Coach Kazuhiro Hatakeyama Reveals Pachinko as His Stress Relief Method After Sudden Departure from Yakult

What happened to Kazuhiko Hatakeyama, the former second-team hitting coach of the Yakult Swallows?

 

On June 27, Yakult announced that Hatakeyama would be leaving the team as of June 30. The reason given was personal reasons, but the cause remains unclear. 

 

Hatakeyama hit a total of 62 home runs during his time at Senshu University Kitakami High School and made two appearances in the summer Koshien tournament. Drafted by Yakult in the 5th round in 2000, he was expected to become a future cleanup hitter. He earned his first promotion to the first team in his fourth year after winning two titles in the Eastern League during his second year, but struggled to establish himself, alternating between the first and second teams.

 

“In 2008, he finally secured a regular spot on the first team, and it was in his 12th year, in 2015, that he won his first title, the RBI leader. He was a late bloomer. When he retired in 2019 and took on the role of Yakult’s second-team hitting coach in 2020, I was honestly surprised. During his active career, he was known for his problematic behaviors, such as slacking off and issues with drinking, so I wondered if he would be able to coach players effectively.” (sports newspaper reporter)

The reason for Hatakeyama’s departure was reported by Nikkan Gendai DIGITAL on June 27, citing sources within the baseball community, as financial troubles. It is alleged that Hatakeyama borrowed money from team associates, including team alumni, and accumulated debt amounting to several tens of millions of yen, leading to disputes over repayment. Shukan Josei PRIME reported on July 2, based on information from acquaintances of Hatakeyama:

“It seems that Hatakeyama is burdened with debt exceeding 100 million yen. He was known for his gambling habits, including pachinko, during his playing days, and it appears that his financial situation has become untenable due to mounting debts.”

 

The report suggests that the troubles arose from Hatakeyama borrowing money from players for gambling and failing to repay it, which led the team to decide to terminate his contract.

In the June 24, 2011 issue of FRIDAY, Hatakeyama gave an exclusive interview. He discussed his impressive performance starting from the previous year when he was entrusted with the fourth batter position, contributing significantly to the team’s lead. Reflecting on his early career, he admitted:

 

“While I did practice seriously, I would go out drinking with friends almost every day after practice. I frequented nightlife spots in Urawa and Kawaguchi near the team’s second-team dormitory in Toda, Saitama Prefecture, and often stayed out drinking until 4 a.m., breaking curfew and frequently oversleeping. I was frequently scolded by the second-team manager at the time, Mr. Ogawa (Junji), who later became the general manager from 2020.” 

Despite his previous issues, Hatakeyama reformed himself after being promoted to the first team in 2004. He developed a sense of urgency, began studying his batting form, and researched opposing pitchers. He even showed a notebook where he compiled data on pitchers. He remarked:

“Now, I rarely go out drinking. I mostly just have a beer at home with my wife (married in 2009). My leisure activities are limited to occasionally going to play pachinko. Spending 2-3 hours there helps relieve stress.”

He said this with a hint of shyness.

 

Regarding his future goals, he said:

“Although I’m currently maintaining good form, I want to prove that it’s not just a fluke by performing well throughout the year. Specifically, my goal is to achieve over 100 RBIs.”

In 2015, he achieved 105 RBIs and was awarded the RBI King for that year, but this was the only season in which he surpassed 100 RBIs. Despite this,

“Despite having been on track to build a successful career as a coach.”

An insider in the baseball community laments.

“He was in his fifth year as a coach. The evaluation of his skills as a coach was not low, so it’s quite disappointing. In the end, he received a dismissal notice from his mentor, GM Ogawa. It’s unfortunate that he ended up repaying kindness with betrayal.”

It seems he could overcome his drinking problem but could not conquer his gambling addiction.

We are looking forward to receiving your information and tips on “FRIDAY Digital”. Please send your information to the following information form or to the official X.

Information form: https://friday.kodansha.co.jp/tips

Official X: https://twitter.com/FRIDAY_twit