The other day, former DeNA pitcher Koki Terada (29) passed the transfer exam at the Department of Medicine, Tokai University School of Medicine. Although his active life at the BayStars was short, 18 and 19 years, he spent a lot of time. After completing a five-and-a-half-year course from October and passing the national examination, you can become a doctor, but two years of professionalism are likely to have a major impact.

Pitcher Terada has been operated on for herniated disc in the first year of joining the team. Joined the BC League in 6th place in the draft and was 26 years old at the time. “I have to do my best. I was afraid that I could get rid of my dismissal if I left for a long time.” It took courage to undertake the surgery. Because of this experience, he says, “It is not always the athlete’s correct answer to be medically correct.” It does not mean that it should be completely cured. If he had been dismissed in the same year, conservative treatment would have been more correct. Mr. Terada has the potential to become a doctor who understands these “circumstances unique to professional baseball players” and is close to him. I couldn’t pitch in the 1st army when I was active, but on the contrary, it may be useful if I become a doctor.

The words and life of my seniors also stimulated me. When I reported the outfielder Takayuki Kajitani (current giant), who was petted during his active career, he said, “Honestly, I thought it was impossible. Become a doctor.” “I wasn’t skipping. I did my best,” he said with pride in the amount of practice. I gave up on my professional life because I was told by a senior who was watching my efforts nearby. Shigeru Kaga (currently a game analyst) taught me how to throw as the same sidearm, saying “Do your best”. Pitcher Yoshiaki Fujioka (currently a pitcher coach of the 2nd army) invited me to a meal and went out to practice. “I thought the professional world was an’individual world’, but it was a’caring world’. Experience is an asset,” he says.

Another reason for becoming a professional baseball player is to connect with a doctor. The medical school costs about 30 million yen in five and a half years, including tuition fees. “I have saved most of the contract money (estimated 25 million yen).” The shortfall will be covered by scholarships and debts such as “consult the bank”. I hope that a new type of doctor will be born that will be familiar to you.[DeNA charge = Naoki Saito]