J apan ese ▁player ▁to ▁play ▁for ▁the ▁Gi ants . ▁The ▁changes ▁did ▁not ▁turn ▁out ▁well ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 5 ▁season , ▁as ▁the ▁Gi ants ▁ended ▁the ▁season ▁in ▁last ▁place ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁in ▁the ▁team ' s ▁history . ▁However , ▁the ▁Gi ants ▁rec ru ited ▁star ▁players ▁during ▁the ▁off - se asons , ▁while ▁Nag ash ima ▁made ▁further ▁changes ▁( including ▁converting ▁a ▁lif el ong ▁out f iel der ▁to ▁third ▁base ) ▁and ▁the ▁Gi ants ▁quickly ▁re - ass umed ▁their ▁dominant ▁position ▁in ▁the ▁Central ▁League , ▁winning ▁league ▁champion ships ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 6 ▁and ▁ 1 9 7 7 . ▁ ▁The ▁Gi ants ▁lost ▁the ▁p enn ant ▁to ▁the ▁Y akult ▁Sw all ows ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 8 , ▁and ▁on ▁October ▁ 1 , ▁former ▁Gi ants ▁manager ▁Sh iger u ▁M iz uh ara ▁made ▁an ▁appearance ▁on ▁TV ▁As ah i ' s ▁news ▁program , ▁critic izing ▁Nag ash ima ' s ▁handling ▁of ▁the ▁team . ▁In ▁the ▁off - season ▁of ▁the ▁same ▁year , ▁Nag ash ima ▁and ▁the ▁Gi ants ▁were ▁involved ▁in ▁a ▁huge ▁controvers y ▁concerning ▁the ▁draft ing ▁of ▁pitch er ▁Sug uru ▁Eg awa . ▁The ▁Gi ants ▁ended ▁in ▁fifth ▁place ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 9 , ▁and ▁Nag ash ima ' s ▁head ▁coach ▁was ▁fired ▁mid - season ▁in ▁yet ▁another ▁controvers