Putting pressure on myself “It’s better to be a single year. I’ll change the color of my eyes more.”
On the 2nd, Seibu Yamakawa Hodaka infielder negotiated to renew his contract at the team office in Tokorozawa City, and signed with an annual salary of 270 million yen (estimated amount), an increase of 140 million yen. The team offered him a 4-year contract with the expectation of acquiring domestic FA rights within the next season, but he made a single-year contract at his strong request.
Yamakawa has 41 homers, 90 RBIs and a batting average of .266 in 129 games this season. He won the double crown of home run and RBI. After winning the home run king for two consecutive years in 2018 and 2019, he was sluggish for two years, but he won the title for the first time in three years, including the first RBI king. It is the first time in three years that he has received a salary increase. “It was a tough season in the end (because of the slump in the second half), but I’m glad we were able to make up for the failures of the past two years. I want to hit a career high next year,” he said.
Like Yamakawa, infielder Sosuke Genda, who is expected to acquire domestic FA rights next season, has signed a five-year contract with an annual salary of 300 million yen plus sales. Yamakawa, who was also asked about a four-year contract with multiple years, said, “I was really worried, but actually, if I couldn’t do this year, I was thinking about quitting (as an active player). I thought it would be impossible.I put so much pressure on myself.Since I’m approaching a turning point in my 10th year, next year I’ll put my entire baseball life on the line.In that case, I’d definitely prefer a single year.I’d rather change the color of my eyes. I’ll do it,” he revealed in his heart.
(Hirohisa Miyawaki)