As August approaches, the only player from my draft class still on the first team is our first-round pick, pitcher Sugizawa.
Takeshita, our third-round pick, was expected to become a permanent leadoff hitter, but he's hit a wall in the pros. His batting average in the majors was below .200, and even after being demoted to the second team, he barely managed to hit just over .200. His frustration grew, and he became increasingly irritable and isolated on the bench.
Iijima has been playing as a relief pitcher for the second team, but his performances have been lackluster with an ERA of 4.08. Since being demoted in early spring, he hasn't been promoted back to the first team.
Of the three players expected to contribute immediately, Sugizawa is the only one making an impact. By the end of July, he had a record of 5-5 with a 3.95 ERA. As a college graduate and first draft pick with competition from four teams, his performance was considered average.
In the minors, Taniguchi, our second-round pick, has been doing well. Although his batting average was .233, he led the league with 14 home runs by the end of July.
Mitamura, our fourth-round pick, hasn't played a game due to surgery on his right hand, injured back in high school.
Catcher Haratani, our fifth-round pick, has played in 25 games as a backup catcher for the second team. He's batting .125 with one home run, showing clear issues with his batting. When he connects, the ball flies, but connecting is rare.
As for me, I've played in only 20 games as a backup for the second team. My batting average is .136 with 3 hits in 22 at-bats. Unlike Haratani, even when I connect, the ball doesn't fly. Thanks to nighttime training with Coach Yamashiro, my defensive abilities have improved, but my batting skills need a lot of work.
By the end of August, Sugizawa had a record of 7-6, one win ahead of his opponent. Though not performing as expected, he was mentioned as a candidate for Rookie of the Year. His biggest rivals were outfielder Oda, batting .290 with 12 home runs in his third professional year, and Kinoshita, a 25-year-old rookie pitcher for the Tokyo Chariots with 19 holds in 40 games and a 3.40 ERA. If Sugizawa won 10 games, he was considered a lock for Rookie of the Year.
But September was tough for him. By the end of the month, his record was 7-7 with a 3.79 ERA. Oda was batting .269 with 13 home runs, and Kinoshita had 21 holds in 45 games with a 4.00 ERA, making the Rookie of the Year race chaotic. It was said that if Sugizawa won in his final appearance in early October, his chances would improve.
In his final appearance, Sugizawa kept the score at zero until the sixth inning. He needed one more inning to reach the required number of innings pitched. With the team leading 3-0, he continued pitching. But luck wasn't on his side.
After getting one out, a blooper landed between the infield and outfield. The next batter jammed a double to third base. With runners on second and third and one out, he struck out the next batter. He was one out away from reaching the required innings. However, he walked the next batter on a full count. The eighth batter, with a .129 average, came up. Sugizawa threw a perfect curveball to get two strikes. He aimed for a strikeout with three straight pitches. But then it happened. The batter swung and sent the ball flying into the right-field stands for a game-winning grand slam. Sugizawa, dejected, needed just one more out. He hit the next batter and was taken out.
His first-year record: 7-8 with a 4.08 ERA, 1/3 of an inning short of the required innings. Kinoshita won the Sky League Rookie of the Year, partly because his team, the Tokyo Chariots, won the championship.
That's how our first season ended. My record in the minors was 27 games, 4 hits in 24 at-bats, a .167 average, and 4 errors. Despite significant issues in both offense and defense, thanks to Yamashiro's training, I made no errors in the season's second half.
Yamazaki and Hirai, my high school teammates, were in the Sea League and we never faced each other in the minors. Yamazaki was promoted in August with a record of 2-1, including a complete game victory in his first appearance. He pitched 29 innings, remaining eligible for next season's Rookie of the Year. Hirai, promoted in June, hit a home run in his first at-bat but went hitless in the next 15 at-bats, finishing with a .063 average. However, in the minors, he batted .275 with nine home runs, becoming a regular player.
Teams finishing third or higher advance to the postseason, including the Climax Series and Japan Series. Our Shizuoka Oceans, firmly in last place, entered fall training camp. The camp is mainly for young players, and I was selected. Not being selected could mean getting cut from the team.
Fortunately, I wasn't cut after a year. But the harsh reality of being a professional is just beginning.
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