By Midorikawa Michiyo, Niihama-shi Chronicle

12/19/2013: Niihama City, Japan – After once angrily declaring that he would “never watch a baseball game again”, former top LRS prospect Takeji Iitsuka has now agreed to watch many more – as a coach.

The Ghosts organization announced today that they had convinced Iitsuka to accept a position as the pitching coach for their single-A affiliate, the Gakidou Onryou.

“We are thrilled to have Tak back in the fold,” said Ghosts GM Mike Dunn in a statement.  “We know he’ll be a great influence on our young pitchers and we hope to have him in the organization for years to come.”

Iitsuka, now 25, was one of the most highly regarded LRS pitching prospects in 2011.  Early that season, he was promoted to the Ghosts’ major league squad as it battled to overtake the Shin Seiki Evas in the Shining Star Group battle.  In 18 starts, Iitsuka posted a 10-2 record with a 3.19 ERA and was a contender for SSG Shinjinshou.

In the post-season, though, Iitsuka tore up his shoulder, and by January of 2012, it was clear he would never pitch again.  A month later, the youngster lashed out at the Ghosts organization for their use of him in the playoffs, an attack documented in the award-winning feature story, “Pitcher, Interrupted”, by Yours Truly.  “I will never watch a baseball game again,” he declared in that exclusive interview.  “Never.  I am done.”

Today, Iitsuka spoke briefly to reporters about his surprise decision to return.  “I spent the past year at home, channel-flipping.  I knew at some point I’d have to get off the couch and try to find a job.  I figured I’d buy some suits and become a salaryman.  Then Kiy knocked.”

Kiy is Kiyonaga Sasaki, the revered pitching coach for the Ghosts, who was dispatched by Dunn and field manager Andrés Quiñones to woo Iitsuka back as a coach.  Sasaki made several trips to Iitsuka’s home in Soka, gradually earning Takeji’s trust.  “Without revealing our private discussions,” said Iitsuka, “Kiyonaga disclosed to me the story of his own career, also cut short by injury, and how his love of baseball overcame his own intense disappointment.”

Iitsuka said those conversations with Sasaki over the course of about five months helped him come to terms both with the decision-making of the Ghosts in his handling and with the role of fate in any athletic career.  

“No doubt Kiy was breaking down my resistance,” Iitsuka said.  “Then one day, after he’d left my house, I laid down on my couch to watch a movie, but the remote was stuck on a Japanese Little League championship game.  The channel wouldn’t move.  I think the batteries died.  I watched those kids scurrying around the bases, and I saw their unbridled joy of the game.  And suddenly I started to cry.  I knew I wanted to be part of it again.  I knew I was ready.”

When asked later if he’d removed the batteries from Iitsuka’s remote, Sasaki broke into a broad grin and shrugged.  “No comment,” he winked.

Iitsuka reports to Gakidou next week.

A CAREER RENEWED: THE TIMELINE

Dec. 2008: Iitsuka is the Ghosts’ first round draft pick, 9th overall, at age 20.
Sept. 2009: Ends first professional season with a 2.99 ERA and 9 complete games over 144 innings pitched.
July 2010: Selected to the 2010 Minarai Doumei (AAA) All-Star Game.
Sept 2010: Ends second season in AAA with a 3.26 ERA over 171 innings pitched.
May 2011: After injuries to Ghosts starting pitchers, he is promoted to major league team.
Thru 2011: In 18 games started, he posts a 10-2 record with a 3.19 ERA over 121 innings pitched.
Oct. 1, 2011: Injured (back tightness), day-to-day for 1 day.
Oct. 7, 2011: Injured (elbow inflammation), out for 1-2 weeks.
Oct. 19, 2011: With elbow seemingly healed, he is activated for start of the 2011 Wasei Junkesshou.
Oct. 30, 2011: Pitching in relief, he suffers a torn labrum; initially estimated to be out for 3-4 months.
Jan. 24, 2012: Doctors determine that injury is irreparable.
Jan. 31, 2012: Iitsuka retires from baseball.
Feb. 2, 2012: Iitsuka vows never again to work in, or even watch, baseball.
Dec. 19, 2013: Ghosts announce hiring of Iitsuka as their single-A pitching coach.