The Saitama Seibu Lions enter 2019 with different aspirations and a new slogan. "Catch The Glory" will be the team's new motto as manager Hatsuhiko Tsuji unveiled it on Thursday morning.
Their full slogan is "Catch the Glory, 新時代、熱狂しろ (shinjidai, Nekyo shiro) Which is referring to a new generation of players with a fresh amount of enthusiasm for next year.
Last year's slogan had "栄光をつかみ獲れ" Eiko o Tsukami tore which was Grab the Glory on Japanese written on the bottom. In this case, the Lions will be hoping to reload their roster with plenty of younger players needing to step it up. They lost Ginjiro Sumitani and Hideto Asamura to free agency while Yusei Kikuchi will be playing in MLB next year. This is also a contract year for Shogo Akiyama where he will have international FA rights for 2020.
Tsuji and the Lions management know this will be a new age of Lions players in the coming years while the veterans will have their roles diminished or completely gone within the next 2-3 years. Players like Kazuki Kaneko, Haruka Yamada, Nien Ting Wu, Kakeru Yamanobe and Wataru Matsumoto are hoping to fill some roles left out from last year's team.
The 2018 season was the Lions first Pacific League pennant since 2008 and they're hoping to build off of it. Their odds to repeat this accomplishment is unlikely given there is no ace and Asamura has signed with the Rakuten Eagles.
It will be up to the farm and young players to catch the glory if this team is to succeed in 2019. Tsuji mentioned in the unveiling how the next generation of Lions players have the opportunity to move up and take a role for the upcoming season and beyond.
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Why are the odds unlikely for them to repeat? They still have a solid core of hitters who will only get better. We haven't seen the best of Yamakawa, Mori or Genda, yet and Akiyama should be itching to do well in his contract year. Mejia also had wrist surgery so he should be better too. If Utsumi steps into the rotation and provides them with solid innings, the Lions should be one of the favourites to win the pennant again.
ReplyDeletePitching staff?
DeleteI expect them to finish A Class, but I`d be surprised if they repeat. Hawks will probably be better this season. Fighters in the mix. Eagles, Marines, and Buffaloes probably stay where they belong. haha?
ReplyDeletePitching always an issue for the Lions. See you there, Mike!
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