I don't think there will be many opportunities to be called up from above.
Takuya Asao
He seems to have better control than Fukutani, but his fastball is still nowhere near its peak, and he comes across as lacking power.
However, if he performs well, I think he'll have just as many opportunities to pitch as Sobue, so I still have high hopes for him.
⑤ Secondary infielder
- Toshiki Abe
He's a player who's good defensively and his hitting is improving, but he's unfortunate because there's no position for him to play.
I think he's a player who could easily take over if something happened to Araki or Shuhei.
He's developed more power hitting, and I think he can also be effective as a pinch hitter.
⑥Semi-main outfielder
- Issei Endo
His strong point is his hitting, but with Almonte in left field, Oshima in center field, and Hirata in right field, there's hardly any room for him to break into the lineup.
He's the kind of player who would step up if one of the three gets injured.
Yusuke Matsui
He's a player whose strong point is his hitting.
Last year, he filled in for Hirata when he was absent and performed exceptionally well.
While he may fall short in terms of defense, his hitting is just as reliable.
With Hirata likely to be sidelined due to injury, he is the leading candidate for the second-string outfielder position.
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⑦ Expected Slot
Hiroshi Suzuki
He's a powerful pitcher who was the first overall pick in last year's draft.
Although he throws the ball fairly evenly, the risk of him loading the bases with walks makes him still a bit of a threat as a closer.
However, his fastball velocity is impressive, so if he can refine his breaking balls and consistently throw strikes, I think he could even become a closer.
Shotaro Kasahara
He doesn't have a huge track record yet, but he's a promising left-handed pitcher who has been consistently delivering solid performances since the latter half of last year.
It's like SoftBank's pitcher Wada; his left arm, which is hidden behind his body, suddenly emerges at the moment of release.
It seems difficult to see where the ball is coming from, as we often see batters getting jammed by fastballs that are only around 140 km/h.
In addition to that, he also has good control and precision with his breaking balls, and he seems to have considerable stamina.
If we stick to the rotation properly, I think we can get 10 wins.
・Yusuke Kinoshita
He's a relief pitcher known for his fastball, which reaches nearly 150 km/h, and his forkball.
Now that he's been registered as a regular player, I hope he can maintain his motivation and revitalize the relief pitching staff.
He had some traumatic experiences, such as giving up a grand slam shortly after being registered as a professional player, but hopefully he can just accept it as a preseason game.
Depending on his performance in future appearances, I think he could potentially become a setup man or closer.
Daisuke Matsuzaka
To be honest, I don't think they're a valuable asset in terms of combat power.
However, for the relatively low-profile Chunichi Dragons, it's the only thing that attracts attention, and I think it will help increase attendance.
I really hope he pitches on weekends and holidays to draw crowds to the dome.
・Mist
These are the foreign players who joined the team this season.
With his large 201cm frame, he's also a switch hitter.
Compared to Almonte, he gives a slightly rougher impression, and seems to struggle against inside pitches and off-speed pitches.
He's still young, so he might not be a player who only plays this year, but it looks like he'll be struggling to adapt for a while.
⑧ A crucial year
Kei Nomoto
Every year, I get the impression that he's going to be released, but somehow he manages to stay with the team.
He was drafted first overall, and there are relationships with his alma mater and the company he's working for, so it might be difficult to cut him.
However, in recent years, opportunities to perform have really decreased, and I think things are starting to look bad.
Shota Tomonaga & Masaki Iryo
They are both similar types of players, and are in their late twenties.
Although he's been given opportunities to bat in exhibition games and other matches, he hasn't been able to produce results, making his situation increasingly difficult.
・Ryosuke Oguma
He was expected to be a starting pitcher, but in recent years, with the rise of younger players, his opportunities to pitch have decreased.
Especially last year, I was given an opportunity but couldn't make the most of it, so I think it's about time I started to fail.
Shunta Wakamatsu
Although he's still young, I was impressed by Director Mori's harsh comments.
I really hope he can make a comeback with his lifeline changeup and control.
Daisuke Yamai
He's reached veteran status, but to put it simply, he's an "unstable" player.
Back then, when things were going well, they were unstoppable, and when things were going badly, they were completely hopeless.
In recent years, the proportion of bad times has been steadily increasing, giving the impression of a gradual decline.
The content of the day's game will depend on how well the slider turns out.
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