Continuously aiming for the top with sharpness and control

Former Major Leaguer Koji Uehara
speaks with Robert Walters Japan Managing Director Jeremy Sampson (Part 2)

In 2019, Koji Uehara, who played for the Yomiuri Giants and the Boston Red Sox closed the curtain on his 21-year career as a professional baseball player. In 2013, he became the first Japanese to pitch in the World Series in the major leagues. Then he continued to be active on the front lines until his retirement at the age of 44. What was the driving force that allowed him to continue to perform well in a different environment and evolve until his retirement? Jeremy Sampson, Managing Director at Robert Walters Japan, spoke with Koji Uehara about his work ethic. We also take a closer look at the professionalism and true teamwork that Uehara faced when he switched from being a starting pitcher to a reliever and closer. (2 parts in total)

Continuously aiming for the top with sharpness and control

Uehara reached the top by refining two types of pitches: straight and fork. He shares which approach he finds more effective— raising one's average or refining one weapon to a world-class level.

“When I was in Japan, I was looking to raise my average on a variety of pitches. But once when I talked to a senior pitcher of the Giants, he told me, ‘Take the pitches you have now and raise them to a higher level.’ Because of his advice, I decided to somehow improve my two pitches, the straight and the fork, to the point where no one could beat me.”

“Since then, the sharpness of my fastball has evolved,” Uehara explained. “The speed of my pitches used to be 90 mph or less, but nowadays, they reach 100 mph. What I mean by sharpness is that there is no difference between the initial velocity and the final velocity. Also, the number of rotations. I was practising by thinking about how to attain more sharpness. The forkball is about control. I think everyone has the image that they are uncontrollable, but I made it possible for me to control.”

With his sharpness and control, which was considered ‘the best in the world,’ Uehara improved his performance in the major leagues. We asked whether he trained from the very beginning to be at the highest level in the world.

“I don’t think it’s a good thing to just be satisfied with the status quo. In the end, I was always aiming higher until I retired because I wanted to be better. Your opponent will eventually get used to facing you, so you must constantly improve to be better than what they are used to. That's why I was never satisfied even when I was successful. I don’t mean to sound so pompous, but I think it's a natural part of being a professional.”

“I think it’s an important quality for any professional, whether in sports, business, or any other field, to aim high and never be satisfied,” responded Sampson. “I believe that the moment a person becomes satisfied and stops striving for excellence, he or she becomes a worker, not a professional.”

“I think it's also important for professionals to focus on their strengths,” continued Sampson. “In the past, people believed that it was important to improve and overcome weaknesses in business. But in the last ten years or so, I think the emphasis has shifted to focusing on strengths and developing them. I also advise candidates for new jobs to develop the core skills in which they have the greatest strengths.”

Two key points to empowering different teams

Uehara continued to perform well even when he moved to a new environment. He shares how he coped with the change in environment when he moved to a different team.

“When you move to a new team, you have a meeting with the president and the manager. If they tell you that they want you to play a certain role, you just do it,” responded Uehara. “I think that by responding to the roles that are required of me, I will be able to improve my position. In 2013, I was the closer for the Boston Red Sox, but that’s not how I started. I was pitching in the 6th and 7th innings of losing games, and that's how I got to the point where I could pitch the last inning. The first thing is to do what I'm told.”

“The other thing is to be easy going,” Uehara added. “If you act silly, they will think, 'This guy is funny’ and this helps to break down the walls. If you wait for them to come to you, they won’t come. That's why I tried to avoid being with the interpreter during practice. I couldn't understand them, but they would use easy words that I could understand. If they see that I’m always with an interpreter, they won't come but if I’m alone, it’s easier for them to approach. I think you have to take the initiative.”

Happiness in continuing a job that I love

In his book, Uehara said that when he was an active player, he did not go to drink or have fun before or after games. He rather spent all his time practising and conditioning himself. He also said that he never went sightseeing in the city of Boston. He shares with us what work means to him.

“I've wanted to be a baseball player since elementary school, and I've been able to do what I love as a career. I wanted to continue doing what I love for as long as possible, so I thought it was natural to maintain my condition. I was able to stay active until I was 44, but if I could, I would have liked to stay active until I was 50. Soccer player Kazuyoshi Miura is a great example-- he's doing what he loves.”

