The success factor of Kyuuji Fujikawa, the manager with no leadership experience

It is last winter. The new manager of Hanshin has been appointed. It is Kyuuji Fujikawa.

He is young, now 44 years old. What of it? He is a legendary closer for the team.

There is just one concern: his lack of experience. He has neither managerial nor even coaching experience. He is truly a novice leader. Is it not too early? Will it be okay? There were great concerns from those around.

He said he would succeed the 'Okadaism'. This was his inaugural statement indicating that he would carry on the spirit of his predecessor, Akinobu Okada, 67.

Why not? He is a master who led the team to victory in the Japan Series (2023) after 38 years. Fans were reassured by the news that he intended to emulate his coaching style.

But that was not the case. It is a completely different style. He is much younger. Yet, he is much stricter and more intrusive. He seems to be someone determined to dominate the players.

It was during the closing camp in November. The first directive was announced. 'No smoking.'

Naturally, the players are included. The manager and the coaches are also targets. He goes a step further by including the front office staff. There should not be any visibility of cigarette smoke anywhere in the baseball field.

The no smoking policy is not limited to the home stadium (Koshien). It also applies to away games. An exception rule is begrudgingly permitted: it is okay during lodging or transportation. In other words, 'it is not allowed when wearing a uniform'. That's the intent.

Days passed, and the second measure was announced. This time it is 'no outings'. After work, one must return to their accommodations. Only a convenience store five minutes away is allowed. This is not just during training days, but also includes days off. (Limited to those under 24 years old)

The players are voicing their discontent. 'What is this?' 'Is this a prison?' 'What era is it now?' Complaints can be heard here and there.

Two months have passed since the opening. They have already played nearly 60 games. They have surpassed 40% of the regular season's 143 games.

An astonishing thing happened. The Hanshin Tigers are at the top of the standings. They have a record of 35 wins, 21 losses, and 2 draws in 59 games, with a winning percentage approaching .600. They are racing ahead with a .593 winning percentage, 3.5 games ahead of the second-place Yokohama DeNA BASS.

Above all, the most important thing is the results of the rivalry matches. When facing their archrival, the Yomiuri Giants, they get fired up. They are maintaining an advantage with 8 wins and 4 losses.

At this point, everything else is irrelevant. Performance is the universal remedy. 'He has no experience, he's a parachute appointment from the headquarters, he's a young authoritarian.' All those criticisms have been silenced.

Instead, praises are abundant. His fiery leadership stands out. He is indeed a franchise star. He knows the team better than anyone. Analyses akin to 'Yongbyeocheongga' are emerging.

In fact, Hanshin is the most popular team. Thus, it is easy to become intoxicated by performance. The aftereffects of the 2023 championship emerged last year. The sense of urgency has disappeared. They couldn't perform in crucial moments.

They fell to second place due to Yomiuri's rise. They even got eliminated in the first round of the postseason. They suffered consecutive defeats to third-place DeNA, becoming a victim of internal conflicts.

The result was a managerial change. Okada stepped down, and Fujikawa ascended. Then, the opinion gained strength that the player group needed strong leadership.

Even smoking contributes to this. The former manager, Okada, is a well-known smoker. He would visit the break room behind the dugout during the innings.

This also facilitates communication. The manager and players share friendly smoking time. As they smoke, they exchange what’s on their minds. This is commonly referred to as 'Okada time.'

The prohibition of outings is similar. It is akin to Korea. There are just as many people willing to buy drinks there. What is called 'Tanimachi' (タニマチ) originates from sumo wrestling in Japan. It denotes an interaction where players are called in for a hearty drink in the evening.

Manager Fujikawa was also a star. He has experienced this a few times during his active days. But it is all meaningless. The next day, it only makes things hard during practice. Why wouldn’t I know?

Instead, he has advantages. The secret to managing an organization is his fiery 'favoritism.'

If a Hanshin batter gets hit by a pitch, the first to run out is the manager. He might even shout to the opposing bench declaring battle.

In this scene, he seems like a major league veteran. 'Come on over.' In English, it translates to 'Come On.' He often gestures with his index finger as if calling them over.

Because of this, he had a falling out with a senior. It was Takahiro Arai, the manager of the Hiroshima Carp, who was once his teammate. They had shared meals together as family for five years at Hanshin. Recently, during a dispute over a beanball, he was offended by a provocation. For a while, they couldn’t even meet each other's eyes on the field.

In fact, 'fraternal leadership' is a common sight in NPB.

This happens when franchise stars become managers. Kazuyoshi Tsuji of Chunichi Dragons did so, as did Kazuo Matsui of Seibu Lions.

They all emphasized rigorous training and strict discipline. However, they failed. Currently, there is Shinnosuke Abe of Yomiuri, who has also been criticized for a few authoritarian styles.

On the other hand, Fujikawa's style is less intense. Compared to others, he has a more horizontal personality. Nonetheless, due to several measures (no smoking, no outings), he is classified under the same type.

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