To the major leaguers of tomorrow

There’s something I want pitchers aiming for the majors to remember.

It is often said that the strike zone in America is “easy on the outside and difficult on the inside,” but even so, it cannot be said simply that it is “advantageous for the pitcher.” Major league batters step in with all their might, and when they do, even balls on the outside are easily reached. It cannot be said irresponsibly that “it’s safe as long as you pitch to the outside.”

Even if that wasn’t the case, major league batters will swing with all their might. They won’t miss a good pitch, and anyone can hit a high, erroneous pitch over the fence.

So when I came to the majors, I had much less opportunity to pitch high fastballs like I did in Japan. My pitching coach also warns me about that point over and over. I’ve been hurt so many times that I understand the necessity of it.

Also, as I mentioned in Chapter 1, you need to be very careful about how you take the first strike. Whether it’s the first pitch or the first pitch after three or so, major league batters will go for it with all their might.

Especially when it comes to no-threes, in Japan, some teams seem to give a sign saying “wait one pitch,” but that doesn’t happen here. Rather than choosing a walk, we think that hitting and getting on base is the origin of baseball. If you hit with no-threes and end up hitting a grounder, you won’t get scolded like you would in Japan.

The difference in how Japanese and American people think about baseball can be seen even in the signs they use.

It is often pointed out that American signs are simpler than those in Japan, but what really happens is that in America there is a strong sense of leaving it up to the players once the play begins.

The pitcher throws the ball with all his might, while communicating with the catcher.

The batter simply hits the ball with all his might.

Japanese baseball, where players look back at the bench after every pitch or check the third base coach’s signal, doesn’t exist in America. Of course, this isn’t a question of right or wrong. It’s just a difference in customs. It’s a cultural difference.

Certainly, even within Japan, each team has its own unique style. In fact, the baseball played by Kintetsu and Seibu when I was there was completely different.

Kintetsu played a bold “go-get-out baseball” style, as symbolized by the batting of Bryant and Hiroaki Ishii (currently with the Giants). It was baseball that didn’t care about the habits of the opposing pitcher.

On the other hand, Seibu plays a “precise baseball” style, following the instructions of the bench and the third base coach. Even when I was pitching, the team worked together to give instructions to the batter, figuring out his quirks and saying “Straight pitch!” or “Fork pitch!”

However, Kiyohara said, “If I try to look at the pitcher’s habits, I won’t be able to hit the ball, so I try not to look at them.I get better results if I just hit the ball that comes to me.”

Returning to the point, there are differences between Japanese and American baseball. American baseball may be simple, but it is spectacular. They don’t steal signs or habits, but instead they try to beat the opponent by relying on the abilities of each individual batter.

From a personal perspective, American baseball suits me better, but I would like young people who are thinking of trying to make it into the majors to learn about the differences between Japanese and American baseball and how well they suit themselves before taking on the challenge.