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「本日をもちまして、21年間の現役生活を終えたいな、と思います。えー……（涙をぬぐう。約10秒言葉に詰まる）。これまで自分に関わってくれた人、方々に感謝したいと思います。ありがとうございました」

Uehara: “Today, I’m calling an end to my active career of 21 years. I would like to thank those who’ve been on this journey with me.”

－引退を決めた今の胸の内は

上原:　まぁ、もうちょっとやりたかったなという、そういう思いです。

–Your feelings today, having decided to retire?

Uehara: “Well, what I think is that I wanted to keep going a little longer.”

－引退を決めてからの心境の変化は

上原　自分が決めた以上、もうユニホームを着ることはないわけですから。気持ちを切り替えていかなければと今は思っています。

–How has your state of mind changed since your decision to retire?

Uehara: “Having made my decision, I won’t be putting on that uniform again. I believe now I need to change my mindset.”

－引退の決断のきっかけは

上原　もう今年で辞めることは最初から決めていたことなんで。3カ月が僕の中では勝負と思っていた。2月、3月、4月と練習する中で、1度も1軍に上がることなく、2軍で試合に投げさせてもらっても、抑えていないという葛藤もありましたし、8月、9月になるとチームが首位争いするという状況の中で、自分がこういう会見をするのは違うという思いがあったので、早く終わろうと思った。

–What was the impetus behind your decision to retire?

Uehara: “I had already decided that I would quit this year, and in my mind I felt three months would be make or break. February, March, April I trained, but was never called up to the top team. And when I was given opportunities to pitch on the farm, even then I couldn’t get guys out. I thought it would be best to do it earlier rather than later. In August or September, with the team embroiled in the pennant race, calling a press conference like this would be quite a different thing from this.”

－心と体のズレはあったか？

上原　手術して、体自体は良い調子というかね、全然投げられる状態ですけど。その状態の中で2軍戦で通用していなかったというのが、自分の中で気持ち的に後ろ向きになったのかなと思ってます。

–Did you feel there was a gap between your mental image and your physical condition?

Uehara: “After surgery (left knee cleaning in October), my physical condition was good and I was able to throw fine. But even in that condition, it didn’t play in the minor league games. In my mind I thought I was going backwards.

－後ろ向きになった瞬間はこれまであったか

上原　何回かありましたけど。来年があるのであれば、もうちょっと頑張ろうと、今年1年やろうという気持ちになりましたけど、来年はもうないというのは自分の中で決めてましたから、うーん、やっぱり気持ちと体がなかなか一致しませんでしたというところですね。

–Have you had that feeling before that you were going backwards?

Uehara: “A number of times. If you have a next year, then you work even harder. This year I was going to compete for a full season, but I had already told myself I didn’t have any more next years. And as one would expect, I found it very hard to keep my body and mind in sync.

－同学年の福浦との対戦もあった。あれもきっかけ？

上原　福浦と対戦できたというのは僕の中で、すごくうれしかったこと。あと西武戦で稼頭央監督の目の前で投げられたのというのは、僕の中ではいい思い出と言ったらおかしいですけど、僕の中でこれでいいのかなと思いましたね。

–Last year you pitched against (Lotte’s) Kazuya Fukuura, who’s the same age as you. Did that trigger anything?

Uehara: “I was so thrilled to be able to face him. I also pitched against Seibu in front of Kazuo Matsui. It may sound strange to say those were good memories, but those things made me really happy.”

－どんな道のりだった

上原　まぁ、ケガばっかりの、中途半端だったかなと思いますね。

–How would you describe the path you took?

Uehara: “Well, it seems like I was always injured, so I think I only went halfway.”

－雑草魂で貫いた姿に感動したファンは多い

上原　手を抜いて投げたことはないですし、今年に限っても、若い選手と一緒に練習しましたし、抜いて練習してたことは自分のなかで一切無かったんで。そういう姿を見て、励みになってくれたらすごくうれしいことですね。

–A lot of fans were inspired by your tough, gritty attitude.

Uehara: “I never cut corners when I pitched. As far as this year, I trained alongside the young players, and never took shortcuts in practice. I’m really happy if others were encouraged by that.”

－「トリプル100」の記録はどう受け止める。

上原　それに関しては、中途半端かなと。どのポジションで全うしたわけでなく。中途半端に先発、中継ぎ、抑えとやっちゃったかなと思います。

— How is your triple-100 accomplishment received? (100 wins, 100 holds, 100 saves)

Uehara: “In regards to that, it’s kind of a mediocre achievement. I didn’t really succeed at any one thing. It’s mediocrity as a starter, as a middle reliever and as a closer.”

－野球を終えたこれからどうする

上原　正直、まだ何も考えてないです。明日からどうしようかなぁという感じです。

–Going forward, what comes after baseball?

