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6 comments 6Shohei Ohtani
Shohei Otani who caused a sensation with dual wield. He asked his career and his thoughts on baseball as a one-of-a-kind person who reminded us of the greatness of American baseball and suggested how baseball would change in the future. [See the photo] I took a picture of Otani!
Shohei Ohtani suddenly achieved a great achievement in the first pitching game of last season. In the first table, pitcher Otani paved the way for the 2021 season by taking three outs with baseball over 160 km / h. And in the bottom of the same inning, batter Otani hit the first ball he saw into the right-wing seat 137 meters away and became the first starting pitcher to hit a home run in an American League game since 1972. Following Babe Ruth, the dual wield major leaguer was born in just 30 minutes. Los Angeles Angels superstar Otani increased his presence on the mound in the summer of 2021, supported by his innate striking power. As a result, he became the first player in the history of the ball world to play in the All-Star Game as both a starting pitcher and a first batter. In Japan, where he was born and raised, NHK broadcasts all the games played, and sometimes even uses a camera dedicated to Otani that constantly shows him, from all home runs to pondering faces after hitting and adjusting the position of the foul cup. I told the viewer. The road game (expedition match) that starts at 7 pm on the east coast of the United States will start at 9 am in Japan. 7:00 pm, when home games start in Los Angeles, is noon in Japan. Every day of Otani, which is half the circumference of the earth, was conveyed everywhere in Japan, just like a weather forecast. That summer, we were witnessing Otani, who is becoming the rarest player in the sports world. An athlete who can create something that no one has ever seen with his own eyes, whether it is a bat-hit or a splitter that sinks a lot. It seems natural for the greatest and most talented young man to do everything well on the field. That's why you can see how rare it is for a player to reach the highest level of baseball in terms of both throwing and hitting. In the world of baseball, it's very difficult to even excel in one field-and how difficult it is to excel in the two most highly regarded skills in the game: precise power pitching and tremendous power hitting. In that sense, Otani is like LeBron James, who spins the ball on the court, shoots a three-point shot, hits a dunk shot that jumps over the defender, and decides a layup shot from the other side of the court. He's like Lionel Messi, who controls the ball at his feet and sews from his side to the opponent's side, shakes off whether there are six or eight defenders, and even crosses the opponent's goal line with almost dribbling. .. Otani has completely destroyed the traditional way of thinking about positions, spacing and skills, and the concept of who, where and what role in a match is wrong-it's always wrong. It makes me wonder if it is. Otani, who was unanimously selected as an MVP and received a Commissioner's Special Award, is one of the few players in the United States to praise his achievements. And he is the one who gives him hope for the resurgence of baseball popularity. ■ A splendid baby-faced person off Newport Beach, Orange County, California. Shohei Otani is in the cushioned cockpit of a Duffy boat (a small sightseeing boat with a roof, a Newport specialty) that cruises through artificial waterways. Whole body, all black-black ASICS sneakers, black Hugo his boss sweatpants and sweatshirt, black Oakley sunglasses, and a backward-looking black Hugo his boss hat. Black matches his matte black electric car, Tesla's Model X. Black makes his wide-shouldered 193 cm tall look even better. Its body was created in a hybrid, perfect for powerful pitching, powerful hitting, and speedy base running, and was described by Chipper Jones, who was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, as follows: .. "One of the best baseball figures I've ever seen ... he's Adonis (a beautiful boy in Greek mythology)." The light-shadowed 27-year-old baby face looks younger because he always smiles and laughs loudly. is. In fact, he professes that