Seibu’s developmental player Ramar returns to batting practice after serious injury, aiming for full-power comeback next spring
Seibu’s second-year developmental player, outfielder Ramar (20), has picked up a bat again as of the 10th. He still can’t swing it yet—only bunting. “This is my second day. I feel like I want to rush, but I have to take it slow and not hurry,” he said at the team’s indoor practice facility.
In May, he finally got rid of his crutches. Two months earlier, on March 7, during an educational league game against Lotte at Urawa Stadium, an unexpected accident occurred. While chasing a fly ball, he collided with a teammate. He was carried off on a stretcher and disappeared from public view afterward.
“I had surgery, was hospitalized, and was on crutches for a long time. Finally, the crutches are gone,” he said.
The injury was severe: a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, plus a fracture in the same knee. “It’s the result of playing hard, so I can’t say it’s unfortunate—but I was in good form, so it feels like a waste.” A return to game action this season is extremely unlikely.
The day before the injury, March 6, Ramar had shown his full potential. In an educational league game at Kaminike Field, he hit a perfect home run to left field. “It was really perfect. It had been a while since I could swing like that in the batter’s box,” he recalled.
Coming right after such a strong performance from the Osaka Toin graduate slugger candidate, fate’s twist was cruel. “Yeah, really…” he could only smile wryly.
Expectations had been high. Tetsuro Tsuji, the farm team hitting chief coach (49), who watched his practice, also lowered his voice: “Ramar and Okem were really growing. I had high hopes for both of them this year. It’s such a waste…”
Ramar and his fellow developmental player, outfielder Okem (20), who joined the same year and plays the same position, also tore his left ACL during a camp practice in February, and is aiming to return to game action next season.
“Really, why did it have to happen to both of us? We sometimes talk about how to train from here. We haven’t started paired practice yet. Okem is a bit ahead of me. I also had a fracture.”
Another teammate from the same draft class, pitcher Hibiki Shinohara (19), has already thrown 158 km/h in a first-team game. Ramar praised him: “Man, that’s amazing.” But he added, “When I watch games, I feel both happy for him and frustrated—it’s complicated.”
Still, there is little he can do for now. His mind may be impatient, but his legs cannot be forced. Before the injury, some team officials had sensed that Ramar could be a dark horse candidate for a promoted contract this year.
“I want to produce results next year. I have to make sure I leave a strong impression,” he said.
A long summer, autumn, and winter lie ahead. He aims to shine brightly come next spring.
