The star and new director of the team, who is in their 30s, are similar to the relationship between the daughter-in-law and the mother-in-law in a morning drama. They are often subject to subtle conflicts.
Such a story also appears in the Japanese Professional Baseball (NPB), which is nearing the end of the regular season. There is a player who is synonymous with the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles. He is Masahiro Tanaka, 33, a pitcher. He played as a legend through the Major League (2014-2020 New York Yankees).
It has been four years since he returned to his former team. His return to the top team has been creaking. Watchers say he is not compatible with the coach’s idea.
Tanaka took the mound in the Eastern League (second division). He allowed 17 out-counts (5.2 innings). He allowed two runs, which was okay. He also garnered more meaningful numbers than his performance. He thus garnered more than 100 pitches. This is the largest number he threw since his elbow surgery in October last year.
Soon, he looked confident. After the game, he said to reporters, “I think I will no longer be on the mound for rehabilitation.” Naturally, he intends to return to the top-tier Korean team. The first-tier pitching coach (Aoyama Koji) also nods at the mention. It is such a natural affirmation.
However, an unexpected situation arises. A sudden break will be applied to the final approval line. Toshiaki (41) will exercise his veto power on his forehead. He is the first coach to take the post this year. He is also the youngest incumbent head coach in the league.
There is no specific reason. He mentioned a date after finishing the game. “I will watch more games on the 13th. And I will make a decision after careful consideration.” This means that he should throw once more in the second division. In other words, he would never immediately join the first division.
Who is Masahiro Tanaka? He is the biggest star of the club. He is a living legend. No, he is more than that. He is almost like a god. He achieved the title through his shoulders, the first and only championship since his foundation. He is one of the ace pitchers who set a world record of 24 consecutive wins in 2013.
It was a period when scars from the massive earthquake lingered in Tohoku. Many victims watched the Japanese Series at their temporary residence. The number of pitches he pitched in Game 6 amounted to 160 (four runs lost). However, he will take the mound in Game 7 on the next day. He pushed ahead with his pitching to preserve his team’s 3-0 win.
It was in the rain tracking down. In the end, he threw 15 (save) to complete the victory. Even the opposing team (Yomiuri) became solemn. They are not just fans of their home stadiums. The victims who were holding their breath in temporary buildings and containers shed tears. He is such a touching story.
However, some time has passed. Makun (named after Masahiro Tanaka) is now in his mid-30s. He underwent surgery last winter to remove pain and inflammation in his elbow. He underwent a long rehabilitation process. He regained his sense of play in the second division from August.
And the time has come. It’s not just a return. It has 197 wins in total, 78 wins in major leagues and 119 wins in Japan. Adding three more wins will bring the total 200 wins. It is to start the great journey again.
It doesn’t end with just the work of the team 스포츠토토. The team will also mobilize all of its marketing and public relations parts. Isn’t this the comeback that everyone has been waiting for? A large-scale event is planned. However, everything has stopped. The operation was completely halted due to the coach’s “pending” sign.
There are dozens of question marks. Why on earth did the coach do that.
There is much speculation. First of all, the severity of the situation is expected. Rakuten is currently in a disadvantageous position to advance to the PS. It has to be in the top three, but it is currently in the fourth place by a gap of two to three games. Therefore, it needs to fully mobilize its capacity for the rest of the game. Now, there is a high risk of letting a pitcher who has completed his rehabilitation work.
However, some analysts say it was unexpected. The article’s title is strange, too. Masahiro Tanaka should not have said anything about the postponement of promotion to the first team. The reporter in charge explains that there is a real reason.
This is what I described at the beginning of the article. This is his comment after the 2nd team’s appearance on the 4th. “I think there will be no rehab appearance anymore.” It means a return to the 1st team.
This means that it is not up to a player. It is up to the manager or the coaching staff to decide. Does that mean that the first-team pitching coach (Aoyama) has agreed? That is a difference in temperature. The coach is a one-club man of Rakuten. It means that he is someone who knows well what Tanaka means to the club.
On top of that, the coach is different. He spent his prime time with the Chiba Lotte Marines. He stayed for a while (four years) in the final years of his active career in this team. He never played with Tanaka before. In addition, it is his first year as a coach. This is a situation in which we can imagine the tight tension between a “big star in the past” and a new coach.
It is not unfamiliar for some reason. It seems that it happened sometimes in the KBO League, and it seems that there will be a story in the future.