hitting a ball 500 feet on the field or hitting a batter with a split ball is just fun. When he does something incredible, he smiles unintentionally. On the other hand, when he apologizes to the other person for doing something ridiculous that surprises him, he shows shy obedience. His videos, compiled by fans, include countless good plays, and just picking up trash on the ground and in the dugout, proof that he's just a good guy. ing. Conversations with English-speaking people are mainly conducted through his exclusive interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara. He is also the right arm, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, and is on the left side of the Duffy boat he is riding today. Our conversation goes on in this pattern. When I speak, some are transmitted as they are, and Suwon interprets the rest. Otani takes a quick breath and ponders the question while spinning his brain fully-and Suwon giggles as he utters the answer. It's a fun message game. This is the first interview for Otani about his own life like this one. He seems to know much of what I've said, but I can hardly understand what he's trying to convey. The exceptions are the occasional words "baseball" and "Ichiro-san." Otani has been the "Yakushonen" in Japan since he was a child-a child who is soaked in baseball while he is breathing, both when he eats and when he sleeps. Oshu City, Iwate Prefecture, where he grew up, is an area with continuous mountains and fields. "That area is in the countryside, and there is nothing," says Otani. If you replace it with the United States, it's like growing up in a cornfield in the Midwest. His father worked with Otani's mother in a car factory, playing baseball in the Japanese businessman league, and then coaching Otani's Little League team. In Japanese youth baseball, the game begins when a player takes off his hat and bows to the director, the opponent team, the spectators, and the field (this custom is often seen in many footage of Otani picking up trash at the stadium. linked). Otani entered one of the top high schools in Japan for baseball, and at the age of 18, he attracted attention from all over the country. He threw a fastball at 160 km / h to the batter of the other team. I cannot help thinking that the batter at that time might have experienced something like a new frontier in baseball. Otani, who was wondering if he should go to the United States as a teenager, signed a contract with the Japanese professional league Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters because he agreed to allow him to play with dual wield (to evaluate him and scout him). The team was neither in Japan nor in the United States at that time). In five years at the Fighters, Otani became a star player in Japanese professional baseball. Sapporo, the home of the Fighters, has a lot of snow and wind, and according to Otani, it is a "severe" land. He lived in the team's dormitory and sent his salary to his mother. Her mother transferred some of it to Otani's bank account every month, but she barely touched it. Although his fame in Japan grew, he was devoted to achieving various goals. In high school, Otani was asked by the director to write down his annual goals on paper. (For example ... 26 years old. Wins the World Series and gets married./37 years old. His eldest son starts baseball./38 years old. Records are sluggish and he begins to consider retirement). At that point, I had decided what to do. The place of his activity was limited to the dormitory in Sapporo and the Sapporo dome. It was the life of a brilliant baseball monk. Upon arriving at Newport Beach's yacht harbor, Otani was filming a moored luxury yacht on his smartphone. With a surprised expression and an innocent smile on his face, it seems that he is not yet accustomed to showing off his wealth. On Balboa Island, which is adjacent to this marina, there is a banana stand that influenced the comedy drama "Arrested Development", and the home of the waterfront lifestyle that influenced the youth drama "The OC". be. The USC (University of Southern California) flag is hung on every balcony you see. You can see Land Rover, Mercedes, and custom-made golf carts. There is a street named after an expensive