Inevitable Flame! The pros and cons of “the team overprotectively guarding Hotaka Yamakawa’s transfer to Softbank under the new public relations structure”.

On December 18, it became clear that former Seibu infielder Hotaka Yamakawa (32), who exercised his domestic free agent rights, would be transferred to Softbank. Some media outlets were notified that a press conference would be held at PayPay Dome on the afternoon of December 19, but the cost of the “runaway transfer” was significant.

What was going on behind the scenes? An alumnus of the baseball team explains.

In October, Yamakawa was allowed to participate in a farm education league in Miyazaki. They were closely following his movements.

After returning to Tokyo from Miyazaki, Yamakawa was asked by the press whether he would exercise his FA rights. Some Seibu officials have been critical of Yamakawa, saying, “This insincere response is not only that of a professional baseball player, but also that of a member of society. From Yamakawa’s point of view, it is the team that used the team’s and parent company’s legal advisors to force him to settle without confirming the details of his problems with women. ……

Yamakawa’s side had the option of remaining in the declaration because it was believed that the transfer to Softbank would be unsuccessful due to the wishes of Chairman Sadaharu Oh (83), who disliked the women’s scandal. …… However, the team offered a large pay cut and a one-year contract, which was just under the limit. The suspension from official games was also expected to continue, and the gap between the two sides became too deep to be bridged.

On December 14, Nishinippon Shimbun, which has a reputation for scoops related to SoftBank, and Toso Web, which has a reporter assigned to Kyushu Sports, all reported that “Yamakawa has reached a major agreement with SoftBank to join the team.

Yamakawa’s article was prone to flames. If the article is false, the anti-Yamakawa people will turn their attacks on the team. Even so, the fact that the article was published must mean that it was “leaked” by a reliable source in the baseball team. No one in the upper management of SoftBank has taken responsibility for the team’s lack of success over the past several years. This season, the team had four assistant cannonballers and no home runs, which is terrible, but many of the people in charge of organization, led by GM Sugihiko Mikasa, are still there. And they don’t take it well. It is likely that someone related to the baseball team leaked the information.

It is not difficult to imagine that Yamakawa and the team officials will come under intense fire for their problems with women and other issues at the transfer press conference scheduled for December 19. The team seems to be in a tense mood.

A former reporter in her 40s has been put in charge of the team’s public relations system since December. It is believed that she will issue a notice that for the time being, she will not be allowed to interview Yamakawa alone or individually. It is said that he will protect Yamakawa by “gagging” her by not responding to inquiries from the media, with whom he had been in close contact, as much as possible. However, this may be taken to mean that Softbank is overprotective and Yamakawa is disloyal. If Yamakawa is sincerely sorry and determined to make a fresh start, he needs to be honest with the press, fans, and sponsors, even if he cannot talk about the details of his troubles with women.

Will SoftBank be able to handle “one of the strongest headwinds in its history” against Yamakawa?