Nippon-Ham Fighters Chief Baseball Officer Hideki Kuriyama was interviewed at ESCON on the 2nd, where he congratulated the Dodgers' Ohtani, Yamamoto, and Sasaki for their consecutive World Series victories. Still engrossed in his excitement after watching the game on TV, he said of his former students who won the 2012 WBC as a manager, "I couldn't help but applaud because I felt like they were my family."
He particularly praised Yamamoto, who pitched at full capacity as both a starter and reliever, earning three wins and earning the World Series MVP award. "Even though Yoshinobu had such a proven track record, he always had the mindset of 'I can pitch anywhere,' whether it was where he pitched or how he was used, just like during the WBC. In the semi-finals (of the WBC), Roki went first and Yoshinobu went from behind. Rather than being concerned with pride, he always understood what the manager was thinking in order for the team to win, and always thought with the attitude that 'that's the easiest way to win.' He's tough, and even when tired, his accuracy is high. He never makes a mistake with the ball. I'm sure it was very tough for him, but he always has the absolute qualifications of a winning pitcher, and in the true Japanese way, he devotes himself to others. That was the kind of game that showed that 'making the team win is the most important thing.'"
Speaking of Ohtani, whom he has coached as a manager since his days with Nippon-Ham he said, "It was inevitable for him to be a two-way player. It was good that he was able to play baseball normally. However, I'm sure it was difficult for him to decide when to pitch and the intervals between appearances, but he just wants to pitch and hit to the best of his ability without worrying about those around him, so it's still just the beginning. It was inevitable for him to go there for a year and play two-way as he pleases. He has homework left to do, which is typical of Shohei. I think he will move forward with big goals in mind. It's good that he will be able to play two-way next year."
Finally, he gave a message of encouragement to his disciple Mana, saying, "There's still so much you can do. Not yet, not yet. I guess it's like, let's keep going."
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