Seiichi Uchikawa (38), who will leave Softbank alone this season, started Day 1 in the Western League Hanshin game (Tama Home Stadium Chikugo), which is the 2nd Army’s final game, at 3rd base. Hitless in three at-bats, he couldn’t make a good sound in the final game for “Hawks Uchikawa.”

Uchikawa waving towards the booth (photo by Maki Umene)
Uchikawa waving towards the booth (photo by Maki Umene)

Softbank Uchikawa has removed the Hawks uniform and will begin a new life in baseball.

If you write it like that, it feels like something radiant, but there are things that are personally indivisible. The world of professional baseball where a year is a game. Lifetime employment is not promised, and a tough society of “weak meat and strong food” and “natural selection (touta)”. “Farewell Autumn” comes to all players every year. However, this time, I think it was a “resignation drama” with pending questions for the fans.

The opening was delayed due to the spread of the new corona virus. Uchikawa, who had a bad coup just before the June opening, was removed from the initial members and forced to start the 2nd Army. After that, the coup was recovered and it was not called by the 1st army, leaving a number above 30% even in the battle of the 2nd army. If you trust veterans like Uchikawa, you won’t be able to change generations. It is a difficult task for the team to take the initiative in promoting younger players and discover new forces in the process of creating a “winning team”. But have you been in good communication in recent months?

Uchikawa greets fans after finishing the entire Western League schedule (photo by Maki Umene)
Uchikawa greets fans after finishing the entire Western League schedule (photo by Maki Umene)

During the season, when asked by the press about Uchikawa’s promotion to the 1st Army, Kudo said that he had no recommendation from the 2nd Army, but that he wanted him to “dialogue” with Uchikawa himself more actively. He is a person worthy of the team’s victory. That is why I am not saying that you should give preferential treatment to other players. Is it so thorny that I can’t have a soft conversation with such a player?

Why is Uchikawa leaving the team? Simple questions never go away. It feels like an unsolved ending.[Cargo de Softbank a Eiji Satake]