June 2016 – Matt Hague

Audio version in Episode 36 of the podcast

HTEN: Thanks for joining us today, Matt.

Matt Hague (MH): Hey, thanks for having me. It’s a pleasure. 

HTEN: Well you know, we’ve been excited about you ever since you signed with the team. Tell us how you got connected with the Tigers. What was the process of getting you from America on to the Hanshin Tigers team? 

MH: A lot of people think that it’s a quick process and that it happens right away. But it started last season, there was some interest in me. It’s one of those things that you talk with your agent about, and he fills you in on what’s going on. At the time, I started getting overseas attention, I was with Toronto, the big league club, and we were trying to win a division championship. We had high aspirations. I think when it all started, but I wasn’t that focused on it at that time. But when the offseason came and the opportunity arose, I gave it more thought. I’ve always wanted to experience Japan and I had heard about [playing over there], especially in the States. I grew up in Seattle and I was a huge Ichiro fan, so I think it was just one of those things. When it comes about, you talk to your family and you have to ask permission from the team and all that. You know, it’s definitely a little bit of a process, but I think the big thing is that I got the opportunity and I didn’t want to pass it up. I think that it’s a great opportunity for me. 

HTEN: Were there any other clubs in any other leagues that were talking with you at the time, or was it pretty much either stick with the Blue Jays or come to the Tigers? 

MH: At the time, I was still on the (40-man) roster, and my agent said there was interest from a couple of teams over here, and some teams in Korea as well, but once the opportunity with the Tigers arose and I looked into it, I got a better grasp of what was going on. This is a great opportunity for me and it’s fun being here. 

Childhood Idols, Minor Leagues

HTEN: You said you grew up in Seattle and you were a big Ichiro fan. Were you also a Mariners fan, and who was the player that got you interested in baseball? 

MH: I would say I’m definitely a Mariners fan. In 1995 when they had their playoff run, they had Alex Rodriguez, Ken Griffey Jr., and Edgar Martinez, and those were my favorite players. Then Ichiro came over and he was a big hit in his first year and did extremely well. Those are the types of guys that you look up to when you’re young. The guys that have a lot of success are the guys that you tend to get interested in. 

HTEN: It was kind of a golden age in Seattle, wasn’t it, with all those great players on that team? Now, you were in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization before you joined the Blue Jays and you were playing in Indiana. I’ve got a request question from a buddy of mine who’s from Indiana. What was it like playing there? 

MH: I loved it. The Indianapolis Indians is the team there. I played in there for parts of four years, in AAA. It was kind of my second home in some ways because I was there for so long. I made some good relationships and it’s a really nice city: really clean, you can be in and out of downtown in 15 minutes. I like the atmosphere there, there’s always events going on, and the ballpark is beautiful. Don’t quote me on this, but I think it’s one of the top five minor-league baseball fields in all of America, so I was extremely fortunate to play there for a couple of years. Not to mention the fans there. They sell out a lot of their games… Just the atmosphere, in general, is really wonderful, very family-oriented. 

HTEN: While you were playing in America, did you ever face Japanese pitchers? Do you remember anything about facing Japanese guys? 

MH: I remember I was in spring training with the Pirates, I faced (Masahiro) Tanaka in a spring training game. That was quite the experience because he has a high pedigree, and he’d already been over in the States for a while. That’s the only guy I faced from Japan. 

HTEN: And what were the results, do you remember? 

MH: I think I went 1 for 3. Somebody actually showed me the stat sheet from that game about a month ago at Koshien, and yeah, I went 1 for 3. 

HTEN: So you were with the Blue Jays and you had Munenori Kawasaki as one of your teammates. What was that experience like? We hear a lot about him and see a lot of YouTube videos, but what was it like interacting with him on a daily basis? 

