Sorry for the innuendo in the title… just that our playoffs here in NPB are called the “Climax Series” though more often than not, they are anti-climactic. Anyhow, T and Ray sat down and hashed out whether a playoff berth is best for the 2022 Hanshin Tigers or not. Here’s how the discussion went down:
Hi! I’m T. The T stands for TRUE Hanshin fan. I am so elated that the team is in third place despite its sub-500 record.
Well T, let me introduce myself to you, then. I’m Ray and I’m the voice of ray-son here. I’ve got some bad news for you. We are *TIED* for third place right now with the Hiroshima Carp, and if this tie remains in place, we will end up in 4th because they won the season series against us…
OK fine. Doesn’t matter. This team has fought back HARD from the 4-20-1 start and it would definitely be nice to see their hard work rewarded with a spot in the postseason.
Really? REALLY? You do realize that down the stretch, the team is a pitiful 7 games below .500, right? Soon after the all-star break they were 52-49-2 but have since gone 13-20-1 when it matters the most. Why are you still cheering for this team? Do you really have hopes that they will turn things around in the playoffs if they finish in third?
A big part of that struggle is the direct result of Covid-19, when they lost Koji Chikamoto and Takumu Nakano and Yusuke Ohyama and lost 8 straight. Cut them some slack, will you? The pitching is top-notch and deserves a shot at carrying the team to glory!
So you think that this team, which went 2-11 in Yokohama this season, has a shot at glory in the postseason by finishing 3rd and having to face the Baystars in the first round? You should also keep in mind that the Tigers have only won playoff rounds twice in team history: 2014 and 2019. They’ve bowed out in the first round SEVEN times, and none of them were particularly close.
Well OK fine, but something has to be said for getting the team into the dance. Manager Yano is in his final season at the helm and has helped the team to three straight finishes in the top half of the league. The only manager to do it in his first four seasons is… maybe Sadayoshi Fujimoto back in the early 1960s! Don’t you want to see Yano-san go out on a positive note and put his name in the history books as one of the great managers in team history?
I’m gonna pretend you didn’t say that last part. But I’ll humor your thoughts about the team finishing in the top half in 4 straight seasons, which is such a rarity in team history. That is about the only reason I’d like to see them make it. But consider this: who is taking over after Yano, and how are we going to spend the offseason?
I’m not quite sure what you’re getting at here.
Let me spell it out for you. The front office (or whoever makes these decisions, because there sure isn’t a GM in place) has been pretty lackadaisical when it comes to offseason spending or free agent hunting. We have clearly had hitting and fielding issues in the past 5 seasons, and you know what we’ve done about it between seasons? NOTHING! We had chances to at least court Hideto Asamura, Yoshihiro Maru, and Tetsuto Yamada. Not even a murmur around the hot stove. The last free agent hitter we acquired was Yoshio Itoi and we both know how that turned out.
Hey, give the guy a break. He did his best and was a fan favorite, and just announced his retirement from professional baseball.
I’m not knocking Itoi. I’m knocking the front office. If we make the playoffs, they will praise Yano and the Tigers for recovering so strongly from their terrible start. They will continue the same refrain of “we are on the right track here.” And they won’t dig into the coffers to try to bring in reinforcements. Do you want to endure another 26 shutout losses next season? Because you know not many of the position players are on the verge of growth spurts. Most of the starters are “in their prime” as far as age goes.
So what’s the solution, then? Miss the playoffs on purpose? Do you really want the season to come to an end prematurely before they get a chance at the greatest underdog story in NPB history?
Yep. Dare I even say, I don’t mind if they drop down to 5th spot and taste a little humble pie. Wake up the front office and whoever comes in next to manage the team at field level (and decides our upcoming draft picks). I have already given my thoughts on who I’d like to see at the helm next season but in case you missed it or you aren’t a podcast-type of person, here it is. Bring in Tomoaki Kanemoto as GM. He has a great head on his shoulders when it comes to evaluating talent and providing direction for the team. He can be the face of the franchise again while not having to make on-the-field decisions. Use his Carp connection to bring in proven winner Koichi Ogata (CL winner 2016-18) as manager, and Takahiro Arai (Carp & Tigers star) as hitting coach. But none of this is possible if the team finishes in 3rd. We gotta miss the playoffs for drastic action to be taken.
Hmmm… you make a good case there. Any chance you could talk to someone in the organization to make it happen?
Won’t happen. They love their homegrown talent too much to pull in people from the outside. But Ogata has been on some Tigers broadcasts this year and has shown some insight as well as interest in the team’s well-being. So you bring him in, sign Asamura, Nakamura, Tonosaki or Mori (all big-ticket free agents this offseason), and watch the team make a run for the pennant in 2023. That, or you push for a 3rd place finish this year and let apathy and satisfaction with mediocrity sink in this offseason. And then wait another 18 years or so for a pennant while the front office plays the same tune on their one-stringed banjo: Next year is our year!
OK, alright, I’m with you. Missing the playoffs might be best for the team’s long-term success. Thanks for turning me to the dark side, Ray.
The pleasure is mine, T. If things go my way, we’ll be living in the limelight before you know it.