Hara accepts job for WBC / Pledges to help Japan defend title
Written by Writer on Wednesday, October 29th, 2008
Hara accepts job for WBC / Pledges to help Japan defend title
The Yomiuri Shimbun
Yomiuri Giants manager Tatsunori Hara on Tuesday agreed to manage Japan at the World Baseball Classic in March.
Nippon Professional Baseball commissioner Ryozo Kato visited The Yomiuri Shimbun’s head office Tuesday morning and asked Giants owner Takuo Takihana to allow Hara to skipper Japan as it looks for its second straight WBC title.
Kato then went to the Yomiuri Giants training complex in Kawasaki to meet Hara, who accepted.
“I’ll do my best to help Japan form a strong squad to defend the title,” said Hara, who led the Giants to the Central League pennant for the second straight year and their first Japan Series in six years.
“I didn’t expect at all [to be asked for the managerial job]. But leading the Japan squad is an honor for me,” Hara said.
“I really appreciate Mr. Hara’s understanding in accepting this job even while he prepares for the Japan Series,” Kato said. “I told him he will have our full cooperation–along with special adviser Sadaharu Oh–in the process of selecting coaches and players.”
Oh led Japan to the first WBC title in 2006. Hara told reporters the support of Oh would be a great help.
“Now I’m focusing on our preparations for the Japan Series. After doing my best for the Giants, then I’ll give my all for Japan,” Hara said, ahead of Game 1 on Saturday against the Saitama Seibu Lions at Tokyo Dome.
Hara, 50, was chosen by an NPB advisory committee Monday because of his youth, good health and managerial experience.
Hara is scheduled to start selecting coaches and players after the Japan Series. Training camp for the WBC will begin on Feb. 15.
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Yoshinobu to miss Series
The Daily Yomiuri
Yomiuri outfielder Yoshinobu Takahashi will skip the Japan Series to treat a chronic hip injury, Giants manager Tatsunori Hara said Tuesday.
“He won’t be wearing the uniform for the rest of the season,” Hara said.
Takahashi, who batted a career worst .239 during the regular season, asked Hara to leave him off the 40-man roster for the Japan Series so that he could focus on curing an ailing hip which limited the right fielder to just 91 games.
Takahashi went just 1-for-9 in the second stage of the Climax Series against the Chunichi Dragons.
“I just want to focus on the rehab, make it go as well as possible,” the 33-year-old Takahashi said.
(Oct. 29, 2008)