MH: Oh man, Kawasaki is the best teammate that I’ve ever had. He’s one of those guys that is always happy. His mood never changes, just having a good time. The fans loved him there. You know, we’d be on the road, I played with him in AAA and a little in the bigs as well, and there’d be like a fan club for him on the road in the minor leagues. That’s the only time I’ve ever seen something like that. There weren’t any huge special moments, but he’s one of those guys unlike any other, just the way he goes about his business. He’s always in a good mood and always trying to have a good conversation. Especially a guy coming from Japan, the language barrier is a big thing, but he kind of immersed in right away and tried to build relationships and with a positive influence in the clubhouse. I think anyone who’s ever been his teammate would attest to that, too. Definitely a big help for keeping things loose. 

Life with the Tigers

HTEN: You’ve experienced the reverse side of things now with the language barrier. Have you found anybody on the Tigers that you would say is similar to Kawasaki in personality?

MH: I would say that if there was no language barrier, there’s nobody like Kawasaki. He’s one of a kind. There are some funny guys on the big league team here, guys like Imanari, who keep things loose and has fun. Fukudome has been to the States, so he’s fun to strike up a conversation with him and joke around. But for the most part we don’t really understand each other that much. A lot of it is hand signals and sign language and we pick up little things and try to have conversations. In the minor leagues, (Katsuhiko) Saka is pretty funny. There’s a lot of guys on the minor league team, like Tsuruoka, that make a big effort. There’s good guys on both squads, so it’s been fun. Even though the language barrier is there, it’s pretty entertaining when you get into conversations with the Japanese guys and try to have a little fun with each other. 

HTEN: I’ve noticed that sometimes (on TV) they have the camera on guys like Randy Messenger or Mauro Gomez, and I noticed a lot of arm punching and cheek pinching… That’s kind of a way to show each other that you appreciate each other and that you want to have that relationship when words can’t do it, right? 

MH: Yeah, at the end of the day, we play a game for a living, and we are a bunch of little kids at heart, and we still have that type of relationship or mentality, even when we get older. We just want to have fun. 

HTEN: So you joined the Tigers and obviously things are a bit different than playing in America. Are there any kinds of special perks or benefits of playing in NPB? 

MH: I would say the perks are going to the different stadiums and seeing all of the different types of ballparks. I try to get out and explore as much as I can. I would say that just seeing a different culture and experiencing something totally different than what I’m used to is the biggest thing. And the competitive baseball here is generally a perk. You try to get better and learn a lot of stuff playing in NPB because it’s a different style of baseball, but at the same time you pick up a few things, learn a few things, and I think that’s the biggest perk. Just trying to get better while I’m in a different country. 

HTEN: Speaking of being able to play in different cities, do you have a favorite stadium or city outside of Koshien? 

MH: I would have to go with Tokyo Dome, and not just because it’s a big series. It’s domed so you know you’re going to play every day… It’s a cool atmosphere and the hotel is right in the middle of everything. There’s an amusement park, and there’s a bunch of stuff to see around there. And also, the tradition of that series is fun. It’s just fun to be in that kind of atmosphere and playing in a historic place against the Giants. So that’s definitely my favorite one. 

HTEN: When you’re playing in Tokyo against the Giants or Swallows or in Yokohama against the BayStars, have you been able to befriend any of the players on the other teams, or were you friends with any of them before you came over here? 

MH: I used to play against a lot of the foreigners for the other teams in the States. We live in the same place as the guys from Orix, and I played against Viciedo a lot. We kind of have a mutual respect, even though we play against them, we’re both over in a foreign country and so we tend to build relationships with each other. 

HTEN: I read stuff about Randy Bass going out for dinner after games with some of his opponents and I was wondering if you were able to fraternize with the players from the other teams… 

MH: Yeah, I’ve been out to dinner a couple of times with Brent Morel and Brian Bogusevic from the Buffaloes. When you’re on the road, the schedule is pretty brutal. You get back at 11 o’clock or midnight, and there’s not much time to have a good dinner. But me and Garrett Jones (Giants) played with each other with the Pirates, so I’ve seen him a couple of times and that’s always fun. But for the most part, you just kind of saying hi, and when you see them and try to do something, it’s pretty quick because you both have things to do. But at the same time, it’s nice to have that little refresh time with guys that you used to play with but you don’t have a lot of time. 

Japanese Food, Stadium Songs

HTEN: Do you have any favorite foods or restaurants since coming to Japan?