jewel. The sun is hot, the hills are burning, and the last time it rained is like a distant dream. When Otani boarded the Duffy boat, the top step sank, a loud water noise was heard, and the boat that no one was on shook. "Wow!" Shouts Otani. "Be careful……". His agent, Nez Valero, who is the captain of today and the owner of the boat, smiles. "I'm most worried about slipping down on you." In the first four seasons, the deal between Otani and the Angels looked like a rookie year for the top NBA players, and the amount seemed mysteriously low. Japanese star players who transfer to majors have always been called rookies. Hideo Nomo was 26 when he came to the United States. Ichiro Suzuki is 27 years old. Hideki Matsui is 28 years old. Yu Darvish is 25 years old. All of them have been invited to All-Star Games in Japan for many years and have been selected as MVPs. Otani transferred at the age of 23. If he had been waiting until he was 25, he was considered a free agent (that is, he was free to pay and received millions of dollars). However, his earlier move to the United States applied complex restrictions from the Major League Baseball, making rewards cheaper and allowing all major teams to participate in winning races and bid. The reason why Otani finally chose the Angels is, according to him, "a little connection, feeling, atmosphere and familiarity." Otani realized a big change in his life when he first met his teammates during spring training in Arizona, not on a plane to the United States. "I thought he had a dream that he had been dreaming about really started," he recalls. But few promising rookie stocks can be expected to quickly turn an exciting pre-reputation into reality. Otani initially struggled. The pitch from the mound did not reach the catcher and struck out in the major league fastball. Pitching is harder for major pitchers, and the balls are different in Japan and the United States (Otani says, "it feels like slipping in your hands"). And he was still trying to get used to a whole new country and a new diet. "I've never been homesick," he says, but it's true that he was struggling, and he knew he was at a loss. At that time, it was Ichiro who invited Otani to dinner. He was 44 years old at the time, having participated in all-stars 10 times and was one of the MVPs. The following year, his final season at the Mariners, he was spending time in Arizona preparing for the opening. "Since I was confused, Ichiro has been like me to me for children and adults now. A creature different from me. A living legend. He was a Japanese superstar. He is also charismatic. When I actually met and ate, I was a little surprised because it looked like a normal person. "They talked about the transfer to a major and the first difficulty of getting used to life in the United States. "Don't forget to be yourself. You've been yourself, so don't change. You'll be yourself forever." It made me think. I'm the type who constantly corrects little by little, changing the shape little by little here and there, and it's been changing all the time. It's a bit inconsistent with what Ichiro said, but what? When I looked back on the year and thought about it, I realized that it was me-in fact, I changed everything around me. " Otani recognized that "selfishness" is constantly evolving. It means becoming the best player in Japan and continuing to follow the instinct that has led me to the point where I can be the best player in the world. "The dinner conversation with Ichiro gave me the confidence to continue to think that I was right, not to lose confidence, and to go the way I decided," I ask Otani. I wondered what would happen if I moved to the United States at the age of 18 immediately after graduating from high school without experiencing professionalism in Japan. Otani says that once everyone saw himself only as a pitcher. He pitched about one game a week as a pitcher, and otherwise played mainly as a DH (designated hitter), there was no option of dual wield as he is doing now, and he was not even given a chance to challenge in the United States. He says. "Honestly, I don't know if I was successful when I tried it." "I can't say 100% that I have to go through a minor league and I'm sure I've made it to the major