'Immediately upon arriving in Korea, two consecutive walk-off grand slam comebacks' — Surprised Japanese pitcher: "Is this the KBO League?" [Interview]

*This content was translated by AI.

"Is this the KBO League?"

'Takada Takuto (24, Japan), the new Asian quota left-handed pitcher for the Doosan Bears, shared his impressions after experiencing the Korean professional baseball league for the first time.

'Takada met with reporters ahead of the game against the Samsung Lions at Daegu Samsung Lions Park on the 30th of last month. Joining the Doosan squad on the 29th while the team was on a road trip in Daegu, Takada, who replaced the waived Ichiro Tamura (32), took part in bullpen pitching under the watch of Doosan manager Kim Won-hyeong (54).

'On the first day, the 29th, Doosan trailed 3-7 entering the bottom of the 9th inning but scored six runs, including a walk-off grand slam by Kang Seung-ho, to secure a 9-7 comeback victory. Takada said, "I thought it might be tough until the middle of the game, but the sudden comeback in the bottom of the 9th completely changed the mood in the dugout and the energy inside the stadium (among Doosan fans). That's when I first realized, 'Is this the KBO?'"

'On the following day, the 30th, Doosan again trailed 1-6 against Samsung in the bottom of the 6th inning but rallied for six runs, including a grand slam by Jung Soobin, to win 8-7. Two consecutive comeback-winning walk-off grand slams in two games is the second such record in KBO history. For Takada, this meant experiencing two shocking comeback victories in consecutive days immediately after donning the Doosan uniform.

'Standing 179cm tall and weighing 84kg, Takada signed with Doosan for a total contract value of $120,000 (approximately 180 million won, comprising a $50,000 transfer fee and a $70,000 annual salary). He was selected in the 6th round of the 2021 Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) draft by the Yokohama DeNA BayStars but never made it to the first division. This season, he appeared in 10 games (61 2/3 innings) for the NPB second division Niigata Oizumi team, recording 4 wins and 2 losses. His ERA was 1.75, ranking first overall in the Eastern League second division.

'According to Doosan, he throws a fastball reaching speeds up to 148 km/h, along with a cutter, splitter, and changeup. He is scheduled to be added to the first division roster once administrative procedures are finalized.

'Kim Won-hyeong, the Doosan manager who plans to start Takada, said, "I watched his bullpen session. Since he threw more than 90 pitches in the Japanese second division on the 26th, we had him throw lightly according to his own routine rather than full-intensity pitching. We checked various pitches and also tested the pitch count system."

'Below is a Q&A session with Takada.

'- This is your first time in Korea. How do you feel?

'▲ There isn't much difference in the climate, but there is a language barrier. I plan to overcome that and play baseball hard.

'- What was the reason for coming to the KBO League?

'▲ I thought it would be difficult to join any of the 12th first-division teams in NPB this year, but Doosan was the first to contact me, so I chose them.

'- How much did you know about the KBO League?

'▲ I had seen it through social media and YouTube. With the Asian quota system introduced this year and a senior player (Lotte's Koyama, 28) already here, my interest grew further.

'- How would you describe your strengths?

'▲ I have focused on pitching that relies on locating pitches. My most confident pitch is the changeup. I haven't yet experienced the ABS zone, but I want to use it well and showcase my strengths. I heard that, fundamentally, the ABS zone is narrower left-to-right but wider top-to-bottom compared to Japan. After testing the pitch count system, I feel I can handle it well.

'- The crowd size and stadium environment must be different.

'▲ Unlike Japan, Korea uses amplifiers and speakers, so the volume is much higher. I haven't pitched in front of around 20,000 spectators, but I haven't felt much nervousness affecting my play, so it's fine.

'- Were you familiar with the Doosan Bears team?

'▲ I heard about them and looked them up. The mascot (Cheol-woong-i) was cute. I still have a lot to learn, but I hope to get to know the team better through more communication.

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*This content was translated by AI.