This is almost the full text of the remarks made at the press conference by Masahiro Tanaka, who returned to professional baseball Rakuten.
[Contents of the interview below]
First of all, thank you very much for setting up such a place during this busy time before this spring camp.
I am joining the Rakuten Eagles.
I'm really grateful to Mikitani, who kindly sent me out when I challenged Major League Baseball seven years ago, and also warmly welcomed me to Rakuten Eagles.
thanks you.
And President Tachibana.
President Tachibana asked me to use the facilities in Sendai every year, and to use such things as I like, and he always gave me warm support.
Behind the scenes, I don't know if it's the front, but behind the scenes, the president has a bad mouth (laughs), but I'm really grateful.
And GM and manager Ishii really got close to my feelings this time and said, "I need Tanaka, I need that power," and I really appreciate it as a player. I think
thanks you.
As I mentioned earlier this season, it's been 10 years since the earthquake, and I was in a position to become a free agent for the first time and choose a team, but the number of 10 years is I also thought that it might be a meaningful timing for me, so I made this decision this time.
that's all.
Q It's been
eight years since you returned to Rakuten, but frankly, what are your feelings now?
A
I'm very excited.
Also, the excitement of being thrown up to the mound in front of you and being thrown in front of Japanese baseball fans is uncontrollable.
I've been seven years away, so I hope I can show you how I've grown up.
Q
Why did you choose Rakuten and what was the deciding factor?
A At
the moment when I became this free agent myself, to be honest, I was still the Yankees, and I wanted to re-contract with the Yankees and still play.
However, while listening to the story through an agent at a fairly early stage, I felt that this had to go on a different path, so after that I really thought about various things, and Japan Including.
I thought about it so much that I had never thought about it before, and I was worried and worried about it, but the number one was what kind of baseball I wanted to play and what kind of environment I wanted to play baseball in.
From now on, I think that there will be various offers from the United States, such as what kind of offer was actually made, but in this severe corona disaster, the world played for 7 years even in this severe situation. There was also a big offer that was highly evaluated.
However, among them, I couldn't beat playing at Rakuten and throwing it in front of Japanese people until the end, so I came up with this decision.
Q
Did you have any hope or premonition that such a day would come someday when you left Rakuten?
A
I didn't answer hard because it would be misleading to say anything about this, and I didn't want to walk alone on such a topic, but as a major premise, I wouldn't be able to get an offer from Rakuten. Even if I want to go back, I can't go back, so that's the best, but I definitely want to come back to Japan and throw it at Rakuten again at some good time, not in the last years of my career. It was from the beginning.
Q
How do you feel about wearing uniform number 18 for the first time in 8 years?
A After
all, I started my career as a professional baseball player with the number 18, and since I have a tremendous image of an ace number, I don't just wear it because I used to carry it. I would like to show that kind of thing again in terms of results and appearance.
Q
Why did you choose a 2-year contract?
A It's a
two-year contract, but at the end of the year, I have the opportunity to talk to various teams again, so I'm not sure what it will be like. I don't know, but anyway, I think I still have something left to do in the US, so I didn't want to completely throw away my options and options, so this kind of contract However, it wasn't something like sitting down, but I really wanted to go get the best in Japan, and sincerely wanted to play at Rakuten, so I decided to succeed in any world with a half-hearted feeling. I don't think I can do that, so I'd like to do my best this season.
Q
What is your enthusiasm for the Tokyo Olympics?
A
Honestly, it was already the Olympic Games to be held in 2020, so I was in a position where I couldn't go out, so I was postponed, and I have a chance to come back to the Japanese baseball world and go out, so this is chosen from the bottom of my heart. If so, I have no reason to decline if selected, and I would like to go out.
I participated in the Beijing Olympics last time, but I was disappointed, so baseball is disappearing from the Olympic games again, so I'm holding it in my own country and want to win a gold medal.
Q
Where do you focus on training before the open game?
