Hanshin Tigers' Rookie Batting Plan Fails to Score First Run
Listen to the story
The Hanshin Tigers baseball team used a special plan in a recent game, but it did not work. The team placed two rookie players in the 8th and 9th spots of the batting order, hoping they could help spark some offense.
One of the rookies was Yatani, who received an immediate promotion to the first team. He played second base and batted in the 7th spot right away.
The other rookie, Okajo, was chosen for the 8th spot and played in left field. Both young players were picked partly because starting player Takumu Nakano could not begin the game.
Nakano injured his left foot and was not in the starting lineup. However, he later entered the game as a pinch hitter, a substitute batter used for a specific moment. This appearance kept alive his remarkable streak of playing in 569 straight games.
During the game, one of the rookies successfully performed a sacrifice bunt. This is a batting technique used to help move a runner to the next base, even though the batter is usually put out.
Despite this small success, the Tigers still could not score the first run. The opposing pitcher, Taichi Yamano, pitched well and kept Hanshin off the scoreboard early in the game.
The team's attempt to boost offense from the bottom of the batting order did not lead to a breakthrough this time, though the rookies showed some promising effort.
Vocabulary7 words
- batting order
- the order that shows when each player will hit
- promotion
- being moved up to a higher team or level
- starting player
- a player who begins the game from the first inning
- lineup
- the list of players chosen to play in a game
- pinch hitter
- a substitute player sent in only to bat
- sacrifice bunt
- a soft hit used to help a teammate move forward
- scoreboard
- the board that shows the score of the game
Quiz
Answer key
1. To try to create more offense 2. He came in as a pinch hitter 3. They could not score the first run
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
The Hanshin Tigers baseball team used a special _____ in a recent game, but it did not work. The team placed two rookie players in the 8th and 9th spots of the _____, hoping they could help spark some offense.
One of the rookies was Yatani, who received an immediate _____ to the first team. He played second base and batted in the 7th spot right away.
The other rookie, Okajo, was chosen for the 8th spot and played in left field. Both young players were picked partly because _____ Takumu Nakano could not begin the game.
Nakano injured his left foot and was not in the starting _____. However, he later entered the game as a _____, a substitute batter used for a specific moment.
This appearance kept alive his remarkable streak of playing in 569 straight games.
During the game, one of the rookies successfully performed a _____. Despite this small success, the Tigers still could not score the first run against pitcher Taichi Yamano.
Discussion questions
- Why might a baseball team choose to place rookie players in specific batting positions?
- What does Nakano's 569-game streak tell you about his importance to the team?
- Why do teams use pinch hitters instead of letting an injured player start?
- Do you think using rookies in this way is a good strategy? Why or why not?