For many baseball players who make the long slog through the minors in an effort to earn a job in MLB, Japan becomes the next best thing — not what they dreamed of but high level competition in front of good crowds.
Seibu Lions pitcher Bo Takahashi, however, grew where the ethnic Japanese community has made Sao Paulo Brazil’s baseball hot bed. For him Japanese baseball was the thing.
“I always wanted to play here in Japan since I was a kid,” the 26-year-old Brazilian right-hander said at Seibu Dome. “In my childhood, I grew up watching Japanese baseball. My idol was Daisuke Matsuzaka, so I grew up watching him with Seibu. Talking to Seibu and being here with Seibu is a blessing.”
Takahashi joined the Lions last year after a brief stint with the Kia Tigers in 2021, where he was, according to some accounts, the first Brazilian to play in South Korea’s KBO.
“When I was 16-years-old, I signed a contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks. I was in the Diamondbacks organization for seven or eight years and one year with the Reds, so that is where I learned my English,” he said.
“I started in 2014 in rookie ball with the Diamondbacks. I went through all the levels. It was a long time but it was really worth it, working through the process. I’m glad I’m here and I’m healthy.”
Apart from watching Japanese baseball online, he had other connections. Daniel Yuichi Matsumoto, a former outfielder who now coaches with the Yakult Swallows, had one of the best careers to date in Japan for a player from Brazil
“Yuichi played against my brother, in Brazil. I know Yuichi and a couple of guys here, and I’m glad I’m friends with them, sharing my experience from here, living and learning,” said Takahashi, whose homelife he said was like Japan — only in Brazil.
“Back home, we are pretty much like a Japanese house, the food, everything. From morning to night, everything is Japanese there,” he said.
Because of that, and because of his grandmother, who he said taught him everything about Japan, Takahashi said little here has been a surprise to him. And because he grew up practicing baseball Japanese style, NPB’s storied spring training was something he actually looked forward to experiencing.
“Actually, I was waiting for it, because baseball back in Brazil is more Japanese style. We knew how practice works (here). Back home we just ran a lot, a lot, and a lot of repetition. So, I was waiting for it, but it was really intense for sure,” he said.
Another adjustment as a pitcher is getting used to the pesky slap hitters who will foul off 20 pitches in an at-bat until they walk or you make a mistake.
“They’re just fighting, fighting every at-bat. The baseball here is really different for sure. You’ve got to used to it and adjust to it real quick. Thankfully, I had the coaches and my teammates to help me. So I just try to attack the hitter and get outs and get strikeouts,” Takahashi said.
“Big adjustment? With those contact hitters? Just try and get them out as fast as you can. You’ve got to keep it in the zone. We can’t let those hitters on base because they’re fast, so you just have to attack them.”
After a hard first year with NPB still under some COVID restrictions in 2022, Takahashi is enjoying getting out more and is looking forward to meeting his relatives in Japan.
“I have family in Nagoya. I have aunts, cousins, uncles. Last year, I played in Nagoya Dome and it was really special having my family watching me play. It was a special moment,” he said, adding that COVID prevented them from spending time together away from the park.
“During COVID it was hard, because we couldn’t go out. It was pretty much home, here to the field, home, here. But this year is different. When I have a chance and have time off I’m going to Tokyo or somewhere in Japan. It’s been really good. Knowing more about the culture, I love that stuff. It’s been really good.”
Another thing he’s looking forward to is the next World Baseball Classic, having represented Brazil in qualifying for the 2017 tourney.
“I love to represent my country. I represented Brazil in 2016 in the qualifying in Brooklyn, and 2020 was the COVID year. We were about to land in Tucson, Arizona, and it got canceled,” he said.
And though he didn’t get to play in this past tourney, getting to see Japan’s march to the championships on TV with his teammates was an experience.
“I’m happy that baseball is getting around the world. Japan winning it, against the United States? It was amazing. When (Munetaka) Murakami had the walk-off double (against Mexico) it was just crazy.”
