Source: Sponichi 1 / Sponichi 2 / Sponichi 3
Hanshin Tigers pitcher Kyuji Fujikawa (40) announced on August 31st his intention to retire at season’s end. On September 1, he held a press conference in Nishinomiya City, Hyogo. (Click here for Part 1)
Your thoughts on being part of the Matsuzaka Generation?
KF: Matsuzaka is still working hard behind closed doors. I talked to him just the other day. He got hurt and is unable to throw, but it’s on him to make a comeback now. That’s why he keeps working. Can he beat himself? He’s got the power to do it. Like Tsuyoshi Wada, who had a bad shoulder, he came back and is pitching well. They are fighting against themselves, trying to beat the odds. Those are guys that kids aspire to be like, in my opinion.
So you feel a lot of pride being part of this group, then?
KF: It’s a big deal. Well, players older than us did the same thing, though. Like, Tomoaki Kanemoto was the same way, Tsuyoshi Shimoyanagi, too. Shinjiro Hiyama, all of them. Those guys come to mind when I think about warriors who overcame. It’s because of having experienced teammates like that, that I was able to do what I have done. I want to say thank you them, for extending their careers as long as they did. They were living textbooks. If I had quit at age 32 or 33, I wouldn’t understand them. This might not be the right time or place to bring this up, but I love Ichiro. I have studied his life all along. I learned a lot from a bunch of people, but no one has spoken as many words as he has, just by having the career that he had, than Ichiro. Players who quit when they are 32 or 33 wouldn’t understand. I’m not saying players who quit that early are no good, just saying that the true essence of a player comes out in his later years.
What did Matsuzaka say to you?
KF: “I have nothing to say. I beat myself, so don’t you lose heart!” That’s the type of player he is, though. The only time he was happy about beating himself, though, was like on the 18th hole. That’s where I am right now. He’s coming up on that last part of his career, too. We just have to wait for them to reach the final green. There’s still Wada and Watanabe, too. We are all waiting for them now on that last green. That’s all.
Are you proud to be called part of the Matsuzaka Generation?
KF: Too much pride means you lose track of all the things you are proud of (laughs). When every member of the Matsuzaka Generation is out of the game, that will be the best time to talk about this, no? We’re still battling, and it’s hard working through injuries. So I want everyone to really cheer him on. That is what true fans of his will do. Let me correct that, though. He would not ask that of his fans. Matsuzaka is like me, and we both love the jeers more than the cheers! (laughs)
You still have some time left in your career, but when you look back on the good times and the bad times, which do you think there were more of?
KF: Just the other day, Kazushige Nagashima said something on TV about a 100-99 record. That’s kind of how life is. We don’t compare our lives to others’. There’s bad, there’s good, and no one knows what lies ahead. I can look back and remember hard times, but I overcame them. So can I just say there were more good times, then? I don’t think there’s anything better than knowing that a lot of people know the name of Kyuji Fujikawa. I received a lot of joy from the fans, from guys younger and older than me. I have two-and-a-half months left to play, and after that, people are still going to have hard times, the world is going to go through difficult periods, but hopefully baseball will still be there to help them relieve some of that stress. I have tried to keep that in mind while playing. I want to be the kind of person that others want to draw closer to during their hard times. Life is full of hard times and good times – those experiences make life interesting.
You said earlier that the Tigers were like a father-figure to you. Are you glad you joined the Tigers?
KF: This is the only life I have, and my name is Kyuji Fujikawa, right? This might be a little presumptuous because probably most players feel this way too, but I think I am the most befitting of the Hanshin Tigers’ name.
You’ve always been a man who lives up to his word. How do you see yourself finishing your career?