Uehara: “Honestly, I haven’t thought of anything. I have a feeling that from tomorrow I’ll ask myself what I should do.”

－チームへのメッセージを

上原　今、首位争いしている中で、こんなことになって申し訳ないなと思います。でも、本当にチームは良い感じできているので、このままみんな頑張ってほしいなと思います。

–Do you have a message for your team?

Uehara: “Right now, we’re competing for the lead, so I apologize for doing this kind of thing. But having said that, the team has a really good feel to it. I hope they can keep doing well like this.”

Central League

Carp 5, Tigers 1

At Koshien Stadium, Makoto Aduwa (2-1) did not strike out a batter but allowed four hits and two walks over seven scoreless innings in the Carp’s seventh-straight win.

It was the first time in over seven years that a pitcher had thrown seven or more scoreless innings without a strikeout. The last one was a shutout by Seibu’s Kazuhisa Makita on April 23, 2013 at home against Lotte.

Seiya Suzuki, who leads the CL in all three Triple Crown categories, doubled in two runs in the first, while Ryosuke Kikuchi reached safely five times, scored twice and drove in two runs.

Dragons 5, Giants 4

At Nagoya Dome, seventh-year pro and career minor leaguer Hayato Mizowaki had a career year in one game. Entering the game with two hits and two runs scored from 24 career games, the 25-year-old went 3-for-5 with first career triple, a walk and three runs as the Dragons came from behind to beat Yomiuri.

Dayan Viciedo went 3-for-5 with a two-run, fifth-inning single off Shun Yamaguchi (4-2). Closer Hiroshi “Birdman” Suzuki held onto the lead to record his CL-best 13th save despite surrendering a leadoff homer and two one-out singles.

BayStars 7, Swallows 0

At Jingu Stadium, Haruhiro Hamaguchi (2-1) retired 22 straight batters in between his only two jams of the night in a two-hit shutout that completed DeNA’s three-game sweep of Yakult.

Wladimir Balentien looked at a third strike on a full count with one out and the bases loaded in the ninth, and Tomo Otosaka, a defensive replacement in left, made a good catch to end the game and preserve the shutout.

Pacific League

Lions 9, Buffaloes 2

At Kyocera Dome, Seibu rookie Wataru Matsumoto (1-0) survived a fifth-inning rally to hold on to the lead and win his debut after the Lions stung Orix starter Tyler Eppler (0-2) for three runs over 3-2/3 innings.

The 26-year-old Eppler located his fastball, but was foiled when the Lions hitters put some really good swings on well-executed pitches and didn’t miss his mistakes. His changeup was problematic, but otherwise it was a start he can build on.

The game was less about poor pitching from the Buffaloes starter than about just how tenacious Seibu’s hitters can be.

Hawks 4, Fighters 2, 5 innings, called

At Kagoshima Stadium, the Hawks beat the Fighters in the rain for the second-straight day behind home runs from Cubans Yurisbel Gracial and Alfredo Despaigne, and Keizo Kawashima.

Ariel Miranda (3-2) pitched four innings for the win, but Hawks manager Kimiyasu Kudo showed no interest in getting his fourth Cuban, lefty Livan Moinelo, into the action. The skipper instead picked starter Shota Takeda to come in and record his first save.

Eagles 10, Marines 5

At Zozo Marine Stadium, Rakuten came from behind twice after the Marines got home runs from Daichi Suzuki in the first and Brandon Laird in the third and fifth. Former Marine star Toshiaki Imae singled in the tying run in the sixth, against Lotte starter Ayumu Ishikawa, who allowed five runs in six innings.

With the score tied, Lotte lefty Takahiro Matsunaga (1-2) came in, and after getting two outs on 10 pitches surrendered his first runs since April 14 on back-to-back home runs by Hideto Asamura and Zelous Wheeler.

Eagles starter Yuya Fukui repeatedly gave the Marines opportunities, walking four batters in three innings, but Lotte wasn’t taking charity. In the end the Marines bullpen crumpled, while five Rakuten relievers allowed a run on two hits and a walk over the final five innings.

Some may remember my saying that Lotte started the season in a competition with Seibu to see who would be the last NPB team to sacrifice. After seven sacrifices through their first 24 games, the Marines’ two sacrifice bunts on Sunday give them 21 through their last 23.

The Marines are also the only team to have a position player to sacrifice with a position player with one out. Manager Tadahito Iguchi has now done this with his catcher’s three times.

In other news

Dragons right-hander Daisuke Matsuzaka began throwing batting practice for the first time since hurting his right shoulder performing “fan service” during spring training in Okinawa in February. He threw 35 pitches and got a positive evaluation from farm team pitching coach Ken Kadokura.
Hisashi Iwakuma returned to the bullpen at the Giants’ minor league facility for 40 pitches. It was his third session this past week.