Another month of the season has gone and I am sure you are all as frustrated as I am. I really did expect bigger and better things out of myself and this team this year but unfortunately things haven’t gone as we all thought they would. Thankfully it’s still early enough in the season for us to turn it all around and get back on track but the sense of urgency is much stronger with each passing day. I can assure you all that I am doing my best to work hard on the things that have let me down so far and I continue to seek the remedies to my inconsistency this year. After playing baseball for so much of my life, I am still amazed and frustrated by how quickly you can get out of sync with your release point, balance and mechanics. I love the challenge though and I am fortunate to have great coaches to help so I’m very confident that everything will be back to normal very soon. Pitching can be such a huge roller-coaster ride of emotions and results so it’s important not to
let the ups and downs get too dramatic. As a reliever, I feel you have to remain as even tempered as possible to achieve consistency and even now I am focused on the positives of this season to help balance out the poor results. We have 4 months to make a great charge to the title. Our starting pitchers have given us a solid chance to win all of our games. Egusa has shown that he is an ace reliever.
Kanoh has emerged as a very strong starting catcher during Yano’s absence.
Akahoshi continues to blaze around the bases.
Kanemoto remains the most feared hitter in the NPB.
We still have the best fans in the world.
We all have plenty of room for improvement and if we can each do a little bit more to help, then we are going to win a whole lot of ball games and put a scare in the teams ahead of us.
The ability is still there in our players and we have the potential to do great things. It is a belief in each other and ourselves that will allow us to reach that potential together as a team.
Finally, I want to say a big thank you to the great people at PHITEN.
Again this year they agreed to make the wrist bands that I give to the pitchers on our team. These bands are meant as a symbol of our unity and our common goal of fighting together to bring success to the team. I have given these out for the last 4 years now and I’m honored that our pitchers wear them with pride.
Till next time,
Cheers.
Jeff
02/06/09
G'’day fans..
One month gone and we are sitting with a .500 record. Not what we hoped for or expected out of ourselves but we have plenty of encouraging signs for a successful season.
Something that I have noticed about this team is that we are a patient team. What I mean by that is we don’t really jump out and get aggressive early in the games but rather we pace ourselves and wait for the right opportunity to strike. Maybe that has something to do with our age and experience but it is a quality that I think will serve us well over the long season.
For a 144 game schedule, it is too difficult to remain on a high all year. Teams and players that come out of the gate with too much emotion early will usually run out of energy during the long summer and fall out of contention easily in the end. I feel that a better strategy is to find a comfort zone that you can stay in for the whole season and be patient that your consistency will pay off in the end.
I hope that you fans can be patient with us and believe that we’ll be there when it counts.
04/05/2009
Thank you to everyone who has written in with well wishes and questions. As a foreign player, one of the toughest obstacles to overcome is understanding and appropriately respecting the Japanese culture. Even into my 7th year here, I still have trouble with knowing when to speak my mind and knowing when to keep my thoughts to myself. I am usually fairly opinionated but I’ve learned with age not to offer it until I’m asked so I think this is why I have taken so long to post a message.
I’ll try not to wait so long again but it definitely helps to know what you’d like to hear about…..other than “how is your condition?”
March is such an exciting time of year for ballplayers because it’s a fresh start on a new season and a chance to preview what the coming year may have in store.
It’s also a delicate balance of getting into game shape and building as much strength as you can without getting injured. This spring I have tried to be more careful about not pushing things too early. In the past, I have definitely wanted to be in peak condition as early as possible but it has backfired on me and I’ve missed parts of the season because of my stubbornness and trying to do more than I was ready for. But now, I am trying my best to put my pride aside and just make sure I’m ready for April 3rd.
I feel that this is a very important season for the future of the Hanshin Tigers because of the many changes going on within the organization.
A new manager in Mayumi-kantoku, many changes within the coaching staff and the ongoing renewal of Koshien, are bringing lots of extra attention to the company and the team.
We need to take responsibility for the interest in the team from the fans and make sure this is as much of a successful season on the field as it already looks to be off it.
I am proud to be a part of this team and I’m excited by all these positive changes.
I’m really interested to see who will make up our pitching staff this season and what role each guy will have. We have such a strong group of young players that it’s a fierce competition for each spot. This can only help us in our efforts to get off to a good start if we have so many guys in great condition and ready pitch in ichi-gun. We have had a strong bullpen for most of my years here and I expect that this year will be more of the same. I’m really hoping that Kubota can recover quickly and get back to pitching again. Even though he was making a move back to the starting rotation, his presence on the mound and on the team is something that we need. He has a very strong character and we will need him in our challenge for the Central League pennant this year. I was sad to see Hashimoto go to Chiba because he is a great pitcher and was a mood maker for the pitching staff, but I think bringing Kubo into our rotation could be a great move also. I have been impressed with his pitching since 2005 and I feel that he has the brave character needed to pitch big games here at Koshien.
