Tuesday, January 19, 2016

Previewing the projected field - Meitoku Gijyuku (Kochi)

So Meitoku Gijyuku this time around avoids any controversy regarding their bid by finishing as the runner-up in the Shikoku super-regionals.

After 2 blowout wins, they settled down to defeat Tosa and Kochi Shougyou to take the prefectural title. Once super-regional play started, they struggled to hold on against Nitta, and then had to face Tosa again, eking out a 4-3 win in 10 innings before ace Nakano finally fell flat in the final.

Speaking of which, Nakano Takashi (中野 恭聖) appears just removed from his stint at Ehime Nishi Senior Little League. Reports have him at 136, though if we take into account regional guns (outside of main stadiums) are generally fast, we would be better to assume that he's in the low 130s. The K numbers are a far cry from the time of Kishi, averaging 2-3 Ks per 9 and has a BB/K rate that looks like a K/BB rate - which is why there might be little data on him.

Worse yet, their final 3 games the managed jut 6 hits in each of them. and their most consistent hitters have been their leadoff hitter, CF Tachibana Koutarou (立花 虎太郎), and their #9 hitter, Nakano himself. That's not all that good.

As a result, while they are returning to Koushien, it's hard to envisage a deep run. Instead it's a fortunate bid in a rebuilding process.


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