Read in Japanese on Daily Sports / トレバーの虎場（デイリー）はこちら
A couple of years back when I looked inside Beat Tamashii Shop (just outside Koshien Stadium), a poem on a t-shirt caught my eye:
Every year, I have the same dream…
A dream that this year is going to be the year
But every year ends with the same sigh.
Still, I can’t stop being a fan
Still, I can’t stop cheering
‘Cause we might actually do it this year
Yes, this year might finally be the year!
Sound familiar? That’s me every spring, too. Hope springs eternal, after all. And speaking of spring, doesn’t it seem like we are hearing the same hopeful refrains spring after spring?
“The team is gearing up for its first pennant in __ years” (15 in 2020). In fact, manager Akihiro Yano has already gone on record as saying that the team is going to win it all this season. I’m not sure if I should be saying this, but Yutaka Wada most strongly assured us of the team’s success in 2015 – and was dismissed at season’s end. Tomoaki Kanemoto did the same in 2018 – and the team finished in last place, and he was replaced.
“The second coming of Randy Bass has arrived.” Yes, this year, you can finally believe it! Justin Bour is the real deal! Let’s keep in mind that he is the 25th man to have been tagged with what Craig Brazell has called “the media’s kiss of death.” Something tells me the Tigers have not had too many Randy Basses in the past three decades.
“Shintaro Fujinami will once again be the team’s ace.” Of course he will. We brought in legendary lefty Masa Yamamoto, and he has assured us that he fixed what was wrong with the struggling young righty. Yet in his most recent game, Fujinami walked two and plunked one in 3 innings of work.
“The competition among players to win starting roles is fierce. This is proof that the team is going to be strong.” Yes, but the team’s 13 errors in 9 February games can also be described as fierce… as in, fiercely embarrassing. And the fact that the guys are still jockeying for playing time shows that there is a severe lack of established players in the lineup.
Now, don’t let my cynicism dampen your spirits if you believe the Tigers will be contenders in 2020. I actually believe in this team, too. There are a lot of signs that point to them being even better in 2020 than they were in 2019, too. Whether or not you see the signs, or believe them, is up to you.
But I have made a vow to myself as a Hanshin fan, and perhaps it reflects my core beliefs about love: “it always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” I will never stop believing that this team is going to win it all, as long as they themselves believe it is possible.
At season’s end, I would much rather find myself saying “I told you they’d do it!” (or “There’s always next year”) than “I can’t believe they won!” (or “See? Told you they couldn’t do it!”) I mean, isn’t that what fans are for? Always believe the best of your team, and eventually that dream, the one that this year will be the year, will become a reality.
Here’s to 2020 – the team’s 85th year and the second coming of 1985!