KF: True enough, this season has not been one in which I have lived up to my words. That’s reason enough for me to quit, though. If I had to live up to my words one more time, I would have to say, this life is like none ever lived by anyone. I mean, that is true of everyone, though. Somehow, years down the road, the essence of who I am will hopefully live on in the team, and it will be an amazing thing. I can only promise to keep in mind that these guys on the team now are young, and they need to be given a fair shake. As long as I am on the club, maybe no one like me ever comes along… but maybe after I leave, it is easier for that player to step up.
Any comments about things said to you by your high school coaches or anyone else?
KF: This is not just true of me, but probably of most players in my age bracket. Probably even of the average person my age. When you were on the cusp of growing up, what was it that pushed you to the next level? Not words of kindness, but harsh words. That was the case for me. Mr. Masaki said to me, “Stretch yourself out. I know what kind of person you are. When you start hating the game, you’ll quit. So stretch yourself really long and thin, and do it for ten years.” That really hit me hard. I actually hated playing during those years. I got hurt a lot, I almost got cut, there were so many times I wanted to just quit. But when I look back on myself, I was just a punk kid. But my coach said to me, “The words you least want to hear are the ones that will stick with you the longest.” Coach Okada was the same way. One time, I threw in ten straight games. The other pitching coaches got all protective, saying, “Don’t force him out there again.” But Mr. Okada said, “If he can’t throw, he should not be in the bullpen.” So cut-and-dry. He saw it as my job. “I don’t see it that way. If you’ve decided to do something, then do it with all you’ve got.” That has stuck with me. Kind words, sweet comments do not stay with you. A teacher at my junior high school, Mr. Ueda, said something interesting to me when I wanted to quit baseball because I hated it. “If you quit baseball, you may as well change your name.” He really said that. And he didn’t even know me. When I was in my first year of junior high, he told my older brother, “It’s pointless for you to play if your brother doesn’t.” I wanted to run away from the game. I was weak, but it was those harsh words that made me a better person. I don’t need kind words if I want to become who I am meant to be. Kind words can be spoken by parents. The same could be said to other Tigers players as well. If you want to become stronger, you have to fight your way out of those hard spots.
You played independent league ball in 2015. The kids who watched you back then are now high schoolers. What type of performance do you want to show them with your remaining time?
KF: Well, all I can show them at this point and in these circumstances is the will to come back. It has nothing to do with age. I cannot choose how kids will react to this, or what good they will take from my situation. That comes after the fact. But first and foremost, I have always done what I thought was best in all situations. People can take whatever they want from that. I’ve been given this chance to be a baseball player all along, so instead of thinking about how others have been affected, I just want to live the way I think is best, and not think about how others view me. That helps me stay relaxed, have fun, and tear things up on the field. Also, as I look at all of you and the power of the pen, you all have the ability to impart my words and actions to others. You helped me grow. The man who has stepped on the field is greater than the man I imagined myself to become. If this helps kids watching me to become more than they imagine they could be, then that’s a good thing.
Then we hope you can make that one final comeback.
KF: I will at the right time. It’ll happen naturally. I’ve gotten used to comebacks already. But just because I want to throw again, doesn’t mean it will automatically happen. If you stand in there even when people say harsh things about you, it will turn out well in the end. I can say that for sure. Some people leave home because of their parents’ harsh words but it turns out OK (laughs).
As you finish up your career, what kind of training are you doing to gear up for a comeback? How do you want things to end for you?
KF: I can’t tell you that. I am in the middle of the battle. I am batting on the field. I do not want to talk about personal and private matters like that. It would be different if I were an all-star. How I feel all comes out on the field through the adrenaline rush I get. So honestly, the fans’ response to the action is so important. Even just having 5000 people in attendance is so different from the empty feeling of playing in front of no one. I didn’t even feel like a professional baseball player without the fans there. I’d never played in such conditions before. It’s hard to fully grasp, but it just felt the same as being at home. That’s not what pro baseball is supposed to feel like. I tried to tell myself that it didn’t matter if fans were there or not, just to go out and give 100%… but I wasn’t able to find that next gear. If you want to call that excuse-making, that’s fine, but that’s how important the fans’ presence is to me. When you step out on the field and try to get that adrenaline rush and respond to plays, it’s just different. The guys are out there playing hard in front of 5000 fans, and I fully respect what they are doing. Maybe I don’t have as much motivation as they do. I can’t tell you when I will be ready to throw again. I have to see how my body responds, and even then, I might have a setback partway through the comeback. If that happens, it’s over. There’s only two-and-a-half months to go. If I reaggravate something, I will not be able to complete the rehab process. I’m putting pressure on myself by saying this, but I want to get back as fast as I can, even a day, even a minute earlier than expected. But I hope there are guys on the team that want to step up even bigger than me.
