Koji Aoyama, a former professional baseball player who appeared in the “Restart” series of “THE ANSWER”, is currently active as an academy coach of the Rakuten baseball team. Here is a “spillover story” about the secret story of his active career that could not be posted in his interview.
What is the bond with Masahiro Tanaka and Mr. Aoyama, who is the academy coach of the Rakuten baseball team?
Koji Aoyama, a former professional baseball player who appeared in the “Restart” series of “THE ANSWER”, is currently active as an academy coach of the Rakuten baseball team. Here is a “spillover story” about the secret story of his active career that could not be posted in his interview.
Mr. Aoyama has a connection to look back on “I met him as a turning point.” He is a pitcher Masahiro Tanaka who has been active in Tomakomai High School in Komadai, Hokkaido, and joined the team in the first place in the draft of high school students in 2006.
Tanaka, who attracted attention as a “monster,” became friends with nature because he was in the same room at the Kumejima camp in Okinawa. His name was outstanding due to the success of his Koshien, so he often ate in Sendai “while squeezing”.
One day after several years. Aoyama, who casually watched Tanaka’s bullpen pitch, decided to imitate his weapon, the slider. Although he was originally a pitcher, he changed his index finger and middle finger to a two-seam (seam) to throw. “I was really into this.” He made a leap forward with his weapons and has pitched in 625 games in 15 years. It is the most pitched pitched Rakuten Eagles in history.
“You’ve made a money-making ball, a money ball. A batter who didn’t miss it until now missed it, or a right batter fluttered. If I kept throwing it because I thought it could be used, I could do it for 15 years. “
Even after Tanaka’s major challenge, exchanges continued, such as having a meal when returning to Japan. Mr. Aoyama will retire only in 2020. He had a meal with Tanaka, who had returned to Japan that year, but was surprised to receive a video surprise message at his retirement ceremony a few days later. “When did you shoot it ?! (laughs). I should have been in Japan for only a day or two. I was very happy.” He looked back with a smile, nostalgic.
From the year after Mr. Aoyama’s retirement, Tanaka returned to Rakuten Eagles. “I thought I could have done it together if I put up with it for another year (retirement), but I think that’s also fate. I’m not away from the team, so speaking of it together. That’s also a connection. I think”. After his retirement, he is teaching children in the six prefectures of Tohoku. While sending ale to Tanaka who continues to play on the front line, he is struggling in his second life.
(THE ANSWER editorial department)
