Joselito Malig

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Paige Javier

ABS-CBN News

MANILA (UPDATED) — Japanese baseball icon Tsuyoshi Yoda is back in the country to continue his mission of developing the sport locally and finding the best Filipino talent.The renowned former pitcher returned to the Philippines on Thursday for a three-day visit, this time in Metro Manila and Batangas. His last visit was in Mulanay, Quezon for a baseball clinic with kids last Januaruy 2024.Yoda first met with members of the Philippine National Women&#x27;s Baseball Team for a baseball clinic at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium.Despite the rain preventing them from using the field, Yoda brought his baseball clinic indoors and imparted his knowledge to the players and coaches present.The renowned former pitcher taught the players the basics in pitching, catching and other skills.&quot;Like last time, we want to have a communication and have fun with the kids. This time he gets to see the softball players too, as a baseball player. He was very excited to come back again,&quot; Yoda said through his interpreter.&quot;Of course the environment is very important, the passion for the child to play. Not just baseball, but any sport he think the passion is important to make the players better,&quot; he added.Yoda said there is a lot of potential for Filipinos to succeed in baseball.&quot;This is his third time visiting, he saw a lot of the players play good. He thinks they have the opportunity to play in a big league too. The players&#x27; passion and thinking. Every day they have to get better, their mind[set] is important,&quot; he said through his interpreter.The Japanese baseball icon said his goal is to help others improve in the sport and is welcome to assist anyone who asks him.&quot;As he became a professional baseball player, a lot of people helped him become what he is now. Now he wants to give back to the people. Not just the Japanese people, also the Filipino people,&quot; he said.Yoda&#x27;s goal in the country is to meet the different baseball stakeholders and hopefully find local players with potential they can bring to Japan to train.He acknowledged that there are Filipino-Japanese players playing in Japan, but he wants to develop a homegrown player to reach higher level.Junmar &quot;JD&quot; Diarao, a member of the Saga Asia Dreams in Japan and the Philippine National Men&#x27;s Baseball Team, said he was eager to learn from Yoda given his professional experience.&quot;Masarap na pinupuntahan nila tayo dito ng mga ganung klaseng tao na walang ibang hangarin kungdi humabol tayo sa kung anong meron sa kanilang bansa,&quot; Diarao said.&quot;Siyempre siya professional. Mas mataas na liga sa Japan, kumbaga number one na liga sa Japan. Pag nalaman mo na ganyan status ng isang player, ma-aamaze ka tapos marami kang tanong, gusto mo malaman ano pinagdaanan niya,&quot; he added.Diarao said his biggest takeaway from Yoda is his mindset and attitude towards baseball, which he will apply in his career.&quot;Kung nirerespeto mo yung field, ganun din sa buhay mo. Ganun sa kanila connected yung baseball sa buhay mo. Yung spirit nila sa baseball hindi mo talaga matatapatan. Yung determination nila to play baseball. Hindi sila nag-sstart na dito ang ako, nag-sstart sila maglaro ng baseball para maabot yung pro&quot; he shared.Mharnie Dela Cruz, a member of the Philippine National Women&#x27;s Baseball Team, said she was grateful for the opportunity to learn from a legend.&quot;Yung ganitong ginagawa nila na may Japanese na bumibisita dito para turuan kami is magandang experience para sa amin. Kasi marami pa pong pagkukulang,&quot; she shared.Dela Cruz admitted feeling pressured during the clinic, but said Yoda&#x27;s kind demeanor motivated them to improve.&quot;Lalo na po yung hawak sa bola, yung curve, ito pong ginagawa niya bago lang sa amin yun. Makakatulong po sa amin, lalo na sa mga pitchers at mga target namin,&quot; she said.&quot;Yung mga natutunan niya sa pro tinuturo niya sa amin. Which is nakaka-overwhelm kasi hindi namin ine-expect na kami pipiliin niya na turuan. Hindi namin sasayangin kasi may upcoming games din po kami. Yung mga shinashare niya pwede pa namin ma-adapt doon sa games na dadating,&quot; Dela Cruz added.The baseball players highlight the need for better grassroots development.&quot;We need grassroots, hindi lang dito sa Manila pati sa lahat ng probinsya. Kailangan nila suportahan yung grassroots natin kasi doon tayo huhugutan ng mga player sa mga probinsya eh. Kasi sa Japan kahit anong lugar yan may grassroots eh,&quot; Diarao said.&quot;Sports clinic po, grassroots yun yung mga bata. Ngayon po kasi kami lang women&#x27;s baseball sa Pilipinas. So ang masusuggest ko po is gumawa ng mga summer clinic para ma-share po namin yung knowledge na tinuturo po ng mga bumibisita dito,&quot; Dela Cruz said.Philippine National Women&#x27;s Baseball Team Assistant Coach Esmeralda Tayag likewise relished the opportunity to learn from the baseball icon.&quot;Sa amin privilege yun eh kasi lalo na parehas tayong Asian. Ngayon sila mas kilala sila sa mas higher level ng paglalaro sa baseball. Masarap sa feeling willing sila mag-share sa amin,&quot; she said.&quot;Walang ganung kaartehan sa pagtuturo niya. Talagang basic na basic parin pero andun yung gusto niya iparating. Pag nakuha mo yung basic na yun, yung skills na gusto mo andun na,&quot; she added.&quot;For them nakikita nila na maraming Pilipino na talented, na pwedeng makarating sa major league,&quot; Tayag added.When asked what should be improve in Philippine baseball, she said it should start with the coaches as well.&quot;Magkaroon tayo ng parang isang uniform system ng pagtuturo. Kasi iba-ibang provinces may iba-ibang bata na gusto magturo pero dapat mag-start sa coaches din... Magkaroon ng knowledge sa very basic para iisa yung matututunan ng mga bata,&quot; she said.Yoda also met with the De La Salle University Batters and officials of the Philippine Amateur Baseball Association in the afternoon.The Japanese baseball star will also visit Tanauan, Batangas and have other activities before returning to his homeland.He aims to do more baseball clinics in several areas of the country when he comes back again.Yoda won Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Reliever awards during his career, while earning a spot in the 1990 All-Star game.After several injuries, Yoda transitioned from the field to other roles in baseball.He guided the Japan women&#x27;s national baseball team and coached the Japanese national baseball team in the 2009 and 2013 World Baseball Classic.

Japanese baseball icon Tsuyoshi Yoda is back in the country to continue his mission of developing the sport locally and finding the best Filipino talent.

Japanese baseball icon Tsuyoshi Yoda is back in the country to continue his mission of developing the sport locally and finding the best Filipino talent.

Japanese baseball star back in PH to develop sport, local players

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Japanese baseball star back in PH to develop sport, local players

Paige Javier,

ABS-CBN News

Published Aug 22, 2025 09:22 PM PHT

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Updated Aug 23, 2025 10:32 AM PHT

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