[Nippon Ham Kitayama Wataru]Self-scoring the first half of the match Message received from Coach Shinjo/Part 2 of the interview
This is a special interview with Nippon Ham pitcher Kitayama Wataru (26), who was the first to compete in the All-Star Game. The right-handed pitcher, who was eighth pick in the 2021 draft and entered the pro, served as the opening pitcher in his first year, and has since gained numerous experiences including set-upper, closer and starting pitcher. In his fourth year, he was a member of a powerful starting lineup, with a good record of 6 wins and 3 losses in the first half and an ERA of 1.40, and was selected for the first time by manager selection. They talked about their thoughts on the ball banquet, their reflections on the first half, and their enthusiasm for the second half of the match, aiming to win the league championship. We will deliver it in parts divided into two and a few.
*The interview was conducted before the All-Star Game on July 23rd and 24th.
Professional baseball
■Click here for the first part of the interview
■After the first All-Star Game… “Long-and-more”
“I believe that I have the room to grow.”
– Looking back at the first half of your fourth year in your professional career, what would you score yourself?
If I had to set my completed form to 100, I think it would still be around 60 or 70. This year, I'm currently able to get a point where I'm about 80 points. He is relatively uninjured and has been coming for now, and has not become much ill.
He has been pitching quite a long inning, so I think he has shown himself to have grown since last year, so I think he can appreciate that.
-He continues to defend his starting rotation, and in 13 games in the first half he pitches for 90 innings
It's already exceeded last year's innings (81 innings 2/3). Your career is high, innings.
Well, in the first place, I don't think the starting pitcher will be evaluated unless he throws the regulations (143 innings) so I think he should throw the regulations no matter what. For now, my results over the past three years are already at a loss, and now I've surpassed the first half. His ERA is also the best, including the past, and I think he's growing.
-The winners are also tied for six wins in the 2023 season
Yes, the winner is a little smoldering. There is a bit of force majeure there, and there is also luck there.
But the main thing is that I want to win games when I'm pitching, and that's the main focus. Even if you hold off by conceding one goal, the loss may be a loss. I think that the strength of the game will be the second half of the second half, where it doesn't give you anything you shouldn't do and that will determine the flow of the game, will be pitching in a way that will give the team more momentum if they can increase the number of other games, so I'd like to be aware of that.
He was the opening pitcher on March 25th, 2012. Throwing while screaming
-The average pitch speed I was aware of this year. How long is the first half?
It's over 150. It's about 151.
-What you're looking for is more stable average ball speed than increasing the fastest
It's easy to lift your Max. So, you should throw one fast ball, and if you mate a little, you'll come out.
But keeping throwing it is a really tough thing. For example, it's only natural that someone who is in his late 190th pitches an average of 150 kg from a skeleton perspective. I think it's a bit much that needs to do that, but continuing to throw (height) over 180 (average pitch speed) over 150 is quite a high hurdle (pitcher Kitayama's height is 182 cm).
In that sense, I think that while bringing out the potential of my body that I currently have, I'm being able to throw it out more than ever before.
But I believe that I still have room to grow. And ultimately, I wish I could raise the average by 2 or 3 kg.
-What is the average ball speed now?
Right now it's between 150 and 5 and 151. When I was feeling good, I was at 151.9 the other day, so my average was around 152kg.
– Which pitching would that be?
That's the Giants game (June 19th). I hope I can reach an average of around 153kg this year and next year. That's how Imai Tatsuya (Seibu's) is, so I hope he can go that far.
-How do you view pitcher Imai's unique, powerful form?
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Born in 1983. Born in Tajimi, Gifu. In 2005, he joined Hokkaido Nikkan Sports Newspaper. After working in the General Affairs Department, he has been in charge of Nippon Ham since January 2011. He has been working in Tokyo since April 2021 and has been working in Yugun. He returned to Hokkaido in December 2011 and was in charge of Nippon Ham again.
He has been a Chunichi fan since he was a child. His first time watching baseball was in the front row of Nagoya Stadium's outfield seats. I remember slamming the first megaphone I bought, slamming it against the fence in front of me, cheering on it, and breaking it. When I watched the game from the infield seat on the third base side, I was cheering on the outside seat and receiving a mandarin orange from an old lady who had never seen her before, saying, “You're doing great work,” which is a great memory. It still feels strange to see that the extraordinary space illuminated by the cocktail rays I admired at the time is now a workplace.
