Seibu Lions closer Tomomi Takahashi said Friday that a sinker he's playing around with might keep left-handed hitters more off balance this season.
The 26-year-old lefty, who saved 29 games last season for the Pacific League club, threw his first bullpen of spring training at the team's camp.
"My pitches were getting up, but I had a good feel with my finger tips," said Takahashi, who was drafted fourth by the Lions in 2012 and finished second in the voting for last year's PL's Rookie of the Year Award.
Included in the pitches Takahashi threw was his sinker, something he hopes to add to his arsenal this season. Although the five he threw had good action, he had trouble putting them where he wanted.
"In the second half last year, left-handed hitters began diving into my pitches, so I thought if I had a pitch that would run in on them, it would help," Takahashi said. "But it's still in the fooling-around stage. If I can start becoming more accurate with it..."