league." Instead, he chose patience and evolution. These two were required not only for Otani as a player but also for baseball as a system. As of 2013, Major League Baseball may not have been ready to take on the very drastic effort of dual wield. Perhaps he wasn't ready to take the greatest risk of exhausting potential star players, or to rebel against the long-held consciousness that "the guy who does everything won't do anything." However, by 2018, Otani had proved the correctness of the dual wield concept and clearly set out what he wanted. He only plays dual wield. The major is finally ready to accept his method. ■ The savior of the American baseball world Most of the people who remind us of the real thrill of baseball these days are Japanese players. Baseball is still a popular sport in Japan. With the enthusiastic air of the day of the game and the superstars lined up like a beautiful star, it maintains the strength of America 25 years ago, 50 years ago, and 75 years ago. Baseball was once an American sport, and players were the most famous of all disciplines. It's been a while since the appearance of a player who knows the name even if he is not familiar with baseball. Over the last year, we have certainly witnessed Otani expanding his potential as a baseball player. Otani was greeted with awe, and the baseball world saw this as an opportunity. The long-awaited savior has arrived to rejuvenate baseball. For some time, the interest of the American people has shifted from major league baseball to other sports and entertainment. But what if this seemingly inevitable fate could actually be undone? Isn't Otani's success in 2021 showing signs of that? Stephen A. Smith, ESPN's commentator on sports, said in July on ESPN's First Take program, "This guy is special. Don't get me wrong." Continued. "But if there is a foreign player who doesn't speak English and needs an interpreter-whether it's true or false-it works positively in the box office, it's a negative thing for baseball to some extent (it's the face of the baseball world). Must be a player like Bryce Harper (Phillies smasher) or Mike Trout (Angels smasher) "" I know baseball is an international sport in terms of athletes. But I don't think it's good that the player, who is number one in attracting spectators to broadcast stations and stadiums, needs an interpreter to interact with him, "Smith later apologized for this statement. His claim that American sports league star players have to speak English, and that there are people who care about that, has been criticized. Asking Otani how he perceives Smith's remarks, he (ironically) understands this question in English and smiles bitterly. And he answers in Japanese. "If I can speak English, I want to speak English." "Of course I want to speak English, and there is no loss in speaking, there is only good thing. But I came here to play baseball. I feel that my play in the field is a way to communicate with many people and fans. That's what I thought about that. ”“ In Japan, I've been teaching English for six years at school. All of them take classes in junior high school and high school. Until I came here, I had only the opportunity to come into contact with English. The English teacher in high school was actually a coach of the baseball club ... " , He keeps laughing as if it were the current story. "When I think about it now, my teacher may not speak much English, but he teaches us not to fail the exam," I ask further. You're supposed to be like the face of baseball, but do you feel pressured to represent yourself in baseball as a whole? "Not just the pressure," he replies. "I'm really happy, when I say that. That's why I'm here to be the best player I can be. And I'm happy to accept the" face of the baseball world. " The words that make sense are even more motivating-because this is the first year I've had such a good year. It's only one year. I'm still motivated to continue a better year. Who will "strengthen" and "save baseball"? This argument is an extension of the desperate feeling of a long-standing slump in baseball that requires a savior in the first place. Some fundamental shift is essential for baseball to flourish again. That's the feeling. When I asked Otani what he wanted to change in