During his high school years, he carried the ace number at the prestigious Yokohama High School and excited the crowd at Koshien (Japanese High School Baseball Championship) in the summer of 2016.Shoma Fujihira, a pitcher who garnered high attention among his peers and was referred to as one of the "High School BIG4", turned professional after being selected as the first pick in the same year's draft by the Rakuten Eagles.He achieved three victories starting from the first year.Although there was a period when he struggled to achieve results, in his eighth season this year, he is contributing to the team's victories as a relief pitcher.Fujihira, who is striving to make a comeback after overcoming a difficult period, knows the importance of working hard towards a goal more than anyone else.

――We believe this is a season where you want to focus on results and pivot back to relays.Have you consciously made an effort in order to achieve results?

I haven’t really felt much change in emotion when transitioning from a starting position to a relief role, but in recent years there have been ups and downs in performance. In order to stabilize both my feelings and my results, I have become conscious of doing the same thing over and over again.

――Do you mean repeating the same practice?

That’s true for both practice and personal life.I started to set a clear agenda for practices, doing the same thing every day within a week, conducting post-match care and training in the same way, and deciding when to go to bed and how many hours to sleep, all to the extent that it doesn’t become too hard for me.There are many parts that have actually become easier by continuing to do that.I believe that establishing a routine, rather than changing things according to mood or physical condition, has helped to stabilize my emotions.

――Fujihira excelled in high school baseball and made it to the pros.Looking back, do you feel that what you were doing at that time is connected to your present?

I was aiming for the Koshien (Japanese High School Baseball Championship) at a historic school called Yokohama High School. Being part of a prestigious institution, my days were filled with baseball, but the lessons I learned during that time are still very useful to me now.For example, I learned how to handle casual communication, such as the hierarchical relationships with seniors and how to lead juniors, through high school Baseball.Also, I feel that the aspect of focusing on one thing is being utilized not only in baseball but also in other fields.

――When do you feel it, outside of Baseball?

Indeed, since becoming a professional baseball player, the time spent on things other than baseball has increased.There is work besides playing, and the same goes for hobbies.The ability to intensely concentrate when doing something is something I feel I gained from practicing and playing in high school Baseball games.The fact that we all persevered and strove for victory, and the experience of focusing and working towards our goal, I truly think it was a good thing.

――Perhaps it is because of such a foundation that you could do the “same thing over and over”, as you were saying earlier.

That’s right.During high school, I was made to repeat the same things every day, but now I realize the importance of that. I believe the reason I can willingly repeat the same things every day now is because of that experience.

――What is the ideal pitcher you envision?

When I first joined the professional team, I had a strong desire to become an ace like Takahiro Norimoto, Takayuki Kishi, and Masahiro Tanaka. However, I gradually started to think about how I could contribute to the team’s victory.I have been able to engage in thinking about what kind of practice would be best for that purpose.I want to become a pitcher who can contribute to the team’s victory now.

――Please tell us about the most important thought you hold when playing baseball.

It’s the feeling of enjoying baseball.There were times when I almost forgot about that place.In recent years, I’ve often felt a desire to produce results or a sense that things are tough. However, this year, I’ve been able to play while enjoying the thrill of standing on the mound and pitching. I’ve come to re-acknowledge that I must never forget this feeling.

――Please give us a message from you, a pitcher who is expected to do even better, to our readers who are striving toward their goals.

Firstly, the very ability to have dreams or goals is valuable, and I believe that the process of dedicating oneself to such a thing can be a positive aspect of life.In high school baseball, you only have three years to play.The initiatives there, the colleagues and managers you meet, and the days spent with coaches are experiences that can only be had in that place and at that time.Please continue to do what you can to the end so that you don’t regret it after it’s over.

When he turned professional, he was highly anticipated as a future ace. However, he did not win any matches in ’19 and ’20, and in ’21, he ended the year without appearing in the first team. Seven years have passed with him remaining as a great talent yet to be fulfilled.There were times when he didn’t find baseball enjoyable, but he believes that it’s because of those days that he is where he is now.Continuing his efforts towards his goal and moving onto the next stage, Fujihira swings his arm for the team today as well, while experiencing the joy of Baseball.

INTERVIEW&TEXT: Chiharu Abe
PHOTO: Toshiyuki Koizumi
EDIT: Yohsuke Watanabe (IN FOCUS), Shiori Saeki (IN FOCUS)

(Interviewed on April 17, 2024)