A
I think that there are many parts of me that I have to adjust, whether it's a ball or a mound, so I'm thinking about those parts and various things. I think it's the same with life and I should practice.
Q
What do you want to show to people in the disaster area?
A
Of course, I still want to work hard together.
Also, being closer than ever may give me a lot of things to do, so I would like to cooperate as much as possible, and I would like to do my best with you. First of all, I think we must continue to make efforts so that we can see a good figure on the mound of the stadium.
Q
Who is especially competition is fun batter in the Pacific League?
A
7 years away, I think that a lot of good batters are coming out while I'm not there, so I'm not sure if anyone will give a personal name, but I'm aware that there are many good players, so with those players I'm really looking forward to the match.
Q
Yanagita says he doesn't like Tanaka's match. How do you perceive it?
A
Yanagita is a classmate.
It was written in that article, but I haven't talked about it.
There is a match, but in 2013 it was hit by 50%, so isn't it a lip service?
Q
Do you feel the connection with Director Ishii?
A
I didn't think honestly.
I'm sorry (laughs).
In this way, I have experienced both Japan and the United States, and since I am a pitcher in the same position, I think that there will always be things that will not go well at the stage of adjustment, so at that time I would like you to rely on me and give me various advice. I am thinking.
Thank you.
Q
You played catch with Nomura just before you came to the United States. Can you look back on that time?
A At
that time, at the end, I received the last ball in Japan, and my professional career started under Director Nomura, so I was deeply moved by myself.
Q
What do you remember from the teachings from Mr. Nomura?
A
Anyway, the pitcher was taught that "origin ability" is important, so that is the case until now, and I think that the practice of throwing firmly to the batter's low internal angle will be the best. So, I would like to continue to do it firmly while carving it on my chest.
Q
Did you have any excitement or rewarding experience over 2013 while playing in the US?
A
Also, since the stage is different, I can't compare it simply, but there was a year when I felt that kind of excitement and rewarding.
But compared to simple, it's definitely a big event in my baseball life, not in myself, and I've been playing for seven years in the United States, Every year, there is a video that I watch before going into the game with my own motivation or concentration before pitching, but I have been asked to include the part that is the best moment in Japan for 7 years, and I watch it every game I was in the game, so I hope you can understand it from that point as well.
Q
How do you report to Mr. Nomura and Mr. Hoshino?
A
I think it would be best if I could report that I was back again and that I became the best in Japan after the season.
Q
Have you been surprised or learned about the use of data and IT while playing majors?
A
One thing I would like to say before answering that is that seven years ago, the Japanese baseball world had stopped, so I don't know 100% about it now. I don't know about that.
Anyway, the amount of data was tremendous, and I think that there were both throws and hits to utilize it.
I myself received rough data until 2017, and while using it, I was actually throwing while observing what kind of reaction the opponent's batter would react to and what kind of ball I was waiting for. However, it was also a year of suffering for a long time since 2017, when it was difficult for me to get results.
In that process, I tried to take a closer look at the data, and from that point on, I began to pitch while emphasizing that kind of thing.
Q
Do you have any titles or numbers you want to stick to?
A The
title I want to stick to is the best in Japan.
If you are good at pitching, I think those numbers will come naturally.
To be honest, I think that there are some parts where everyone's impressions have stopped in 2013, so I think that the parts that are highly sought after and the hurdles are high, but I also think that I will jump over that part again. It's one of the most rewarding things in the game, and I hope we can throw as many games as possible to bring victory to the team.
Q
What changed your mind from continuing to play in the US to returning to Japan?
A
100% I answered because I was asked about such a contract or something like that, but I haven't really thought about it other than becoming the best in Japan, but in fact it appeared in the World Series. The fact that I didn't have a championship ring was something I had been playing for a long time, so I think that's the part I left behind, but how do I play this baseball game? I don't know what will happen in my life, and I didn't have to do the work of switching at the stage of deciding the team.
I naturally felt that way.