Perspectives
Nomura's departure from Rakuten shows a team needs more than a charismatic manager
Rakuten Eagles Manager Katsuya Nomura, 74, the oldest professional baseball club manager in Japan, resigned at the end of this season. This year, he led the 5-year-old club to second place in the Pacific League after the team advanced to the second-stage of the "Climax Series." However, his team was unable to advance to the Japan Series.
He hoped to stay in his post for another year, but was forced to resign after the club notified him that it would not renew his contract. While it is obviously regrettable for Nomura, it appeared to be a perfect opportunity for him to retire as the club is attempting to develop itself into a more powerful and mature team that can regularly win without relying on a charismatic leader.
In its first season, the Sendai-based Rakuten Eagles scored only 38 wins against 97 losses, prompting the club's board to hire Nomura, who had previously led three professional clubs, on a three-year contract. Nomura compared his attempt to strengthen the team to farming, saying: "I'll cultivate the farmland in the first year, and scatter the seeds on it in the second year, then ensure that the plants bloom in the third year."
However, the club finished fifth in the six-club Pacific League in 2008, which was his third year. Nevertheless, the club agreed to extend his tenure by one more year because the club was fiercely competing with other teams to secure one of the top three spots in the league.
This year, Nomura said he wanted to put all his resources into the club to make this season the culmination of what he had tried to achieve. The club was filled with a sense of urgency. Nomura was strict toward badly mannered players. Both players and coaches bowed whenever they passed the manager. Nomura was the absolute commander of the team.
The Eagles posted four consecutive victories at the beginning of this season. They also recorded 17 wins and suffered only seven losses in August even though the club had previously lost momentum in summer.
Nomura was obviously optimistic about the club's situation. "What will happen to us this year?" he said with a smirk.
In September, Nomura's confidence in the team increased, and he became stricter toward his players.
After one player completed batting practice, Nomura severely scolded him saying, "I told you to hit a line-drive."
In the dugout, Nomura was seen reprimanding a pitcher who lost control as well as the catcher and the coach in charge.
When he was manager of the Yakult Swallows for nine years, he led the club to clinch the Japan Series three times. His baseball style, in which players and coaches are required to fully utilize data and statistics, was instrumental in the Swallows' victories.
He also infused this in the Eagles, mainly through meetings and his complaints about players' poor performances during talks with reporters after games.
"When I was a player, I learned what the manager thought of my performance from newspapers published the day after the game. Nomura said, 'You'll remember my comments more clearly if you hear them indirectly or read them,'" said Eagles head coach Hideki Hashigami, who played in the Swallows and the Hanshin Tigers under Nomura's leadership. "But now, he tells his opinions directly to players because he 'doesn't want to regret' failing to fully convey his views to them."
As a result of his change in communication style, toward the end of the season players came to spontaneously use different tactics in trying to frustrate rival teams, which Nomura called "intangible power."
Despite Nomura's achievements, the Rakuten Eagles chose not to renew his contract. The club appreciated his success and gave him the title of honorary manager, but asked him to step down as acting manager. The reason is not just because of his advanced age and high annual pay estimated at 150 million yen.
Rather, the Eagles board made the decision from a long-term perspective as five years have passed since the club was founded.
"So far, we've said, 'Mr. Nomura, we'll leave everything to you.' But we'd like to clarify the division of roles in the club in order to develop the team into one that can regularly win championships," said Jun Yoneda, head of the club.
Club executives regard the Sapporo-based Nippon Ham Fighters as a role model. Like major league clubs, the Fighters have appointed a general manager responsible for hiring players since October 2004 to ensure the division of roles between its front office and uniformed staff, including the team manager and coaches. This division of roles has apparently helped the Fighters finish in the top three in the Pacific League over the past four years, winning championships three times over the period despite changing managers. It has maintained its strength even though it lost leading players such as Tsuyoshi Shinjo, who retired after the 2006 season, and Michihiro Ogasawara, who moved to the Yomiuri Giants at the same time.
A team that relies on a charismatic manager does not necessarily grow. The Chiba Lotte Marines renewed its contract with manager Bobby Valentine after he led the club to win the Japan Series in 2005 for the first time in 31 years. However, he intervened in the hiring of players and clashed with the front office. The team ended up coming fifth this season. After seven years in total with the club, the Chiba Lotte Marines decided not to renew Valentine's contract for next season.
It's true that the outstanding abilities of a manager often strengthen a team. However, the risk of such a leader is immeasurable when his charisma declines, which is apparently why the Rakuten Eagles decided not to renew Nomura's contract.
While numerous fans urged the team to retain Nomura, others have taken a calm view about his resignation. "Maybe it was the most desirable way to bow out, considering the team's excellent results this year," said Tadatsugu Tamura, leader of an Eagles' supporters group.
Judging from the club's performances last season, Nomura has succeeded in developing excellent players. The shine of Nomura's achievements will become brighter when the club achieves its goal of developing itself into a mature team that can win regularly. (By Tomoshige Fujino, Sports News Department)
Click here for the original Japanese story
(Mainichi Japan) November 7, 2009