MH: Aw man, that’s hard. I think that there’s a lot of good food here, but I think my favorite is ramen. The ramen here is unbelievable. There’s a place in Shinsaibashi (Osaka) that I’ve been to a couple times. I can’t remember the name of it in Japanese, but it’s definitely my favorite food. Ramen, of course, but I also like sushi and sashimi. The Kobe beef place I went to a couple of times is the Zen place. It’s expensive, but it’s very good. It’s the best beef I’ve ever had. 

HTEN: Definitely, Japan is a place that prides itself on its food, especially restaurants, so I knew that you would have a few good places up your sleeve. 

MH: Yeah, I read an article the other day that Japan is number one for Michelin stars or something like that. And the next closest is London, but Japan has triple what London has, so it’s definitely a culinary treat for me to eat food here. 

HTEN: Keep on enjoying and report back if you find anything that’s good and within my budget! 

MH: Definitely, I’ll let you know. 

HTEN: Okay, let’s shift gears here. How did you choose your walk-up song at Koshien? 

MH: The song I picked was by Drake, and the process was pretty quick. I saw a piece of paper on the thing (?) that said we had a plate song, and the Drake song that was our song in Toronto when we won the championship. But usually I go with Lynyrd Skynyrd, Free Bird. I’m going to change the plate song when I go back up. I’m going to use the classic, the one I always had, Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Free Bird. Classic rock.

HTEN: On the note of songs, there’s the Matt Hague cheer song. Have you memorized it? How does it feel to hear it while you’re up at the plate? 

MH: It’s kind of a weird situation because when you’re on deck and you’re preparing for your next at-bat, you try to block it out as much as you can because you have to try to focus on the pitcher. But you can’t help but hear it. I definitely don’t have it memorized, but I do definitely hear it out there. I hear the “Hey Goo!” And then I hear the “home run” chant between pitches and it’s one of those weird situations where you’re trying not to hear it, but it’s so loud that you can’t help it. But it’s always fun when you take a step back and you realize that the whole right-field bleachers are chanting your name. It’s a really cool thing. 

HTEN: I can’t imagine, but at the same time, I can. I can get my two-year-old son to teach you the song if you’re ever interested. 

MH: Absolutely. 

HTEN: Speaking of having a two-year-old teach you a song, have you ever had any weird requests from fans? 

MH: I guess this one’s kind of weird. For the first time, I had a parent ask me to hold his baby. That doesn’t really happen in the States, so I was caught off guard. That was definitely the strangest request. I didn’t know what to do, but I just held the baby and signed some stuff he had. 

HTEN: Probably a thrill of a lifetime for the parents, and you know, if it was a boy, he probably has the middle name Matthew now, haha. 

MH: Is that a common thing here? 

HTEN: I’m not sure, but I’ve gotten so used to seeing stuff like that, so it doesn’t throw me off that much. I think I’ve seen pictures of other players holding babies before. 

MH: That one definitely caught me off guard. 

HTEN: One more thing. If you get back up, you said you want to change your (walk-up) song. We definitely want you to come back up to the top team, and you know that we are making a push for you. What’s the best advice you’ve gotten from a coach whether with the Tigers or otherwise when things are not going your way? 

MH: Thank you for your support, first of all. I would say that the biggest thing is you practice hard and prepare for the game, so just be yourself when you’re playing, whether you’re doing good or bad. You have to try to stay the same. Another thing I was told by a coach is not to panic. Baseball is such a mental sport. During the game, you try to let your physical abilities just kind of play. Once you start overthinking stuff, that’s usually when it tends to spiral a little. So just be yourself and try to be relaxed, you know, baseball can be tough sometimes. It’s a game of failure, you’ve heard it a million times… You succeed 3 out of 10 times and you can be a Hall of Famer in some cases, so you just have to deal with the failures, go out there, be yourself, and just be a little kid playing a grown man’s game. 

HTEN: We look forward to hearing more from you and seeing great things out of you, and I feel like we haven’t really seen the real Matt Hague just yet, but we are about to. Thanks for joining us on the show today. 

MH: Thanks man, I appreciate it.