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The story
The Chunichi Dragons’ managerial change has become a hot topic, and on 5ch’s “Live News Flash” board, four names have emerged as candidates to take over: Hirokazu Ibata, Takeshi Yamasaki, Akihiro Yano, and Kazuyoshi Tatsunami. Ibata is said to have little enthusiasm for the job given his standing after the WBC and his relationship with the team, while Yamasaki’s candidacy is overshadowed by his son’s fraud case. Yano reportedly once turned down a head-coach offer from Chunichi in the past, prioritizing his status as a Hanshin Tigers alum instead. Tatsunami, meanwhile, has emerged as the frontrunner thanks to strong support from the Tokai business community and fans. The thread agreed on one point: factors other than win-loss record are driving the selection.
What people said
Takeshi Yamasaki
Akihiro Yano
・Hirokazu Ibata
He once politely turned down a coaching offer from a great manager
He's probably the type who doesn't want the short straw of managing a perennial also-ran team
He may also have soured on managing altogether after the WBC blunder, so surprisingly, he's not looking like a strong bet for the next skipper job
Calling it a "blunder" is harsh — from the quarterfinals on, it was a boss rush (back-to-back tough opponents) with a .500 record
It's not like they got knocked out in the group stage
・Takeshi Yamasaki
Among current Chunichi alumni, he's the only one who's actually eager to become manager
But a few months ago his son was arrested for fraud, and it looks like his own family dragged him out of the running for the next manager job
・Akihiro Yano
When manager Inoue was putting his staff together, he reportedly tried to bring Yano on as head coach, but it never happened because Yano prioritized his status as a "Hanshin alum" and "former Hanshin manager"
There's no reason for him to tarnish his résumé managing a perennial also-ran team and snuff out his own shot at one day returning as Hanshin manager
So it has to be said the odds of him ever becoming Chunichi's manager are vanishingly slim
・Kazuyoshi Tatsunami
A Chunichi alum with overwhelming support from the Tokai and Nagoya business community
Since he became manager, the team's sponsorship revenue has doubled
On top of his strong draw at the gate, his merchandise — jerseys and everything else — sells extremely well
From the front office's perspective, he's the man they most want in the manager's chair, and he himself is fired up for a comeback
It's fair to call him the clear frontrunner for the next Chunichi manager job
YEEEAAAHHH
He just seems like a good-natured old guy
He's been doing commentary work, so he seems like he could adapt to modern baseball
Say it like that and you sound like some kind of insider, huh?
At least pick someone who's still alive, like Mr. Gondo
Apparently he didn't even contact Araki until they were brought together for some talk-show feature
But if Ibata wants to manage in this league, at the Giants he's not a homegrown player, so unless he gets a special exception like Hashigami did, he can't get the job
They can just chalk it up to being Ochiai's fault and call it settled
In that sense, I think Masa Yamamoto has the right stuff
He'd get so many laughs he'd give the players stomach aches from laughing too hard
Every year around this time you think 'next year we'll make it,' but it's tough going
Like the pitcher-version Ochiai, maybe
Guess faith really is powerful (a nod to how fervently devoted the Hanshin fanbase is — 5ch jokingly calls it a 'religion')
I honestly think it's a good thing the Tigers didn't actually win it all during the Yano era…
The golden-era players from 20 years ago are around 50 now, so there should actually be a huge traffic jam of guys wanting to manage
Was there really that much appetite for it with guys like Yoda or Inoue?
If you paid someone 100 million yen who just wants the 'former manager' title on their résumé, I think you'd find plenty of takers
They've actually got decent talent though
If things go normally, they should finish third next year
Does this guy actually watch the games?
Next year even the starting rotation is finally going to be in real trouble
No guarantee Sano can stay on the field in one piece
I think Hosokawa's next year is shaky too
Guess he's fallen for the local Tokai brainwashing
A normal pick just won't cut it
Lee Byung-kyu is currently the second-team (farm club) manager for the LG Twins, you know
[Baseball] Former Giants ace Masumi Kuwata emerges as candidate for next Chunichi manager! Sources say "the team's decision is already set" (Nikkan Gendai) [Niiniiφ★]
https://hayabusa9.5ch.io/test/read.cgi/mnewsplus/1790682190/
Masa Yamamoto: "It's on me today! Let's go get yakiniku!!"
That's basically what would happen
The ones booing are the passionate visiting-team fans who actually want to win
The ones packing the home stands are the brainwashed, lukewarm fans who don't care about winning or losing
Then why do they even go? Like visiting a friend's house out of sheer habit?
It starts from the premise that the Tokai media, dominated by the Chunichi Shimbun newspaper, keeps up its daily 'brainwashing' coverage
So regardless of on-field results, the team works hard at marketing itself as an experiential attraction
Combined with today's consumer appetite for 'experiences,' the Dragons end up being an easy default choice
Background and Key Points of This Topic
Chunichi is reportedly moving into earnest search mode for a successor to manager Kazuki Inoue’s regime. It’s worth noting that the “Four Heavenly Kings” label is just a convenient shorthand coined by the 5ch thread itself, not an official team announcement. All four names floated are well-known Chunichi alumni, but their circumstances couldn’t be more different. Ibata’s situation is shaped by his standing as a former Samurai Japan manager; Yano’s by his background as a Hanshin alum and former Hanshin manager; Yamasaki’s by his son’s arrest; and Tatsunami’s by his contribution to team revenue despite a poor on-field record during his tenure — in each case, factors beyond wins and losses are what’s really driving the ranking. The thread’s disagreement centered less on managerial aptitude and more on whether each man would actually want the job and whether it would benefit team finances — the strong push for Tatsunami reflects the front office’s stake in merchandise and ticket sales across the Tokai region. The post nominating Shigeru Sugishita was a joke referencing a deceased figure, not a serious candidate suggestion.
*This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (“Live News Flash” board) thread “[Inoue Steps Down] The Chunichi Dragons’ next-manager candidates — the ‘Four Heavenly Kings’ are set 🐲”.
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