Baseball equipment includes balls, grabs, and bats, but “non-baseball” training equipment is of interest. Especially for professional baseball. At DeNA, Takeo Kawamura, a 49-year-old pitcher coach, has a specially shaped tool. A ball-like shape with both ends dropped. This was thrown by pitchers Kenta Ishida and others.

It wasn’t the ball that was thrown, but the bat that was sliced ​​into slices. Coach Kawamura said, “The intention (of use) was that I used to throw using a kamaboko board, but it is easy to understand what kind of spin is given to the ball and what kind of spin it will take if thrown.” He explained.

The coach was practicing by throwing kamaboko boards when he was in Atsugi High School in Kanagawa Prefecture. Apply a clean 4-seam backspin and it will fly forward. I applied this. “Because you can hold it vertically, it will shake if you do not go straight. Even if it is a changing ball, the spin is easier to understand.” When a clean vertical rotation is applied, the distance comes out. The surface on which you put your finger is black, and the side is wood grain, so the colors are clearly separated. It is clear at a glance how the changing spheres such as curves are rotating.

Not everyone uses it in practice. Only the players who are interested are calling for a trial. “Everyone has their own feelings, so it’s difficult to change during the season. Only for players who find it interesting.” For the past two years until last season, Ishida has struck out more than the number of innings with an ERA of 2 points. However, he was suffering from a poor ERA of 5 points this season. “I was really worried, so I thought it would be a catalyst for something,” said coach Kawamura. Will devised tools help emerge?[DeNA charge = Naoki Saito]

DeNA Nagaike Infield Defensive Baseball Coach (left) has training equipment to be aware of spin when pitching.On the right is coach Kawamura, the inventor.

DeNA Nagaike Infield Defensive Baseball Coach (left) has training equipment to be aware of spin when pitching.On the right is coach Kawamura, the inventor.

DeNA Watanabe public relations with training equipment to be aware of spin when pitching

DeNA Watanabe public relations with training equipment to be aware of spin when pitching