It’s almost unbelievable that he’s a 40-year-old player.
A player who was considered a slippery slugger is shooting home runs every day. At this pace, even the oldest home run king is possible.먹튀검증
This is the story of Takeya Nakamura (40), a veteran giant of the Japanese professional baseball Seibu Lions.
Nakamura is thrilling fans with his ageless home run pace. Photo = Seibu Lions website capture
On the 12th, Nakamura hit a left-handed two-run home run against former ace Tanaka in the game against Rakuten.
At the beginning of the 4th inning when the score was tied 2-2, he kicked up a high 144km long fastball from first base with no out and flew over the left wall.
Yasushi Tao, a baseball critic, said, “It was a ball if you didn’t hit something high, but home run hitters are definitely strong against high balls. Nakamura has a great swing head trajectory. He is a hitter who still has a lot more to show.”
Another critic, Yutaka Takagi, also expressed, “I think the pitcher will feel like he’s going to get hit no matter where he throws it.”
Marking his 22nd year as a professional this season, the veteran, who will turn 40 in August, participated in 20 games in March and April and recorded a batting average of 0.364, 7 home runs and 14 RBIs, and was selected as the monthly MVP.
Also, his unprecedented 2,000 strikeouts in his career became a hot topic. As expectations for his 500th career home run increase (462 as of now before the game on May 13), Nakamura’s performance should be watched in the future.
Nakamura was a slugger that dominated the late 2000s and early 2010s.
He made a name for himself as a representative of Japan, including the home run king 6 times and the RBI king 4 times. However, he seemed to crumble little by little before the weight of the years. Since he hit 30 home runs in the 2019 season, he has never hit more than 20 home runs.
However, he has already hit a home run in No. 8 and announced a resurgence. As long as there is no injury, it is not too much to challenge for the 7th home run title.
When the ‘DAZN’ official Twitter released the home run video, “Oh, that’s so amazing” “The home run artist, the arch that draws a high parabola is the best” “So ideal swing” “I will hit it forever” “I’m really crazy, that’s great” “Pro Is it at its peak in the 22nd year?” and so on.
Nakamura is being praised as “Is he really a 40-year-old player?” His bat is still ready for a home run.