The next morning, I arrived in Miyazaki with the team members participating in the Miyazaki Phoenix League. As we left Miyazaki Airport, we were greeted by a bright blue sky and a comfortable temperature around 20°C. Two of my draft classmates, Taniguchi and Haratani, were also participating. The main purpose of this league is to give young players game experience, so players like Sugisawa and Takeshita, who already have a proven track record in the first team, were not participating.
The following morning, I read the sports newspaper in the hotel lobby. There was an article about the Shizuoka Oceans cutting players from their roster, and as expected, Iijima was cut. Five other players, including a fourth-year outfielder and a fifth-year pitcher, were also notified that they were no longer part of the team. It's a tough world. If things go wrong, it wouldn't be surprising if Taniguchi, Mitamura, Haratani, or I were cut from the team next year.
"I guess Iijima is no longer part of the team after all," Haratani said, peering over my shoulder at the newspaper.
"Yeah, did you know, Haratani-san?" I asked.
"Yeah, I had many opportunities to catch Iijima-san's pitches. I just had a feeling this would be his last year," Haratani replied.
"It's lonely," I said.
"Yeah, but we're self-employed. It's possible that anyone could get fired at any time. So everyone has to do their best without any regrets. If Iijima-san feels that he has accomplished everything he set out to do, then that's a good thing," Haratani said.
"My shoulder's healed, so it's about time I made a name for myself," Haratani continued, reaching for the can of coffee I had bought earlier and placed next to him. Please fix that area before your shoulder.
Today's match was against the Kumamoto Fires of the Sea League. The Kumamoto Fires' first and second teams are in different leagues from the Shizuoka Oceans, so there are few opportunities for the two teams to play against each other.
When I arrived at the stadium, a well-built, dark-skinned man approached me. "Hey, how have you been?" he asked.
I squinted, trying to recognize him. "I was wondering who it was, and it's Gorilla," I said, realizing it was Hirai, my high school classmate. Hirai joined the Kumamoto Fires as their second draft pick.
"Who's the Gorilla? Are you eating properly? You're still as skinny as ever," Hirai teased.
"If I were like you, I wouldn't be able to run or field," I shot back.
"Well, that's true too. By the way, congratulations on your first team debut. It's a memory I'll cherish forever. Now, no matter when I quit, I won't have any regrets," Hirai said with a grin.
"Shut up!. You're the one who needs to hit something other than a solo home run," I retorted.
Hirai had more opportunities to play in the first team this year, appearing in 43 games and hitting 7 home runs, although his batting average was .168 (16 hits in 95 at-bats). However, all of his home runs were solo homer, revealing a major issue with hitting with runners on base.
"That's right. I wonder why professional pitchers step up their game when there are runners on base. They always throw the ball in places I'm not good at. Well, the other guy is a professional too," Hirai said with a laugh.
"When there are runners on base, shouldn't you focus on making contact?" I suggested.
"If I could do something skillful like that, there'd be no problem. Oops, it's almost time for the meeting. See you later," Hirai said, glancing at the tiny watch that looked out of place on his large frame before jogging off.
In that day's game, I started as the second baseman while Hirai started as the first baseman, batting fifth. I got off to a good start in the first inning, hitting a double down the right field line. The special training in right-handed batting was gradually paying off. Hirai struck out in his first and second at-bats but hit a solo home run in his third at-bat. As always, he managed to hit when there were no runners on base. I watched the ball's trajectory from second base, shaking my head.
In the Miyazaki Phoenix League, I played in 13 games, collecting 14 hits in 47 at-bats for a batting average of .298. Although most of the opponents were young players, hitting nearly .300 gave me confidence.
Ah, Miyazaki is great. The sky is blue, and the weather is dry. I'd like to come back for sightseeing next time. The meals were fantastic, featuring Miyazaki beef, chicken nanban, and ripe mangoes. I hadn't had much opportunity to eat mangoes before, and I had no idea they could be so juicy and delicious.
When the SR group returns to Shizuoka, they will be enjoying their fall camp again this year. I was honored to be selected as a member again this year. Taniguchi was exempt. Why was it just me?
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