baseball today, he replied after thinking about it. "Honestly, I'm happy with everything. It doesn't need to change much," but many people realize that baseball continues to decline in American cultural imagination. right. Especially for writers like me who woke up to love baseball and love movies at exactly the same time as Hollywood was only interested in baseball. "Bull Durham (Goodbye Game)" (1988), "Major League" (1989), "Field of Dreams" (1989), "Mr. Baseball" (1992), "Pretty League" (1992), "The Sandlot / Summer We Were" (1993), "Rookie of the Year (Ganbare! Rookie)" (1993), "Angels" (1994), "Little Big"・ It is a story of the golden age when "Field" (1994) was created. By the way, Otani has never seen these works, and he has not seen "Mr. Baseball" depicting Americans who are active in NPB, but "Rudy / Tears of Winning Run" (1993, American football movie). ) Says I like it. Baseball shook in the summer of Sosa and Magwire with steroid scandals-in the world of sports, where the NBA's rise, the NFL's revival, the Premier League and the influx of F1 broadcasts have increased choices-in a 20-year decline It's easy to look back on what you've entered. It can be understood that the background that definitely colored the American century seems to have faded forever due to too much sunlight. Otani seems to have said something to my doomsday prophecy. "Baseball was born here, and I personally want baseball to become the most popular sport in the United States. If there is anything I can contribute to that, I would like to work very positively." "However, looking at the world baseball population, it is far smaller than soccer and basketball, and baseball is popular only in some countries, but the baseball population is extremely large in many countries," he said. What I'm trying to convey is that the decline of baseball is an American-centric idea. If you feel that baseball is declining again, why not visit Japan? ■ Japanese star making a leap forward in the world This winter, Otani returned to Japan as he did during the off-season. He spends his time at his home in Tokyo, his parents' home in Oshu, and the hot springs in Iwate, where he goes with his family on New Year's Day. This is to stay away from the "flash light" emitted by the media in his home country. Suwon, an interpreter who has been in the front row of media and fans around Otani for several years since he was an interpreter for foreign players at the Fighters, said, "Because I am already tall as a Japanese man. It stands out wherever you go. " "Since the year he joined the Fighters as a newcomer, he has never really been free to go out." Now the enthusiasm has grown, Otani is barely public in Japan, and he is forced to move carefully between his house and the car when he goes out. Occasionally, when eating out, he must arrange for himself or Suwon to call in advance and sneak in through the back door. When I asked Suwon how Otani was known in Japan compared to other athletes, movie stars, musicians, and politicians, he said, "Now, Shohei is in his special category. I think there is. " "I don't think anyone can match Shohei's popularity this season right now. Many have told me that Shohei's success is more appealing than the Olympics. The best of the pandemics. Many people say that they are happy. Many people wake up when they see Shohei. When he hits a home run, the whole of Japan becomes brighter. It's easier to go. "Just because he's playing in the United States doesn't mean he's scrutinizing. Rather, it is getting tougher. There are as many as 20 journalists who specialize in Otani for the Japanese media. He is not in charge of Major League Baseball. He is also not in charge of the Angels. I specialize in Otani. The focus of surveillance when Japanese athletes reach the highest levels in the sports world is not new. When I asked Naomi Osaka about Otani, she explained: "In the United States, there are many star players in various sports, and the load is distributed. In Japan, there are few Japanese global star players, so the attention is a little higher." "I used to He was more well known in Japan and was in the spotlight ── thanks to that, when his success abroad grew, he got used to it to some extent (to get too much attention). I