No matter how much money they had to pay to acquire this guy, it was wise investment for the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks.
"I'm so excited," said Uchikawa, who signed a four-year contract with the Hawks last December after playing for the Yokohama BayStars for a decade. "I've been waiting (for the playoffs), watching the Lions and the (Hokkaido Nippon Ham) Fighters play on television. I wanted to play surrounded by this big audience sooner than later. It's rewarding to be a pro baseball player."
As much as Uchikawa is pleased to have come to a championship-competing team, Softbank is happy that it added such a credible hitter like him, who might able to break the club's playoff curse.