Uehara continued, “I think I could not be happier, because I have made what I love my job. That's why I stayed up until midnight every day for treatment. I knew that if I neglected it and got injured the next day, I would regret it so much. I didn't want to have that feeling. Perhaps not everyone in the world loves the work they are doing, but I was really happy to be able to do what I love, which is baseball.”

Defining one’s purpose of work

“I didn't become a professional baseball player for the money,” stated Uehara. “If you were to ask professional baseball players whether they’re working for money, I think that’s probably not the case. Rather, I believe that they love the work they are doing and the money, or salary, just happens to come along with it. I've never really thought about working for money. If I were working for money, I think I could do something different.”

“There may be only a handful of people in the world who are able to turn what they love into their work. But for those who can do so, I would like them to continue finding happiness in what they do for as long as possible,” Uehara stated. “For baseball players, the age limit comes quickly. Professionals may be able to stay active until they are 60 or 70 years old, so I would like to see them do this for as long as possible.”

In response to Uehara, Sampson spoke about his own view of work. “I think most people in the world work to make a living, to support their families or to live a luxurious life and buy expensive things. In that sense, I think that for many people, work is about earning money.”

“But I guess I'm lucky too, because I really like my job,” said Sampson. “I still wake up every morning and look forward to coming to work. And I think this way of life is part of being a professional— to enjoy your work, to be proud of it and to feel happy in your work every day. If people think of their work as something they do for money, it will be difficult to find satisfaction and happiness. You may get immediate satisfaction, but if the ultimate goal is to get money, I don't think it can be sustained as personal happiness.”

“I also believe that this is a major turning point in the way individuals live their lives,” added Sampson. “If you were doing the same job for the same salary, you would have a different life. On the one hand, whatever you do, you find a goal, you feel happy, and you challenge yourself to grow. On the other hand, you work only for the money. The latter person is missing out on the opportunity to find happiness and growth. I feel that how one perceives one's job or profession is deeply rooted in one's personal lifestyle. I believe that a job should allow an individual to find goals and pursue satisfaction. If that can't be found in your current job, then maybe you should think about changing careers.”

Finding happiness in moving onto a more demanding environment

Curious about Uehara’s thoughts on changing jobs to advance one’s career, Sampson asked, “In your case, this means changing teams, but what can someone gain by going to a place where they can grow more and where they are wanted?”

“If they want you, then I think you should go,” responded Uehara. “If you are in demand, this means you are needed, which probably leads to more opportunities. In my case, there were other teams that offered me a higher amount of money. But at that time, I thought I would be happier if I went to a team that I could and wanted to play for, so I chose that team.”

Uehara added, “The general manager and coaches sent me a video letter saying, ‘Let's work together.’ I'm a simple person, so this made me happy. I could feel that they really wanted to work with me, and I thought I would be happier with a team like that, so I moved.”

Never forget the desire that pushes you to continue growing

Uehara, who continued to improve his skills until he retired at the age of 44, explained how he was able to continue growing.

“First of all, you must not be afraid of change. But you must also have the courage not to change. What needs to change is that you can't continue practising the way you used to when you were younger when you’re in your 40s. You must consult with your body when practising. That's where the courage to change comes in.”

“The courage to stay the same, on the other hand, is when you go into a game,” continued Uehara. “I think my feelings and mindset on the mound have always stayed the same. I didn’t think it was good to change my mind. I was 23 years old when I made my debut, and I'm now in my forties. It's totally different, but I wanted to keep the same feeling.”

“What I want to maintain the most is the feeling I had when I was in elementary and junior high school when I said I loved baseball. Also, when I couldn’t play baseball for a whole year because I was studying for college entrance exams. That's why I always wanted to play professionally. I never forgot that feeling, and I think that's why I was able to stay active until I was 44.”

Better to try and fail than to not try and regret

Uehara and Sampson closed the discussion with a message to those who are trying to take on challenges in life.

“I think there are many people who lament, ‘I should have done what I wanted to do back then,’” said Uehara. “If you are going to regret not trying, it is much better to try and fail than to not try at all.”

“Challenging yourself doesn't necessarily mean having to change your whole job or career— it’s possible to grow in your current job and environment,” said Sampson. “But when you find it difficult to do so, it's time to reflect on how to challenge your personal growth, what your purpose in life is, and what brings you happiness. We only have one life to live, which is why I believe we should pursue a life where we enjoy what we do.”