As we get closer to the start of the season, I am becoming more anxious to get into games and see what I like and what I need to sharpen up before we play the ones that count. I was fairly happy with my first outing of the spring against the Lions at Skymark last week. My first outing of the year always makes me a little nervous,
but surprisingly this time wasn’t too bad. I was much more comfortable than I thought I’d be and my slider was sharper than I expected. I really hope that this is a sign of things to come for this season. Low stress and good pitching are a welcome theme for me this year…….. Don’t worry, I’m sure that I’ll be as pumped up as always once the season starts. I just can’t stop myself from getting excited when I know the game is on the line. I cannot calm down when I’m in a battle. It is just too important.
Till next time..
Cheers
Jeff
G’day fans…
What can I say, I’m a busy man. I’m sorry it has taken this long but I have a ton of excuses for you on why I haven’t written a message sooner…Mostly it is because I don’t think my travels are exciting enough to write about so often but also because I have been doing a lot of entertaining recently. My sister was visiting us here from London and a few days after she left, my parents arrived from Australia and then a few days after they left, my wife’s mother flew in from America. Now although they all came only to see my children and a few baseball games, I still had to spend my free time entertaining them and making sure they were having a good time here. Ok.enough excuses, let me just talk about what’s been going on lately with the team…
We are playing great baseball and although our offense has slowed a little of late, it has been a true test of our character as a team to see what kind of fight we have when we aren’t in our best condition. We have some injury concerns at the moment and have really had to battle to give ourselves a chance to win. We have needed some very good pitching and some late comeback offense and I think we proved to everyone that this team can play good baseball and win even in the most difficult circumstances. We have certainly showed that we will never give up and continue to fight to the end of every game. I am really proud of my teammates and truly believe we will be champions this year. I have had my own ups and downs and it’s something that I haven’t had to deal with too much while here but nonetheless, I am human and need to learn quickly from the mistakes I have been making recently. Thankfully we have some really good coaches here and they have been able to get me back to feeling that I am very close to my best condition. And with Kyuji going to the Olympics soon, the timing couldn’t be better. I know August is going to be a very important time for me and I have focused on getting ready for that lately. I’m not sure who will be closing during that time but if I get the chance, I will be 100% ready for the challenge. I’ve always loved being the guy that people rely on at the most important times so this is something that I look forward to if I am chosen for that duty.
We have our most important series of the season so far starting tomorrow against the giants and if we can take care of business then we will have a magic number to start counting down and that is really important because it makes us feel like the title is very close to being ours.
Well it is getting late and while I write this, I am watching my childhood idol, Greg Norman, attempting to become the oldest major winner ever at the British Open. GAMBATTE shark….
Till next time…
Cheers
Jeff
20/07/2008
What a crazy day…..
I’m happy to report that I was finally able to get back into some game action for the first time in over a month. But it was quite an ordeal to make it all happen.
Lew Ford, our interpreter Kuriyama and I left our apartments for kita-Kobe at 9am and on the way up and around Mt Rokko, the taxi we were riding in started making some strange sounds, losing power and smelling like burning rubber. Right away we were trying to tell the driver that he should pull over and call for help but he insisted that everything was “ok”…..
Somehow we made it to the top of the rise and after going through a toll booth, we then coasted down the hill and into a tunnel. This is where the taxi finally lost all power and came to an ill-timed stop.
So there we were, now standing in the middle of a tunnel with cars backed up trying to get around the broken down taxi, when 2 cars going the opposite direction try to look and see what is going on and slam into each other just adding to the mayhem inside this confined roadway….
We were able to get out of there pretty quickly with the help of the highway patrol and after waiting for a new taxi, we made it to the stadium for the end of batting practice with a crazy story for our teammates.
I ended up pitching the 7th inning of the game with Surpass and felt great. No pain and feeling very strong after all the rehab I have done to recondition my shoulder. My trainer Ishihara, worked very hard to get me back in pitching form again and I couldn’t have done it without his help. Hopefully I won’t need him so much again this year.
Well, I am pitching again in a couple of days and then hopefully soon.
I’ll be back with the guys at ichi-gun.
Until then…..
see you at Naruohama…
Cheers,
Jeff
06/05/2008
G’day fans…
It’s been a while since I wrote a message but I usually don’t like to talk about negative things so while I’ve been injured, I have kind of avoided writing anything until I could give you some good news. So that means that I am finally feeling great and ready to get back to action.
I had been feeling ok for a little while but not quite 100%, so I got the opportunity to go to a hospital and rehabilitation clinic in Fukuoka where I was able to receive some extra attention and intense rehab. It was my first stay in a hospital here in Japan and although I have nothing but great things to say about the treatment I received, I really hope it was the last time.
My days were spent in a controlled environment of diet, treatment and exercise. I was able to learn a lot more about how pitching affects the shoulder and what I can do to prevent injury in the future. All in all it was definitely worth going. And the best part is that I now feel 100% and will get into games as soon as possible.
Well the ichi-gun team has certainly shown what they are capable of so far this season and I look forward to doing my part to help soon. I just hope they have room for me on the roster.
Until then though, I will keep doing my best to be ready to go when they call me.
