Gary Trundleburry, Shin Seiki Post

02/07/2032: Nagoya, Japan

Shin Seiki GM Kevin Vail is, apparently, a creature of habit. If history is any indication, he likes trades, power hitters, and bringing former players back as coaches. To date, this off season has been as full of trades as one would expect. Rumors of a hunt for another big bat swirl in the air. And yet another former player has been brought back in to the fold to pass on his baseball sagacity to the next generation. This time it is former outfielder Yoritomo Masuda.

Unlike most players who have been brought back to coach, Masuda’s time in Shin Seiki was brief – only one solid (2.7WAR 118 OPS+) season in 2030. His not-quite-Hall-of-Fame-worthy career was long and productive, spanning 8 seasons in the LRS (mostly with Naha) and 7 seasons in PEBA between Palm Springs and Neo Tokyo. His offensive game was balanced, featuring solid power and speed, but his eye for the strike zone was his greatest talent. That talent has apparently carried over to his coaching philosophy and game strategy.

“I believe in working the pitch count above anything else. There is no surer path to success than to force the pitcher to give you a better pitch to hit. Make him throw strikes. Foul off anything close that you don’t like. Wear him out. Grind him in to the ground. A tired pitcher is a vulnerable pitcher.”

He will get his chance to inculcate the young minds of the Evas’ S-A affiliate, the Atsumi Autobots, as their hitting coach. The team has eagerly embraced the former star.  21 year old third base prospect Scotty Weeks was positively ebullient when asked about coach Masuda:

“I grew up a huge fan of coach Masuda. I had the poster, the cards, the whole nine yards. I even got him to autograph a homerun he hit during batting practice before a game against the Hitmen. So to have the opportunity to learn at his feet is something I intend to take full advantage of. Plus I need to get better about working the count and coach definitely won’t cut me slack on that front. It’s hard to live up to the high standards he sets, but he does a great job of keeping us motivated and grinding.”

The addition of Masuda brings the total to 9 former SS players out of 21 total coaches in the organization. The majority of coaches in the farm system ( 8 out of 15) are now former players. With multiple potential openings after the 2032 season, chances are that there are more to come.