Nippon-Ham pitcher Kota Tatsu (21) was interviewed by Sports Hochi on the 16th, looking back on his fourth year as a professional, when he broke out with eight wins. Since his debut in 2022, he has had a record seven consecutive wins without a loss as a baseball. He spoke frankly about the origins of his love for the majors and his own mental techniques for not giving up on himself. (Interview and composition by Haruki Kawakami)
The 21-year-old, who has made great strides, spoke cheerfully and carefully. He had only one win in the three years up until last season, but this season he has achieved eight wins in one go.
"My abilities and what I have haven't changed that much. I've never taken a leap up until now, so I've definitely been climbing step by step, and I think this year was the year I finally reached a certain level."
This season, he has pitched three complete game, including one shutout game. He has made his presence felt as part of a powerful starting lineup that boasts 23 complete game, far more than any other team in both leagues.
"If Mr. (Ito) Taikai had gotten off normally around the 7th inning, we wouldn't have aimed for complete game. I'm grateful that he created that kind of flow. I look at it like 'how many times do you get off?' (laughs)."
The team enjoyed a furious six-game winning streak in the first half of the season, but struggled in the second half with only two wins.
"Well, to be honest, I just wanted to win. To put it in extreme terms, I might have felt like it was OK if we conceded five points and conceded four."
He is an avowed major league fan, and it all started when he was a freshman in high school, when he admired three-time Cy Young Award winner, current Blue Jays pitcher, Scherzer.
"I first started watching pitchers around 2019. I wasn't the type to throw a particularly fast ball. When I thought about what was needed, things like spin rate and hop, I looked up players who were great at those things, and Scherzer came up. I thought, 'Wow, that's amazing.' So I thought, 'I want to aim to be pitcher like that.'"
His hobby is training, and he says he finds inspiration in unexpected places, not just in books and videos.
"I also read anatomy books, because clues can be found in small things. Even the most accomplished athletes can be wrong. Something a university student who has just started posting on social media, or a first-year trainer, says casually can surprisingly land you on the right track. I try not to worry too much about who is saying it. I try things once, and if I think it might work, I'll go for it."
What this right-hand man values most is the battle with himself.
"I think it's about not giving up on yourself. Even if it's hard to get up in the morning, I'm like, 'What, am I giving up?' If I were to give up, I feel like I'd lose the willpower to do what really matters. Rather than thinking about other people, I see myself as a different person. It's like there's a little version of me in my head that's moving my body. So I'm always looking at myself, and I don't really mind what others think."
Next season will be his fifth year as a professional. The 21-year-old is able to objectively view himself and continue to evolve, and there is no end to his growth.
◆Tatsu Kota: Born March 27, 2004 in Osaka Prefecture. 21 years old. Started playing baseball in the fourth grade of elementary school, and played for the Senshu Hankai Boys in junior high school. At Tenri High School, he made it to the semi-finals of the Spring Koshien Tournament in his third year. Joined Nippon-Ham as the first pick in the 2021 draft. 194 cm, 101 kg. Throws and bats right-handed. Estimated annual salary this season is 10.5 million yen.
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