The average career length of a professional baseball player is said to be about seven years. Only a handful of athletes, like Honda, retire on their own terms and have a retirement ceremony to honor them. Most players leave after being told they are no longer needed by their team, just like Iijima-san last year.
There are two periods when players are notified they are no longer needed: the first runs from October 1st until the start of the Climax Series. This is only my third year since graduating high school, and I played in the first team, even got my first hit, so I'm cautiously optimistic about not being cut. Among my draft classmates, Mitamura and Haratani seem to be the most at risk.
Mitamura pitched in his first official minor league game this season. He started nine games, finishing with a record of four wins, two losses, and an ERA of 2.95. His numbers are decent, but he hasn't played in the first team yet. Coming back from injury, he can't pitch consecutively and is limited to a maximum of five innings as a starter. How will the team evaluate this?
Haratani made his first appearance this season, hitting a home run in his first professional at-bat. However, defensive issues saw him demoted to the second team, where he finished the season. He's in his third year after university, and if the team decides he has no more room to grow, he might be released.
The Climax Series began, and none of my draft classmates were cut. Five players from the Shizuoka Oceans were released, but they all joined the team before us. For now, we're safe. However, there's another cut period after the draft meeting, so depending on who we acquire, more players might be released.
Our Shizuoka Oceans suffered two consecutive losses in the Climax Series, effectively ending our season. Here are the performances of this season's draft classmates:
Sugisawa was the undisputed ace, starting 27 games with a record of 13 wins, 8 losses, and an ERA of 3.12, significantly contributing to our Climax Series advancement. He was third in the league in both wins and ERA, making him one of the best pitchers. His annual salary next year is expected to exceed 100 million yen.
Taniguchi played in 19 games, with 7 hits in 46 at-bats for a batting average of .152, 2 home runs, and 5 RBIs. He won the Triple Crown in the minor leagues but struggled in the majors. However, his home run in the final game will likely boost his confidence for next season. A big leap is expected.
Outfielder Takeshita played in 73 games, with 22 hits in 100 at-bats for a batting average of .220 and 12 stolen bases. He made many appearances as a pinch runner, with numbers similar to last season.
Mitamura did not play in any first-team games, and although Haratani hit his first professional home run, he only played in three first-team games.
To sum up, while Sugisawa has risen to ace status and Takeshita established himself on the first team, the rest of us, including myself, are not yet regulars. The Shizuoka Oceans draft class that year was said to be a great success, but it's not living up to that expectation just yet.
With the season over, young players join the Miyazaki Phoenix League. This year, Taniguchi, Haratani, Mitamura, and I were selected. Being chosen for the Miyazaki Phoenix League doesn't guarantee safety from cuts; last year, a player participated but was later released. Our performance in Miyazaki might determine our fate.
After the Miyazaki Phoenix League comes the fall training camp. I'll be participating, but unfortunately, I won't be in the SR group.
In a significant move, the team announced they would not be renewing Thomas Lowry's contract. They will likely acquire an infielder in the draft. Currently, the battle for second base is between Iida, Uchizawa, Noda, myself, and Adachi, who is in his second year. Each player has strengths and weaknesses, with no clear regular. This presents a significant opportunity for me.
But professional baseball teams don't leave gaps unfilled. Once again, I'm reminded of the harsh realities of being a professional.