think it's a feeling that people can understand. " Kei Nishikori, a Japanese tennis player based in the United States, said on another occasion: "It's easier for me to live and train in a small town in Florida. It's so easy to go shopping, restaurants and movies without anyone knowing me. It's a bit crazy in Japan. It's hard just to go out into the city for everyday life. Given my career, I always think it's good to live in Florida. In addition to great training, it's good to be in a calm environment. It should be noted that not only Otani but also Osaka and Nishikiori-and Japanese stars who are appearing in other events such as Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama-are Japanese supremacy in sports. It is a new core. Ask Otani if he feels a change, and if so, what he thinks is the success of this generation. "I think that's what's happening. That's because it's easier to get out into the world than it used to be. In baseball, Nomo and Ichiro's Such a person has become a pioneer and paved the way for us. I think it's the same in other sports. I feel that the first step is the most difficult step-now outside. It's much easier than ever to go out and challenge the world. ”Otani sees the beauty of a new hometown as the sun shines around the harbor during cruising. , "Beautiful ..." in English.誰に語りかけるというわけではない。こんな午後を過ごしていると、大谷──あるいはマイク・トラウト──のような選手が、より大きな勝利のチャンスに飛びつくことなく、エンゼルスでプレイする理由がわかるような気がする。エンゼルスは、6シーズン連続で勝率5割以下のチームだ。野球界のスーパースターが所属するには、奇妙な環境と言える。だが、MVPへの選出や数億ドルの賞金のほかにも、シンプルな生活ができ、気楽で心地よく過ごせる環境がここにはある──ダフィーボートにバナナスタンド。陽が沈んだ後の海のきらめき。トゥルー・フード・キッチン（大谷のお気に入り）のテイクアウト。今のところ、この地に勝るホームタウンはない。 10代のころ何十年も先の将来像を明確に描いていた大谷に、野球生活に限らず、その後の人生まで含めて、どこに向かっていきたいのかと尋ねる。 「今、どこに住むかを選択するとしたら、アメリカを選ぶかもしれません。すごくリラックスできて、肩肘張らずに済んで、ゆっくりできるから。自分のことを自分でできるし、イライラさせられることもない。とくに東京では、もうちょっと慌ただしくて落ち着かなくて、いつも何かが起こっています。でも、ここに戻ってくると、天気がよくて、まったりしていて、くつろげるんです」■“ヤキューショーネン”大谷2018年シーズン、大谷はアメリカン・リーグの新人王に輝き、100年ぶりとなる二刀流の可能性を示したが、その後、アメリカでの2年目と3年目の大半を不本意に過ごした。肘と膝の手術からの回復や新型コロナウイルス感染症拡大への対応、2シーズンでわずか2回の登板といったキャリア初となる谷間から抜け出す方法を模索していた。 「悔しさより失望のほうが大きかった」と彼は言う。 「自分自身にもチームにも自分への期待があることがわかっていたのに、それに応えられなかったので。自分の実力がどの程度なのか、よくわからなかったんです。あるいは、単に怪我のせいだったのかも。自分がなぜ苦戦しているのか、あまりはっきりとつかめていませんでした」だからこそ、2021年に打ち上げられた花火は一層のカタルシスをもたらした。バッターとして本塁打数、打率、OPS（出塁率と長打率から算出される打者の評価基準値）でリーグのトップに迫り、ピッチャーとしてWAR（控え選手に比べ、どれだけ勝利を上積みしたかという貢献度を示す指標）で首位に立った。シーズンを通して偉大な試みに万全の体調で取り組み、成果を完全に示すことができたのだ。 「とにかく楽しかった」と大谷は言う。昨シーズン、二刀流で新たな境地を切り開いた大谷だが、ひとつだけ実際には起こりえないケースがある。そのケースについて、私は訊いてみたかった。それは「ピッチャーとしての大谷がバッターとしての大谷と10打席、向き合うとします。どうなりますか？」というものだ。彼は通訳なしで質問を理解し、高い声で笑う。そして、一生懸命考えてから返事をする。彼は投球し、打ち返し、ピッチャーとバッターという両サイドから勝負を考えている。 「5三振」彼は、自分でよく知っている、自身の統計にもとづいて考えている。シーズンごと、10年ごと、世代ごとの数値を比較するのが大好きなのだ。 「1四球」長くつづいてきた野球の歴史のおかげで、ファンたちは162試合あるレギュラーシーズンを過去と現在の記録を比べながら観戦できる。目の前で繰り広げられている偉業が、どれほど偉大であるかを定量的に把握することができるのだ。 「1ホームラン」彼は野球の歴史に夢中だったことはないものの、プレイヤーたちの統計を好んでチェックする。現役のプレイヤーについてはもちろん、歴史的な選手についても例外ではない。 「昔の大物については名前を知っていたり、いいプレイヤーだったことを知っていたりしましたが、今は（統計で）どんなふうに優れていたかもわかるんです」「1二塁打」たとえば、大谷より19歳年上のリリーフピッチャー、上原浩治についての統計をたどると、過去10年間でもっとも巧緻で得点を許さない中継ぎ投手のひとりだったことが見えてくる。 「残る2打席。フライとゴロでアウト」非常に具体的ですね、と私は言う。彼は笑う。 「私は、できるかぎり現実的になろうとしています」「史上初」「過去に例がない」「目にしたことがない」。大谷の偉業で示されたのは、かつては特殊技術だった二刀流の力であり、未来のスターたちのスキルの青写真だ。大谷翔平は、新しい野球で今の野球を壊していくのかもしれない。あるいは今の野球を古い野球に変えることで新しい野球を生み出すのか。しかし、新しいとか古いとかいうことを超えて大谷がアメリカに教えてくれているのは、日本では野球が今も変わらず、日々の生活の中で愛されつづけているということだ。彼は野球を前進させると同時に、かつての良さに光を当ててくれる。もしもアメリカに来るのが5年早かったらどうなっていただろうと質問したとき、彼は野球でどんな結果が出せただろうかという点について答えてくれた。メジャーで活躍できなかったかもしれない、といった話だ。では、気持ちの面、精神的な成熟についてはどうだっただろうか？ 「正直なところ、今でも18歳のときとあまり変わっていないような気がしています。この5年の間で大きな変化はありませんでした」つまり、シンプルで一途な生活をすることで、純粋に野球に没頭できたということだ。北海道で寮生活をしていた当時も、今も。埠頭に向かって進むあいだ、大谷はバレロにボートツアーの礼を伝え、英語で「Nice idea!」と言う。ボートなら自分で買えばいいのにと水を向けると、信じられないという顔をする。 「高過ぎますよ」というのが答えだ。別れる前に彼に頼む。 「ヤキューショーネン」とは何かを自分の言葉で説明してほしい。 「野球少年というのは、野球を愛する子供です。ただ純粋に野球を楽しんでいる。僕は野球少年だったころが、今まででいちばん楽しくプレイできていた時期だと思います。新しいスポーツを覚え始めたばかりで、ただ楽しかったから──いつも楽しかった。練習は普段、週末にあったので、早く週末が来て練習や試合ができるようにと、毎日待っていました」「ヤキューショーネン」という言葉はプロフェッショナル・レベルのプレイヤーにも使っていいのかと尋ねる。純粋に楽しんでプレイしている人。信じられないようなプレイをしたときに笑う人──そしてときには相手チームに謝る人。毎試合を、待ち望んだ週末のゲームのように楽しむ人。 「字面では『baseball boy』という意味です」と彼は笑顔になる。 「確かに、プロをそういうふうに呼ぶこともできるかもしれません」INTERVIEW BY DANIEL RILEY Photographs by ELI RUSSELL LINNETZ STYLED BY JON TIETZ TRANSLATION by HIROYUKI OKADA
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