Yakult manager Takatsu Shingo (56), who also played in the KBO League, has extended his one-year contract with the club. 메이저놀이터
Japan’s Sankei Sports reported on Sunday that the Yakult team announced a one-year contract extension ahead of the end of its two-year contract with Takatsu. According to the Japanese media, Takatsu was asked to renew the contract through talks with the team’s leadership and accepted the request. As a result, Takatsu will become the third longest-serving coach for the Yakult team as he has been in charge of the team for six years.
Takatsu was the lowest-ranked player in the Central League with 57 wins, four draws and 75 losses this season, but the club gave him another chance to see a rebound in next season. “Tetsuya Takatsu has experience in American baseball and other countries (Korea and Taiwan). He has a great passion for baseball and a growing number of young players, so we have agreed to pursue winning the championship,” Yakult CEO Tetsuya Hayashida said.
Takatsu said, “Despite this year’s performance, I am grateful for having requested me to renew my contract. It is not easy to rebuild the team, but I will make an effort with the mindset that I want to shave my body. I will continue the wonderful tradition of Yakult and create a new page.”
When he was an active player, Takatsu had short but strong performance in the KBO League. He pitched in only 18 games, but left strong impression on baseball fans. Having played for the Yakult in Japan, the Chicago White Sox in the Major League, and the New York Mets, Takatsu joined the Woori Heroes (currently the Kiwoom Heroes) in 2008 and posted remarkable results with one win, eight saves and an ERA of 0.86 in 18 games. However, the Heroes gave up renewing their contract with Takatsu as they planned to recruit a foreign hitter (Duck Clark) in 2009.