Collecting and Translating the 1973 Calbee Bat-Backs (Part 9)

     These four cards mark the end of the Giants’ half of the bat-back set. There are still a few Giants cards I have yet to get to, including the iconic #1, but I will circle back to those at a later time after giving my eyes a break from orange and black for a while. I am looking forward to finally highlighting the other teams, but first let’s enjoy these last action-oriented cards from the big Tokyo club.

#47  Suetsugu - Outfielder (Giants)

Great Talents Bloom Late!  Suetsugu

Suetsugu started to show his real ability around the ‘71 season. Slowly but surely he’s been distinguishing himself, and the Giants brass have started to pin their hopes on him. Case in point: the goal this year is for him to stick as the number 5 hitter. It is early in the season, but as of June 7th he has even hit third and has notched 5 home runs. His hard work places him in the top 10 in batting at 4th overall with a .316 average. He is living up to expectations with his contributions to the clean-up effort.

 #48  Horiuchi - Pitcher (Giants)

Horiuchi’s Pitching

As you can see by this picture, before the pitch Horiuchi will read the catcher’s sign and determine if it matches the pitch he had in mind. If it differs, he will probe for something more suitable against the batter. Right when he’s in sync with the catcher, he’ll fire it off. When keeping a runner on first or second in check, not letting him become a distraction can be the difference between getting the batter out or not. Horiuchi in particular has a reputation for reigning in runners. Not even leading runners can take a lead off the bag against him.

#49  Mori - Catcher (Giants)

Mori’s Batting and Record by Team

Hitting to the opposite field—a pitch that paints the outside corner hit squarely with perfect timing before dropping into left field is an exquisite thing.

#50  Yoshida - Catcher (Giants)

A Strong Arm!  Yoshida

A throw like an arrow to second. When it comes to preventing stolen bases, without support from the pitcher pick-offs can’t happen, but what’s even more important is the catcher’s arm and control. A split second is the difference between a runner getting away with it or being dead to rights. After the catch, everything from the range of the throwing motion to how the planting of the feet is timed must align precisely, otherwise picking off a base runner will prove difficult.