A thread on 5ch’s “Nandemo Jikkyo G” board asking why Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks star Yuki Yanagita never took a shot at Major League Baseball drew a lot of traction.
Opinions flew back and forth — some said the team simply never approved a posting and that Yanagita himself was fully willing to move, others argued he missed his window and gave up on the idea himself — and the discussion expanded into comparisons of his ability with other teams’ star hitters like Seiya Suzuki and Teruaki Sato.
He'd have done just fine over there.
He's gonna go down as the guy who ran from MLB his whole life.
Padding his stats in low-level Japanese baseball and getting off on it won't earn him any respect anyway.
Didn't he torch the Hanshin fanboys' ("chin-kasu," a 5ch slur for Tigers fans) brains in last year's Japan Series, lol
The team just never allowed a posting.
He himself was totally ready to go.
Then his prime passed and he gave up on it himself.
He himself was totally ready to go.
Then his prime passed and he gave up on it himself.
>>12
He clearly had no intention of going once he signed that 7-year contract.
He clearly had no intention of going once he signed that 7-year contract.
You guys should understand choosing peace and quiet over climbing the ladder.
>>18
So he had no ambition, huh?
So he had no ambition, huh?
Maybe he was scared of ending up like Senga? (Kodai Senga, who went to the Mets)
He got boxed in by SoftBank and had to give it up.
He looked pretty bitter about it.
He looked pretty bitter about it.
>>23
It's a contract — there's no such thing as being "boxed in."
What, did they take his family hostage or something?
It's a contract — there's no such thing as being "boxed in."
What, did they take his family hostage or something?
By the time he was old enough to go to MLB he probably couldn't hit a 1.000 OPS anymore.
The year he'd have qualified for international free agency, he got hurt, was out long-term, and gave that tearful press conference.
That's when he gave up on the majors.
The year he'd have qualified for international free agency, he got hurt, was out long-term, and gave that tearful press conference.
That's when he gave up on the majors.
Would've liked to see Gīta (Yanagita's nickname) become a novelty/gimmick player like Munenori Kawasaki was.
If he weren't with SoftBank he probably would've gone.
SoftBank's the kind of team that steals people's dreams.
SoftBank's the kind of team that steals people's dreams.
>>28
But if it weren't for "the Toilet" (a 5ch nickname for SoftBank), he probably wouldn't have grown into a player who could put up numbers like that.
But if it weren't for "the Toilet" (a 5ch nickname for SoftBank), he probably wouldn't have grown into a player who could put up numbers like that.
That kind of skill set wouldn't have cut it over there.
Also he's surprisingly a low-launch-angle guy, so once pitchers exploited that, he'd have ended up serving up homers instead of hitting them.
Also he's surprisingly a low-launch-angle guy, so once pitchers exploited that, he'd have ended up serving up homers instead of hitting them.
He'd have easily surpassed guys like Seiya Suzuki or Munetaka Murakami.
>>30
Yeah, I think he was easily better than that tier.
Yeah, I think he was easily better than that tier.
Being a college draftee is the sticking point there.
He definitely would've done well though.
He definitely would've done well though.
>>35
On top of being a college guy, he didn't even lock down a starting job smoothly either.
On top of being a college guy, he didn't even lock down a starting job smoothly either.
>>42
That contract was just forced on him by the team.
He himself wanted to go.
That contract was just forced on him by the team.
He himself wanted to go.
>>47
What do you mean, "forced into" signing a contract?
What do you mean, "forced into" signing a contract?
Yanagita was already past his peak by then.
Kondo, on the other hand, flat-out ran away.
Kondo, on the other hand, flat-out ran away.
>>61
As for Kondo, he's become the best hitter around since moving to SoftBank.
Back in his Nippon-Ham days he lacked power — he barely ever even cleared a qualified .900 OPS — so he never had a real shot at going overseas anyway.
As for Kondo, he's become the best hitter around since moving to SoftBank.
Back in his Nippon-Ham days he lacked power — he barely ever even cleared a qualified .900 OPS — so he never had a real shot at going overseas anyway.
He was definitely better than Suzuki anyway.
And the Central League's a low level to begin with.
And the Central League's a low level to begin with.
>>75
He's not that different from Yoshida, so no way.
He's not that different from Yoshida, so no way.
No doubt he easily put up better numbers than Suzuki.
>>77
Compare them at the same age and Suzuki's clearly better.
Compare them at the same age and Suzuki's clearly better.
>>84
The Central League's low-level though.
The Central League's low-level though.
>>86
Can you still say that after watching Yoshida?
Can you still say that after watching Yoshida?
The Carp getting thrown out on steals over and over by Takuya Kai in the Japan Series was hilarious lol
>>89
The Central League's level was so low it was funny.
The Central League's level was so low it was funny.
Teruaki Sato wouldn't even be home run king in the Pacific League.
>>91
Yeah, the Central League's level is way too low.
Yeah, the Central League's level is way too low.
>>87
Yoshida and Yanagita aren't in the same category lol
Yoshida and Yanagita aren't in the same category lol
>>95
We're talking about the Pacific League here?
We're talking about the Pacific League here?
*This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Nandemo Jikkyo G) thread “Why did SoftBank Hawks’ Yanagita run away from the majors?”.
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