Aiming to be a Set-up Man: Hidetaka Okadome [3/19 vs. Hawks Win]

It has been over a year and a half since I transferred to Fukuoka for work in the summer of 2022. The Tigers game at PayPay Dome finally took place. I watched the long-awaited game at the stadium, and by the time it ended, I was slightly sweaty. Watching a slugfest with a combined 31 hits from both teams, and a close game where the outcome remained uncertain until the very end, got me excited even though it was just an exhibition game.

On my way home, I opened the Sports Navi app to check today's score. After such a high-scoring game, only one pitcher from either team managed to avoid giving up a hit.

The only pitcher who retired the side in order was Hidetaka Okadome.
Moreover, Okadome came in to pitch in the bottom of the 8th inning, right after we had taken a two-run lead.
Okadome retired the side in a situation typically reserved for a set-up man.
There is no way I couldn't be happy about that.

Closers and set-up men seem similar but are different. While the pressure and the weight of responsibility are greater for a closer, I actually think the difficulty of what is required is higher for a set-up man.
If a set-up man gets hit and a three-run lead turns into a one-run lead, the pressure on the closer who pitches afterward becomes even heavier.
Conversely, if a set-up man can abruptly cut off the opposing team's momentum, the game's control shifts entirely to his team. If he can pitch efficiently without allowing runners, he can also create a good atmosphere for the offense that follows. The set-up man is a position where the quality of pitching influences the flow of the game even more than that of a closer.

Today, both Tigers starter Shoki Murakami and Hawks starter Tsuyoshi Wada were hit hard. Both gave up runs. Hits kept coming from both teams, and the momentum of the game shifted back and forth. If a game like this happened during the regular season, it would likely be described as a game where it was difficult to seize the momentum.

That is precisely why I am so happy that Okadome was able to demonstrate his abilities to the fullest in a game with this kind of development.

He struck out A. Walker and Taisei Makihara in succession for two outs.
The stadium announced that the Hawks were using a pinch hitter. With the entrance music echoing through PayPay Dome and the loud cheers, I knew immediately that Akira Nakamura had come out.
Perhaps Okadome was cautious against Akira Nakamura, as the count went to 3 balls and 0 strikes. However, from there, he got a called strike and a foul ball with high fastballs to bring it to a full count. The last ball was high and inside. He jammed him completely and induced a flyout to right field. He overpowered one of the best hitters in the league.

It was when Okadome was about to return to the bench after getting the third out. He stopped in his tracks and waited for the fielders to return. He greeted Takumu Nakano, who handled the grounder to second by Makihara, at the front of the line. He then gently tapped his glove against Ukyo Maekawa, who had caught the fly ball to right by Nakamura.
Then, looking back to make sure no other Tigers players were on the field, he finally returned to the bench.

A set-up man who is kind and attentive. Isn't that just the best?