Cheers
Jeff
30/04/2008
Gday fans…
The season is finally under way and we have gotten off to the perfect 3-0 start. I think we have already shown that our hard work in spring training was truly worth it. Obviously we have 141 games still to play but I think we can all see that the combination of our new players and healthy veterans will make us a team we can take to the pennant this year. Our line-up looks very strong and I expect that having Kanemoto healthy and adding Arai takes some pressure off and lets us relax and play our natural game a little more. I think we will manufacture a lot more runs this year as a result.Our starting pitching will definitely determine our fate for this season and we have some great depth coming out of camp. Three fantastic performances so far and with pitchers the caliber of Vogelsong, Kanemura, and Uezona just waiting in ni-gun for their opportunity to start, you know we are feeling good about our chances.It was great to be able to get out there and pitch in our season opener. It’s good to get the first one out of the way so you can calm your nerves and just pitch the rest of the year.I am hoping for my best season yet and promise I’ll do my best every day.
We are off to Hiroshima tomorrow for a week long road trip so I had better spend a little quality time with my family now. Sorry for the short message but here’s to hoping we come back to Osaka with 2 more series victories. I will write again soon.
Thanks for all your continued support. I’m honored to be a Hanshin Tiger.
Cheers
Jeff
31/03/2008
G’day fans.
Great to be back in Osaka. After a long month living out of hotels, we are finally back on the mainland and taking the next step of spring training. Open-sen has begun and it is now starting to feel like we can see what kind of shape the team is in.
Camp in Okinawa and Aki city was very tough due to the weather but I feel like we got plenty done and should see the results of our hard work very soon.Thanks to all of the fans and staff who were so good to us in both places. It is great to have that support and reminds us how much you are all counting on us to win the championship. I look forward to seeing you all at Koshien this year.
My first game this open-sen will be the tribute game for Shimano san and I will be honored to pitch in this emotional game. He always made me feel welcome and I’ll never forget him. He was such a great man and is truly missed.
Well it is great to be back in Osaka again and with this being my 6th year, it really is home now.
My family will come to Japan next week and then it’s back to being daddy. Time away from them is the hardest part of spring training but it really makes me appreciate my family more when I finally do see them again.
Well I had better get my rest before practice tomorrow.
Until next time.
Cheers
Jeff
02/03/2008
G’day fans.
Well our first phase of spring camp is now over and we are moving to Aki city tomorrow. Despite the rain and cool weather we had here in Okinawa, I feel we have made good strides in getting in shape for some real baseball games. It is always hard to gauge where we are in terms of performance for the coming season until we actually play games with our regular starters, but what is most important now is that every one is feeling healthy and getting their strength for the long haul ahead. I myself am feeling very good for this time of year as I have been able to move along at a good pace for a pitcher of my advancing age. That means I am taking it pretty easy so that I don’t fall over and hurt myself. Actually though I feel quite strong and have been spending most of my energy so far in the weight training room trying to improve my strength and power as I feel that this is the most important thing for a relief pitcher to achieve before having to get ready to pitch in every game.
I was able to throw batting practice on our last day here and I feel that it went very well. The first time you face hitters every year is a big test and lets you know how your well your pitches are moving and how your condition is. My slider is in good shape already and now I just need to improve my location and I’ll be ready for the season.
Tonight I am planning to meet up with some old teammates here on the island for dinner. Darwin Cubillan, Jamie Brown, and Chris Oxspring are all in Okinawa training with their new Korean league teams and so we are going to meet up for some reminiscing over good food and maybe a couple of beers. They are all nice guys and I’m glad to see them getting an opportunity to show their stuff in Korea.
Although I’m not really looking forward to the cold weather in Aki, it feels good to know we are onto the next phase of training and that much closer to starting the season and really enjoying some victories. Really the toughest part of camp is missing my family but I know that time will go by fast and I’ll see them soon after we get back to Osaka.
Ok, I must say bye for now but I’ll write again soon….
Until then….cheers
Jeff
17/02/2008
Gday fans..
Well here we are in Okinawa and into our 3rd cool. It has rained every day of camp so far which has made it tough to really get a feel for how our practices are going as most everything is indoors.
The feeling here is that we are excited to see just how good we can be
this year what with the new additions of Arai and Kanemura and also a
healthy Imaoka, Fukuhara and Andoh.
We seem to have a great mix of veteran players who are still in their prime and talented youngsters who are coming into their own and will surely push for those ichi gun roster spots.
I have thrown a couple of bullpens so far and I’m feeling very good.
At this early stage of spring training I am trying to pace myself so that I will be in peak condition for the start of the season but it is hard not to go as hard as I can because that is my personality. I’m looking forward to facing hitters again though because that is when the adrenalin kicks in and I have the most fun.
We’ve been able to golf a couple of times on our off days also and that has been a good chance to get to know our two new foreigners Ford and Atchison. Both are very happy to be here and motivated to win a championship. I think they are finding things a bit strange so far but that is to be expected. It is fun for me to see new players come and try to adjust because it reminds me of my first experiences here. Although it also makes me feel old now too.
Well I’d to thank all you fans for your continued support and I appreciate all the kind messages and well wishes. I will do my best to bring you a Japan Series victory and we can all celebrate together…..
Until next time….
Cheers
Jeff
10/02/2008
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