Kanemoto's streak ends

Well I managed to get to a computer (I'm in Texas near Dallas by the way) and here are some thoughts on Kanemoto's decision to end the consecutive innings streak. Kanemoto finally decided that the streak was over on Sunday 18th April just before the start of the game with Yokohama. One admires the perseverence and effort and overall sheer commitment in playing in every innings of 1492 consecutive games but this is one record which should have been ended earlier. Kanemoto is a fine player and committed team member but were times towards the end when he wasn't able to contribute.

I'm thinking of the last two seasons where his decline was obvious and it really needed the management to step in and end the streak. No player should be involate or untouchable but be included in a team because they are performing well. Of course, they should be given a chance to prove themselves but if they don't do so, they should be replaced by others. Kanemoto started last year superbly but then faded rapidly and there was a good case for removing him at the end of May. This year he started quietly and with his shoulder injury wasn't able to contribute as he should have. In fact his injury did cost a run in one case (Kamei's sacrifice in the game on April 14th). However, it was not the team management who made the decision but the player himself. Tigers management have been far too weak with poorly performing players and it is to Kanemoto's credit that he finally realised that it was time to end the streak. A rest will do him a lot of good and I feel that when he returns he will be reinvigorated. Good luck to Arai in the No. 4 slot and welcome aboard Kanoh as the new left field.

I think the final straw was Kanemoto's bad throw the night before, allowing a run (the winning run?) for the BayStars. His throw hardly made it 20 meters and was wide of the cutoff man. The BayStars had scored earlier on a ball hit to left that would have normally seen the runner held at third, in my opinion. But that throw made it quite clear that his shoulder was a serious liability.

Agree with Christopher that the streak should have ended last year for the sake of the team overall. But I admire Aniki for sitting himself out to end the streak. I agree that no Hashin management would have the guts to sit Kanemoto down.

1492 consecutive games is an amazing achievement. My feeling says that this record will be hard to beat and be here for a long time. I also saw that throw in Yokohama. It looked like a right hander throwing with his left hand.

One of my memories of Kanemoto was when he got a ball straight to his head by Kisanuki in Tokyo Dome. He went down and you could see he was suffering. The next at bat he then hits a line drive home run to right field. Kanemoto is a hard dude.

It was an amazing streak that will probably never be broken. However, like most posters here, I think it needed to come to an end.
Actually I think Kanemoto should be on the DL to get completely rested, but he has still pinch hitted every game since the streak ended. When you come in as a pinch hitter, there is the extra stress of trying to get a big hit for the team, but I think he needs complete rest for the shoulder for a while. The Tigers have plenty of lefty pinch hitters, so give the man a real break!

Recent Aniki memory-

When we were losing 10-9 in the bottom of the ninth against the Hiroshima Carp last season. Two out, two strikes and three balls...then Aniki hits to right field, getting the runners Akahoshi and Toritani home for us to win 11-10!

I remember that Hiroshima game clearly. It's a bad memory for me because I was so close to going, but decided against it because I went to a concert the same week. Big mistake! Wish I could have been there for that one. It's hard to remember the amazing tear he went on at the beginning of last season. Hopefully the rest will do him well and he can still put together a decent season.