The trajectory to 2000 hits

I would like to introduce the trajectory of how Hayato Sakamoto was able to hit 2000 hits after joining the Giants.

1.About Hayato Sakamoto

2.How amazing this record

3.The trajectory to 2000 hits

4.To the unprecedented road

About Hayato Sakamoto

Born December 14, 1988 in Itami City, Hyogo Prefecture, now 32 years old. He starts playing baseball in the first grade of elementary school. As a pitcher at Koyanosato Tigers, he had a battery with catcher Masahiro Tanaka (currently the New York Yankees).

In 2006, he was nominated as a giant in the first round of high school draft and became a professional baseball player. And now he is a representative player of NPB.

How amazing this record

I would like to compare how great the hit pace so far is with the main players who are active

Sakamoto has been playing since he got a regular in his second year of high school and has not given up his position.
Therefore, as a comparison target, we have listed players who are relatively close in age to Sakamoto and have acquired regulars within the fourth year of high school graduation and continue to participate.

Looking at the data of all the top five people at the time of the 10th year of the 28-year-old high school graduate, Tetsuto Yamada, who has the fastest pace among the other four people, is also 250 hits behind.

<References>

https://pemcdk.com/npb-sakamoto/

The trajectory to 2000 hits

In his mid-twenties, he did not make any outstanding results and hit the wall of a top-notch batter. While continuing trial and error, he awakened in 2016 by changing to the current batting method that leaves weight on the axis foot, inspired by the story of Hideki Matsui, a team OB. He also learned how to get the timing, and hit 40 home runs last season with an awareness of strong vibrations. There is now because we have always sought evolution.

It was my partner who supported me every day. Yuto (28), a younger brother under the age of three, who has always been with him during his childhood running, has been a driver and individual manager since 2013. At first, Yuuto promised to quit the driver only last year in order to qualify as a trainer at a vocational school, but at the end of the year Sakamoto asked, “Wait for another two years. Now is important.” I had to respond to the feelings of my younger brother who trusted me.

To the unprecedented road

Even after achieving 2000 hits, if the average annual pace of 157 hits (as of September 23) since the second year of professionals became regular, a total of 2500 hits will be achieved in the 2023 season. In 2027, Isao Harimoto will reach a record of 3,000 hits in total, which is the second person in history, and expectations for setting a new NPB record will increase, surpassing Isao Harimoto’s record of 3085 hits in total.

The scary thing is “injury”. Sakamoto has been suffering from chronic low back pain since he was young, and this season he complained of back tension in June and was replaced on the way. He was replaced on September 16th, when he was about to win, complaining of tension. At the moment, it is only “mild”, but from next season onward, it is possible that low back pain will recur or pain that can become “severe” will occur elsewhere due to physical weakness and muscle weakness.

One way to avoid this is to reduce the burden of defense and relocate from the current shortstop to third baseman, but how far can Sakamoto, who has a strong commitment and pride in defense, convince himself? .. The ideal is to play full-time as a shortstop, but it may be necessary to make a decision somewhere in order to achieve 3,000 hits for the second person in history and to “exceed Harimoto”.