Central League surprise leader...Hiroshima Carp's new attempt

Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) is also experiencing a turbulent start to the season. This is especially true for the Central League, where the long-time bottom team, Hiroshima Toyo Carp, is making notable strides.

Last weekend, they swept a three-game home series against the strong Yomiuri Giants. Then yesterday (15th), they defeated the Chunichi Dragons. With a recent five-game winning streak, they are unstoppable.

As of today, Hiroshima's record stands at 9 wins, 5 losses, and 1 tie in 15 games, giving them a winning percentage of 0.643, placing them alone at the top of the league. They are ahead of the second-placed Hanshin Tigers by 1.5 games.

Their ranking last year was 4th. They failed to reach the postseason, finishing behind the A-Class teams (1st to 3rd) Yomiuri, Hanshin, and Yokohama.

The Carp is a community-owned team. They are financially weak. Not only do they fail to acquire free agents, but it is also common for them to develop players only to let them go. Last year, they had to let go of starting pitcher Kuri Aren to the Orix Buffaloes.

So how did they suddenly become a strong team? Local media cite 'labor reform' as the reason. This can be described in our terms as 'flexible working hours.' In other words, it is analyzed that the adjustment of the players' training times has contributed to this success.

Specifically, this is what it's about.

The early schedule for the Carp consisted of away games during the week (Tuesday to Thursday) and home games on weekends (Friday to Sunday). The problem lies in the Friday games. They have to prepare for night games immediately after returning from away games.

In Japan, it is standard practice to travel on the same day. Many players rush to get ready from early dawn to meet the schedule. Naturally, this leads to a lack of sleep.

So they changed their starting times. They pushed back the usual 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. This also ends with simple stretching and fungo on the field. Batting practice is moved indoors. Originally, this was a method used during the hot season. They applied this from the start of the season.

Bullpen pitchers, who expend a lot of energy, receive more preferential treatment. This policy was established some time ago.

“Generally, the relief pitchers are utilized after 8 p.m. The specifics vary slightly. Therefore, each player can adjust according to their duties.” This means that they can manage their own arrival times and warm-ups. Obviously, the chase team needs to prepare a bit earlier, while the winning team or the closer will have more leeway.

The same applies on Saturdays. For a 2 p.m. game, the position players report at 10 a.m., and the pitchers at 11 a.m. Pitching coach Tsuyoshi Kikujihara explains, “Saturdays were the hardest during my playing days. After finishing the Friday night game, you have to play while still feeling fatigued. The intention is to avoid such unproductive situations.”

The players also respond positively. Relief pitcher Soutaro Shimauchi said, “I can sleep a little more. Now that the tasks are clearly defined, I can focus better,” welcoming the new method.

Perhaps because of this, their home game performance is impressive. They have an overwhelming record of 8 wins and 2 losses. Recently, they swept a three-game weekend series twice.

This decision was made as a result of the manager's determination. Takahiro Arai (48) is in his third year of tenure. He believes, “Traveling creates a physical burden. You must rest properly when you can. Only then can you concentrate on the game.”

Due to their geographical characteristics, travel distances are long for Hiroshima. This is different from other teams, which are located within a 2-hour and 30-minute radius of places like Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka. They always have to travel over an hour more.

Manager Arai is a franchise star. He debuted and retired in Hiroshima. (He played for 6 years in Hanshin in between.) Therefore, he understands these circumstances better than anyone. He stated that this decision was made in consultation with Hiroki Kuroda, the club owner's special advisor.

He also participated in the Phoenix Crown during his high school years (1994). He played as the cleanup hitter for a Zainichi Korean team and holds a Korean name, Gwi-hong Park. In 2005, he won the Central League home run title (43 home runs). He accumulated a career total of 2,000 hits and 300 home runs.

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