A Conversation With Neo-Tokyo GM Ron Hiscock

May 2, 2016: Tokyo, Japan – The Asahi Shimbun sports department caught up with Neo-Tokyo Akira General manager Ron Hiscock for an exclusive interview as the team prepared for the 7^th Opening Day under his direction.

AS: There have been a lot of changes this offseason. Can we say Neo-Tokyo is officially in rebuilding mode?

RH: I don’t like that term. It implies we’re throwing in the towel before the season even starts. The fact is, I believe we will have a very competitive team that will vie for a playoff spot.

AS: You’ve lost two of the most productive and beloved players in Neo-Tokyo history in Enrique Ortíz and Nobuhito Hasegawa. How can you expect to compete in the toughest division in the LRS?

RH: Last year, we lost those two to major long-term injuries. We weren’t prepared for that then. We are now. Tasuku Nishikawa and Víctor Martínez had breakout years last year. I believe they will be even better this year.

AS: You have stated previously that the team was working on resigning Ortíz. What happened?

RH: Honestly, his injury and his age had us concerned. He wanted more guaranteed years than we felt were feasible. I can assure you and our fans that we offered him more than what he’s making now. He’ll always have a place in our hearts here in Tokyo. He helped bring us our first Neo-Tokyo Cup. When the time is right, he can expect his number to be hanging on the wall here.

AS: Explain the Hasegawa trade.

RH: Nobu has some very productive years left, but with Enrique leaving, it seemed like the time to move in a younger direction. Nishikawa was ready and we felt like Nobu’s value was at its peak. It was now or never. To be honest, I feel like we lost our way the past couple of years. We stopped building from within and tried to compete with Shin Seiki on their level. As a result, our farm system suffered. We won’t make that mistake again. We have to grow our own talent to stay financially viable. I think we’ve learned our lesson the hard way and I’m happy to see that our farm system is already ranked second, up from about eight or nine last year.

AS: The team signed two young gaijin prospects, José Caballero and Pedro Garza, to surprisingly large contracts for players of their experience. Why were you willing to pay so much?

RH: We’ve lost out on some very good free agent prospects in the recent past because we were haggling with their agents. This time, we were determined to make them an offer out of the gate that would catch their eye and avoid a protracted bidding war. We’re not only competing with other LRS teams but with the PEBA, as well. In short, we had the money and it fit in with our plan to boost our minor league talent.

AS: You’ve been known to trade away some outstanding arms in the past. We’re talking Kata Nakamura and Takiji Mitzutani. With Takiji Shishkikura’s arbitration years approaching, could he be added to that list?

RH: I think the days of trading our best talent away are in the past. I’ll never say never, but if his numbers are within reach, we hope to keep him here for a long time. Then again, you never know what someone might offer you if they’re desperate enough.