<figure id="attachment_403552" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-403552" style="width: 1415px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="0dc29733"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2024/12/ac5d933caeb8e6b81422c976f5a58ec0.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-403552" class="wp-caption-text">This is the third time the &#8220;Ma-kun Lab&#8221; has been held. He says, &#8220;It means a lot to me to teach future professional baseball players while I am still active.&#8221;</figcaption></figure>
<h2> I&#8217;m just going to do what I can do as always.</h2>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> I&#8217;m just going to keep doing what I can do. It&#8217;s not the amount of money, it&#8217;s the way I feel.</span></p>
<p> The &#8220;child of God,&#8221; who boasts 197 wins in Japan and the U.S., is at a crossroads in his professional baseball career.</p>
<p> Masahiro Tanaka, 36, who ended up with no wins due to surgery, chose to part ways with his team Rakuten after receiving a contract renewal this offseason that significantly exceeded the stipulated reduction limit.</p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> However, no team has yet made a clear commitment to acquire him. This must have been unexpected for Tanaka&#8217;s side.</span></p>
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<p> On December 8, Tanaka appeared at &#8220;Ma-kun Lab 2024&#8221; held at an indoor practice field in Setagaya Ward. This was an event jointly sponsored by Mizuno and Tanaka, in which Tanaka taught pitching skills to six junior high school students selected from all over the country.</p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> He looked relaxed at the event, but after the interview he took a stern look on his face. He was relaxed at the event, but after the event, he looked grim when we interviewed him, saying, &#8220;I&#8217;m just going to do what I can do as always.</span></p>
<p> Even legends are forced to retire if there is no team interested in them. Tanaka himself understands this.</p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> When he was with Rakuten, he was promised a place on the top floor of the hotel where he would be staying on his tours, and he also had to pay the rent on his house. However, Tanaka has put aside his pride and has a policy of not demanding special treatment from his next team. He wants to expand his chances of transferring anyway,&#8221; said an official of the Rakuten baseball team.</span></p>
<p> At the event, Tanaka told junior high school students, &#8220;The most important thing in baseball is guts. Will he be able to make a decision about his own departure based on his perseverance?</p>
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<div data-friday-nextpage-lead=" Tanaka was all smiles at the event, but..."></div>
<figure id="attachment_403634" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-403634" style="width: 2500px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="300b60c8"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2024/12/b78c3352844823102ab1f469714614a0.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-403634" class="wp-caption-text">Masahiro Tanaka: &#8220;It&#8217;s not the amount of money, but the pride of a child of God</figcaption></figure>
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<figure id="attachment_403636" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-403636" style="width: 1667px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="a8e959b6"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2024/12/a60c8f38912392902d9477a29544ca5f.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-403636" class="wp-caption-text"> Uncut from the magazine: Masahiro Tanaka &#8220;It&#8217;s not the amount of money,&#8221; Pride of a child of God</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_403635" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-403635" style="width: 1667px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="3253641b"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2024/12/138a6db2a86843b5c0d0f51fec7f6f48.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-403635" class="wp-caption-text"> Unpublished photo: Masahiro Tanaka, &#8220;It&#8217;s not the amount,&#8221; Pride of a child of God</figcaption></figure>
<p> From the December 27, 2024 issue of FRIDAY</p>
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 Kojiro Yamada

 Masahiro Tanaka chose to part ways with Rakuten this offseason after receiving a contract renewal with a reduction that far exceeded the stipulated limit. Tanaka is now at a crossroads in his professional baseball career, as no team has yet come forward to offer him a contract.

Masahiro Tanaka &#8220;It&#8217;s not the amount, it&#8217;s the pride of a child of God&#8221;, although he also showed a smile at an event held in Tokyo.

Masahiro Tanaka “It’s not the amount, it’s the pride of a child of God”, although he also showed a smile at an event held in Tokyo.

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