I'm going to throw it into the sea Instead of his old team, he went to Softbank with good conditions, a right-hander who was marked as a traitor in a year, threw two major league games and ended his challenge

Dec 19, 2024

Uwasa, who returned from the U.S. and moved to Softbank, not his old team Nippon Ham. He smiled brightly at Sconfield, his home stadium, last year when he was a member of Nippon Ham. Photo capture = Nippon-Ham Fighters SNS

Uwasa greeting Shinjo in Sconfield. Photo capture = Naoyuki Uwasawa SNS

Nihonham opened the door for Wausawa, who wants to take on a major league challenge. Wausawa moved to Tampa Bay after posting but gave up his challenge after playing two major league games. Photo capture = Nippon-Ham Fighters SNS

Softbank Hawks acquired right-hander Naoyuki Uwasawa (30) on the 18th. Usawa returned after a year after checking the high wall of the major leagues. He chose Softbank rather than his former team, the Nippon Ham Fighters. He signed the contract on the condition of receiving 1 billion yen for four years. Since he received an annual salary of 170 million yen from Nippon Ham in 2023, it has risen by about 80 million yen. Softbank is a team that seeks to win the championship every year. Shuta Ishikawa, who left the team as a free agent, had to fill the gap.

Japanese players who have experienced Major League Baseball do not necessarily return to their old team. You can find a team that offers better conditions and a better environment. It's natural as a professional player. In some cases, they change into team uniforms that they longed for when they were young.

Daisuke Matsuzaka and Kazuo Matsui went to Softbank, Rakuten Eagles, not the Seibu Lions. Softbank ace Kohei Arihara is similar. Played for Nippon Ham before moving to the Texas Rangers via the posting system. After two years in the U.S., he became a Softbank player. He received special treatment for three years to 1.2 billion yen.

The case is a little different from Uwasa. The fans of his home team, Nippon Ham, were angry. Criticism ensues. There seem to be many fans who think of him as a traitor. It's understandable from the past.

Sconfield, the home stadium of Nippon Ham on September 25. The retirement ceremony of right-handed pitcher Yohei (34) was held. Wausawa made a surprise appearance at the event. I delivered a bouquet of flowers to my senior. Home fans applauded him for coming back from failure in the major leagues. Most fans believed Usawa would definitely join Nippon Ham. "I want to be with my family."It was a situation where he mentioned returning to Japan.

Former coach Hideki Kuriyama called Usawa to the event. Former coach Kuriyama, who led Nippon Ham for 10 years, led Japan to the World Baseball Classic (WBC) championship. He has returned to Nippon Ham and is serving as a senior advisor. Both Kagiya and Uwasa were together at Nippon Ham during the period under coach Kuriyama.

Japanese media reported that Usawa trained at the Nippon Ham club facility.

When Wausawa talked about the Major League last winter, club officials, including manager Tsuyoshi Shinjo, dissuaded him. Even if he was a starting pitcher who joined in 2012 and won more than 70 games, it was difficult to see him at the level of Major League Baseball.

Uwasawa went to two major league games, pitched four innings, and finished his career. He has decided to return to Japan if he wants to be with his family. Sports Chosun DBml

Despite the skepticism around him "I want to try even if I'm in the Minor League "

The Nippon Ham club opened the door to him, who was stubborn. He signed a minor league contract with the Tampa Bay Rays for a down payment of $25,000 and an annual salary of $225,000. The condition was to receive an annual salary of $2.5 million when promoted to the Major League. The fee for returning to the Nippon Ham club was minimal. There was consideration for the team in the major league challenge against Uwasa.

But after a year, he returned to the same Pacific League team that offered better conditions. He would have felt less betrayed if he had said coolly earlier, `I will find a team with good conditions.'

Curiously "Even if I'm in the Minor League, I'll try."The pledge made by " also became an empty promise. Yoshitomo Tsutsugo, a former Central League home run king, spent two years looking for a chance in the minor leagues. Earlier this year, he returned to his former team, the Yokohama BayStars. Right-hander fireballer Fujinami Shintaro has never made it to the Major League this season, but he said he will continue to stay in the U.S.

The challenge with Uwasa ended in a disastrous failure. Two Major League games, two hits and one run in four innings.

C. He couldn't play as a starter and threw a game in the middle. Fractured right elbow fatigue fracture before the end of the season.

If Ousawa comes out for the away game at Nippon Ham, there will certainly be boos from the stands.

huelva@sportschosun.com