Yokohama – The Yokohama DeNA BayStars decided Saturday to name former ace pitcher and current farm team manager Daisuke Miura as the Central League club’s next manager, a source with knowledge of the matter said.
An official announcement is expected to be made during the week. It will be the first time since Noboru Akiyama managed in 1975 and 1976 that a pitcher developed by the club has taken over as manager.
The 46-year-old Miura will take the reins from Alex Ramirez, who announced he would step down on Oct. 24, the day after Yokohama was eliminated from pennant contention.
Ramirez managed the club, one of the weakest franchises in Japanese baseball history, to three playoff appearances and one Japan Series berth in five seasons.
Miura, taken in the sixth round of the 1991 draft by the Taiyo Whales, played 25 years for the club. He won 172 career games and contributed to their 1998 pennant and Japan Series victory. In 2005, he led the CL in ERA and strikeouts, a remarkable achievement at hitter-friendly Yokohama Stadium.
Last season, he served as the BayStars’ first-team pitching coach before taking over this year as their minor league manager.
PHOTO GALLERY (CLICK TO ENLARGE)
KEYWORDS
Source : Baseball – The Japan Times