Yang Dai-kang, a player who has captivated baseball fans in both Japan and Taiwan, has now entered his 21st year as a professional. He continued to play in the minor leagues wearing jersey of Oisix Niigata Albirex Baseball Club, but on July 27th, he announced his retirement.

This spring, he thrilled his home country with his second consecutive tour of Taiwan, and while continuing to "dialogue with his own body" in the farm system, surrounded by young players, he was adjusting to the evolution of modern baseball. Therefore, the news of his retirement must have come as a surprise to many fans and people involved baseball.

In the first part of the interview, conducted before his retirement announcement, he discusses the current team situation, his own conditioning, and his feelings towards his former teammates, including coach Masaru Takeda.

The enthusiasm in his home country of Taiwan and his hopes for the young people at Oisix Niigata

This spring, Yang participated in a tour of Taiwan with the Taiwan Pro baseball team (Tai Gang The Hawks) for the second consecutive year. He reflects with genuine emotion on the joy of standing on the ground in front of fans in his home country.

“Last year, I was truly happy to be able to play in front of Taiwanese fans for the first time in nearly 10 years, and I hope we can continue this relationship for a long time to come next year as well.”

Oisix Niigata This is his third year with the team.Shusuke Shimokawa pitcher (Tokyo Yakult) was drafted two years ago, and in last year’s draft, several players—including Takato Noto pitcher (Hanshin Tigers), Kenshin Makino pitcher (Chunichi), and Taisei Chinen (Yomiuri)—were selected by NPB teams, demonstrating the team’s steady growth.When the conversation turned to the team’s current status, the veteran’s reassuring demeanor shone through.

“I can really feel how the younger players who’ve been with me since my first year on the team have grown year by year. We have a lot of players with high potential, so I want to continue supporting them so that as many of them as possible can make it to the NPB,”

As if to embody those words, his former teammate Chinen was added to the active roster in early July and hit his first professional home run—a gritty, gutsy shot hit. Seeing the breakthrough of this young player, with whom he once sweated it out as a fellow outfielder, brought a smile to Yo’s face.

“We’ve gone out to eat together in our free time, and what stands out most to me from last year is when he was struggling at the plate and came to me, asking, ‘What should I do?’I gave him a little advice, and I’d be happy if that helped him. He can ask me anything—he’s a very open-minded guy. Seeing him play baseball with such a positive and joyful attitude really makes me happy.

Watching him always give his all on the field reminds me of how we used to play back in our younger days. I hope he’ll believe in himself, not let others sway him, and keep doing his best without losing his unique style.”

In his 21st year as a professional, he's adjusting to modern baseball and exploring the "aesthetics of each pitch."

Now in his 21st professional season, Yang has maintained excellent form since May. His batting, which has become synonymous with him, shines with a high on-base percentage and sharp hits to the opposite field. Behind this is the veteran's ability to "communicate with his own body."

"Compared to last year, the biggest difference is that my body is moving much better. Last year I had some injuries, but this year I've managed to get this far without any major injuries. My daily conditioning changes, so I listen to my body every day and decide how I'm going to train today."

Since I'm much younger than the other players, I can't get to the same level of performance even if I do the same warm-up routine. That's why I take my time and do a separate warm-up. I think that's what leads to better results in games. As you get older, your power decreases, and conversely, pitcher 's speed increases. In that situation, if you hit the ball hard, it becomes a hit. Hitting the ball far to the opposite field is my strength, and I think that's my best offensive strategy."

In recent years, pitcher throwing fastballs exceeding 150 km/h have become commonplace, and sports science has advanced dramatically. He is trying to adjust to the ever-evolving modern baseball with his own unique sensibilities.

"My experience playing in an independent league in America for two years was a huge factor. In America, there were a lot of pitcher who could throw fastballs and two seam fastball over 150 km/h, and I really felt the high level of competition. Even after returning to Japan, I can clearly see that the level of pitcher in the minor leagues has improved."

It's incredibly difficult for batters to keep up with the evolution of pitcher. We're now incorporating data and angles, but if you try to hit a fast ball with power alone, you'll never be able to make it. That's why I have this mindset that 'when it comes to fastballs, if you generate enough bat speed, you'll be able to connect.' I use power for slower balls and speed to return fastballs. I've been adjusting with that mindset for the past three years. However, I still struggle the most with fastballs and breaking ball that have a strong hop component from pitcher."

The bond with my classmate and coach, Masaru Takeda

The current manager of Oisix Niigata, Katsu Takeda, was in the same draft class as Yang when they joined Hokkaido Nippon-Ham (2005 draft). Yang has special feelings about playing under a former teammate with whom he once sweated together.

"Mr. Takeda and I joined the team at the same time, but I was a high school graduate while Mr. Takeda came from the corporate league. When Mr. Takeda joined the team and immediately started playing in the first team, I was in the farm league, taking my time to build my foundation. Seeing my seniors playing in the first team, I thought, 'I'm so jealous,' and 'I have to surpass these people,' so I practiced desperately."

My fondest memory is when Mr. Takeda retired in 2016, and we were able to achieve Pacific League championship and the Japan Series championship together. That was truly the best moment."

Speaking of players from the same 2005 draft class, Ginjiro Sumitani from Saitama Seibu Lions, as well as Yoshihisa Hirano and pitcher from Orix Buffaloes, are still active players. Their presence is said to be a major source of inspiration for Yo, who continues to swing the bat to this day.

“I really think both of them are amazing. After all, they’ve been competing on the first-team level for 20 years. I imagine Mr. Sumitani (catcher) has a wealth of data stored in his head, and catching balls from all sorts of angles must be really tough—I just hope he takes care to avoid injuries.

Mr. Hirano also returned from the majors and became a key player in winning the league championship, didn’t he? As a fellow rookie from that same class, watching him gives me strength, and I’m completely on the cheering side, thinking, ‘I want him to closer right here!’ and ‘I want him to runner!’ I’d love to see the two of them face off—the psychological battle and the strategic maneuvering—in a game between The Lions and The Buffaloes.”

Yang Dai-Kang continues to fuel the passion of his youth while coming to terms with his own physical limitations, resonating with his comrades of the same generation. In Part 2, we’ll explore his words of encouragement for the young Taiwanese players challenging the Japanese baseball world—as if following in his footsteps—as well as his special feelings toward the “Taiwan National Team” that claimed the world title.

Text by Pacific League, Insight Editorial Department