Do you feel like anyone is up for that challenge?
KF: Not to replace me. But the team just has to win. We just need guys to pitch the 7th, 8th, 9th innings. That’s all. The team will take care of the rest. If that means acquiring players, or developing players, the staff steps up and fills that role. So what I can do is provide competition for them to get called up, to provide stimulation for them. All I can do is show them the road I have walked to get to where I am. If I weren’t retiring as a member of the Tigers, we would not be talking about this right now. But because I am taking off this Tigers uniform, we can see the importance of developing homegrown talent. It’s all coming to the forefront, which is good.
About the record, you said others hope you get there, and you want to do it for them?
KF: To tell the truth, I never thought about what others hoped, and I do not really care about the milestone. I cannot carry their burdens and expectations. All I care about is whether the team wins or loses. When the team wins because of me, I am really happy, but if the team keeps losing because of my pitching, then they need to find someone who will not keep blowing games. I can win games, and I like that. That’s enough. I really didn’t think about personal achievements at all. But all the records, they are outstanding achievements that were established by incredible athletes years before I was around, so I cannot tell other players not to bother chasing those numbers. People have different reasons and goals when they play this game, and I cannot say my way is any better than theirs. Just different. I think that’s about the best way I can express this now. Well, I haven’t reached those numbers, so you can say what you want about me, I guess. I wanted to go to the majors and see what I could do there. That makes things different when comparing me with others. I love all the guys that came before me. I didn’t just go to America because I always longed for that shot, either. People can choose who they want to look up to. I prefer people who live passionately even more than people who just went over to the majors. I still love Masaki Saito (Giants), and he did not bother trying for the majors. When I joined Hanshin, I wanted nothing more than to beat the Giants. There’s no time to worry about personal records when that is your mission. It’s not that simple. Batters are improving their techniques year by year, and 2000 – 3000 hits is an amazing accomplishment for them, but for pitchers, the 200-win benchmark, the 250-save benchmark, those barely get cleared. I have way more important things to think about than that, though. I’ll work myself to the bone, even end my career, just to get that one save, stop the opponent from scoring in the ninth inning. Some guys might say they won’t take the mound in tie games or when the lead is big, but I wonder if there is any meaning to that. I think that is just rudeness towards the fans.
Was playing against the Giants a special stage?
KF: Obviously! No matter what anyone says of me, I have to say this today for sure. I had this tradition bestowed upon me by the last generation of Hanshin greats, and this season, I have been released from the mission, at least as a player. But I need to pass this on to the next generation, too. This is about the fans’ feelings. It’s west vs. east; east vs. east. It’s not just in the world of sports, either. Maybe only we can truly understand that. That was driven into my mind when I joined Hanshin, and it has been part of my life for 18 years. I cannot get rid of it, ever. Players who come to the team as free agents are truly skilled and I want them to tear it up on the field and contribute as much as the next guy. But there’s an extra burden on players who are drafted by the Tigers. And it’s really important to recognize that. You need to respect what is being placed on them. This is the one thing that I will not compromise on, no matter what anyone says. I will not compromise or let go. We have to stand up to the Giants, especially their manager, Hara.
(Final comment) Thank you so much. I was able to say everything I have been feeling. Let’s go out there and win as many as we can in these final 2.5 months.