In a series that is ostensibly about the best and most popular players in Nippon Professional Baseball, Central League manager Tatsunori Hara pulled an unusual move on Thursday, naming pinch runner Takahiro Suzuki to his squad.
While fans have occasionally voted popular players to the All-Star squad regardless of their lack of playing time or ability, managers have tended to flesh out their rosters for the summer series with talent. Suzuki, a career .265 hitter, has yet to start in his 30 games this season for Hara's Yomiuri Giants. The 37-year-old has scored 15 times in his 30 games, 28 in which he entered as a pinch runner.
"This is something unprecedented," Suzuki said. "The guys who are regulars, who play every day are more likely to be All-Stars."
Hara said he had trouble filling out his 28-man All-Star roster after the fans and players had their say.
"I wanted to put together good players to battle the Pacific League," said Hara. "In order to achieve team balance, it was hard making the selections."
Suzuki, who has six stolen bases in six attempts this season, does give the CL a speed edge in a tight game, while the rest of Hara's picks were more orthodox. With fans having provided him with three relievers, Hara named five starting pitchers, and two additional relievers.
PL manager Kimiyasu Kudo named five starting pitchers and three relievers. The Fukuoka Softbank Hawks skipper made a first-time All-Star out of Chiba Lotte Marines second baseman Luis Cruz, and handed Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles outfielder Kazuo Matsui his ninth All-Star berth — the most on the PL squad.
This year's games are slated for July 17 at Tokyo Dome and the following night at Hiroshima's Mazda Stadium.