The entry of the Japanese national team for the Asian Professional Baseball Championship (APBC) has been announced. Japan National Team coach Hirokazu Ibata held a press conference in Tokyo, Japan, on the 24th to announce the 26-man roster.
For the Korean national team, led by coach Ryu Joong-il, to win the championship, Japan is the strongest obstacle. The strength of the Japanese national team is objectively the most superior.
The designated hitter for the Japanese national team is Shugo Maki (25, Yokohama), who has appeared in all 143 games this year, batting .2933 (164-for-559) with 29 home runs, 103 RBIs and an OPS of .837. He was first in the Central League in RBIs, first in most hits, third in home runs, and fourth in batting.
With the announcement of the entry, Ibata declared Maki as the varsity team's No. 4 hitter. "As the best athlete in the world in the WBC, I want him to pass on that (experience)," Ibata said. Maki also played for Japan's national team in the World Baseball Classic (WBC) in March. He is the only member of the WBC to be selected for the APBC team.
In addition to Maki, there are also many other hitters who have long hitting power. Chusei Manami (23, Nippon Ham) missed out on the Pacific League home run king by one home run. He appeared in 141 games this season, batting .265 (141-for-533) with 25 home runs, 74 RBIs and a .788 OPS.
Teruaki Sato (24, Hanshin) is the main hitter for the Central League champion Hanshin. In 132 games, he batted .263 (128-for-486) with 24 home runs, 카지노사이트킴 92 RBIs and an .837 OPS. He tied for fourth in the Central League in home runs and third in RBIs.
Yomiuri big gun prospect Yuto Akihiro (21) is the tallest player at 2m2cm. He appeared in 121 games this season, batting .273 (111-for-406) with 10 home runs, 41 RBIs and a .720 OPS. His potential is so high that he has taken over Hideki Matsui's number (No. 55).
Coach Ibata said, "There are Okabayashi (outfielder) and Kadowaki (infielder) who have a reputation for defending as quasi-people. It's a satisfying composition of players with long hitting, speed, and defense."
The Japanese media reported, "In terms of pitching, Imai and Taguchi are the mainstays of the starting lineup and bullpen." Tatsuya Imai (25, Seibu) is 10-5 with a 2.30 ERA in 19 games this season. He threw 133 innings, recorded 130 strikeouts, and threw a fastball over 150 kilometers.
Kazuto Taguchi (28, Yakult) is a left-handed pitcher who appeared in 50 games this season, posting a 3-5 record, 6 holds, 33 saves and a 1.86 ERA. He is second in the Central League in saves. Last year, he had a 1-1 record, 18 holds, 2 saves and a 1.25 ERA in 45 games.
Japan selected three wild cards, including Imai and Taguchi, as well as catcher Shogo Sakakura (25, Hiroshima).
The tournament will be held at the Tokyo Dome in Japan on November 16~18. Four teams from South Korea, Japan, Chinese Taipei and Australia will participate. The Japanese national team will train at a training camp in Miyazaki on November 6~13 and will play a practice match with Yomiuri.