by TAKANAO ISHII, Hokubei Mainichi

The San Francisco Giants announced on March 30 that Keiichi Yabu, a Japanese baseball player training with the team as a non-roster invitee, was on its 25-man roster.

This great comeback for Yabu ends a three-year hiatus from the Major Leagues. He now returns with No. 22 on his uniform.

After shining as an ace in Japan for many years with the Hanshin Tigers, Yabu made his Major League debut with the Oakland Athletics in 2005. He pitched 40 games and was 4-0 with a 4.50 ERA.

Nonetheless, during the off season, he was cut from the team’s roster, and despite receiving a minor-league contract from the Colorado Rockies, he was unable to make a comeback.

After that, he played in the Mexican leagues and aimed for his return to the majors. In December 2007, he signed a minor-league contract with the Giants and trained at their training camp as a non-roster invitee. At the camp, Yabu pitched for nine games acting as an intermediary and got results, being 0-1 with a 4.11 ERA.

We interviewed Yabu about his comeback.

H: So what is your present state of mind after achieving your return to the Major Leagues?

Y: I’m really glad, but I feel like with this I’ve finally made it to the starting line. I want to thank all the people around me who have supported me through all this.

H: How were these past two years for you?

Y: It was a good time. I spent 2006 with my family and I read a lot in 2007. This time was necessary for me personally.

H: What are your thoughts as being only one of six players to ever play with both Bay Area teams, the A’s and the Giants?

Y: It’s really an honor to have my name associated with this important history.

H: What are your goals for this season?

Y: I really want to use what I gained at that grueling camp training. No matter what, I want to focus on contributing to my team and striking players out.

H: Any words for your fans in the Bay Area?

Y: AT&T Park is closer to the fans, so I hope more people will come to watch the games at the stadium. I’m really happy when Japanese fans come to watch the games.

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