Baseball theory revealed by Kakefu for the first time “Why is the basis of batting lies in catching the ball?”[First public release]Mr. Tigers “Kakefu’s batting theory” (Part 1) (1/2) | JBpress

[First release]Mr. Tigers “Kakefu batting theory” (1st episode)

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Kakefu’s batting form during his active days (Photo: Kyodo News Images)

In “Kakefu’s Batting Theory” (Nippon Jitsugyo Publishing), Masayuki Kakefu, also known as “Mr. Tigers”, who won the home run championship three times, reveals the essence of his batting for the first time. He will introduce key points from the book, which describes his batting techniques in detail, in four parts. The first lesson is about the rotational movement of the body, which is the basics of batting.

*This article is based on “Kakefu batting theoryThis is a partially excerpted and re-edited version of the book “Written by Masayuki Kakefu, published by Nippon Jitsugyo Publishing.

The basics of batting are catching the ball

The basics of batting lie in catching the ball. I would like to start my batting theory here.

If you have played baseball, you may have been taught to “value the game of catch.” I’m sure he was a great instructor. That’s exactly what the teaching says.

First of all, why is playing catch important?If you can’t see the ball properly, there’s no way you can hit it, throw it, or catch it.. It may seem obvious, but it was the first time I became conscious of it when my coach told me this when I became a professional. So, first of all, watch the ball carefully when playing catch.

You can also learn how to use your body while playing catch. What should I do to throw strongly? With a “pushing” motion, you cannot hit the ball fast or far. Instead of pushing, what you need is a “rotating” motion.

Keep your head straight and rest it on top of your spine

The “spine” is the axis that rotates the body to throw the ball strongly or to send the ball far. In order to keep your spine straight and to see the ball clearly, the most important thing is to keep your neck straight and rest it on top of your spine.

By rotating your body strongly, you can throw the ball strongly and fly it far. This rotating motion is common not only to “throwing” but also “hitting.”

『Kakefu batting theory” (written by Masayuki Kakefu, Nippon Jitsugyo Publishing)

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Create an axis of rotation for the spine from the neck

In order to rotate your body properly, you need to be aware of the axis of rotation, which is the axis from your neck to your spine. If it is slanted or tilted too far forward or backward, the axis will become unstable and you will not be able to rotate it properly. It may seem simple, but many players are unable to improve because they are not aware of the axis of rotation.

First of all, before hitting the ball, the body shape, shoulders, hips, and knees must be at ground level in order to see the ball clearly, otherwise the axis will naturally bend.

The most important thing is to keep your head straight to see the ball.. This will help stabilize the axis.

By pulling your chin slightly and placing it firmly on your spine, you can create a single axis. You must be aware of not only the vertical lines but also the horizontal lines of your body. Rotate your shoulders, hips, and knees so that they are parallel (level) with the ground. If this part is shaken, the body will not be able to rotate straight. This is not just about throwing, but it is also the basis for achieving a level swing.