Decide and Cut Off [Hiroki Kuroda #QuoteNote 27]

The quote I would like to introduce this time is here!

Everyone knows the word "ketsudan" (decision), but I suspect few people have ever thought about why it is a combination of the two kanji characters "ketsu" (decide) and "dan" (cut off).

Even if you look it up in a dictionary,

1. To clearly determine one's will. "Forced to make a --," "-- to change jobs."

2. To judge or adjudicate between right and wrong, good and evil.

It is explained this way, but I don't think it captures the essence of the word "ketsudan."

Even if you are told it means "to clearly determine one's will," don't you wonder, "specifically, what will?"

The hint lies in the combination of the kanji characters for "ketsudan" itself.

As the quote I am introducing this time says, "ketsudan" is, as the characters suggest, "deciding and cutting off."

In other words, the essence of the word "ketsudan" is "deciding to stop (cutting off) something."

The masterpiece "Decide and Cut Off"

Actually, the idea that decision = "decide and cut off" is not a quote specifically said by someone. It is the title of a book.

It is a book by Hiroki Kuroda, a former professional baseball player who served as a starting pitcher for prestigious Major League teams like the Dodgers and the Yankees.

I am embarrassed to admit that until I read this book, I did not realize that Hiroki Kuroda was "Pitcher Kuroda." lol

1. Searching for books that talk about "decision = deciding and cutting off"

2. Learning about and reading Hiroki Kuroda's "Decide and Cut Off"

3. Learning that Hiroki Kuroda was a very famous baseball player

That's how it went. I imagine most people read "Decide and Cut Off" precisely because it was written by Pitcher Kuroda. My case is quite rare, I think. lol

That said, of course, I knew the name "Pitcher Kuroda," and there was a photo of Kuroda at the beginning of the book, so I knew his face.

What kind of person is Hiroki Kuroda?

Hiroki Kuroda is a former professional baseball player born on February 10, 1975.

He was a substitute in high school, but by facing his challenges one by one, he began to stand out in university baseball. In professional baseball, he started his career with the Hiroshima Carp, and after moving to the major leagues, he served as a starting pitcher for world-renowned prestigious teams like the Dodgers and the Yankees.

He retired in 2016, but returned to his old team, the Hiroshima Carp, for his final years from 2015 to 2016. The final batter he faced on his last mound was Shohei Ohtani. It is a somewhat fateful episode that marks a generational change.

A 'True Professional' recognized by everyone

If I were to describe Kuroda in one word, it would be a 'true professional'.

As detailed in his book, he says he never once thought baseball was fun, from his high school days through his professional career.

Stepping onto the mound to pitch was nothing less than 'having to fulfill his duties as a starting pitcher,' and no matter how much experience he gained, he was nervous every time he stood on the mound. He even went so far as to say that one must be nervous.

As written in his book 'Decide and Cut Off,' Kuroda was considered by his agent, Steve Hilliard, to be the 'ultimate player with low self-evaluation.' Of course, in a good way.

No matter how good his results were and how much his contract money increased, Kuroda never forgot his original intentions and always remained humble.

It is said that when he was with the Dodgers, he had an opportunity to negotiate a trade with the Red Sox, and he even asked, 'Do the people at the Red Sox even know who I am?'

Usually, major leaguers are said to have an attitude of 'it's obvious they know who I am.' Kuroda had the exact opposite stance.

Always humble. Never forgetting to be strict with himself in any situation. Always conscious of contributing to the organization he belongs to and the people who support him. He is a person who embodies the 'good old Japanese' spirit.

His agent, Steve Hilliard, also said that Kuroda is a person who embodies the image of the word 'Samurai.'

What Kuroda decided and cut off

Despite being a true professional recognized by everyone, Kuroda was actually unable to make the regular team in high school and spent his time warming the bench.

His self-evaluation was so low that he never even thought he could make it as a professional baseball player. It is hard to believe these words come from a top-tier professional who signed a 2 billion yen annual contract with the super-prestigious New York Yankees.

As introduced in his book 'Decide and Cut Off,' Kuroda has decided and cut off many things. In other words, he moved forward one step at a time by deciding what not to do—making decisions.

Do not have big goals

It seems Kuroda did not have big or long-term goals. After turning pro, he did not set a goal to suddenly become the best pitcher in Japan, but instead aimed to first surpass his peers.

Once he realized he had become a better pitcher than his peers, he would set his next goal as becoming the ace of his team, the Hiroshima Carp. Once he became the ace of the Hiroshima Carp, he would set his sights on the entire league. Once he became the best in the entire league... he seems to have made it a point to always achieve his goals one step at a time.

Prioritizing the body over the mind and technique

When he moved from Japanese professional baseball to Major League Baseball, he had to completely change his previous methods, so he boldly changed his conditioning style.

In Major League Baseball, unlike in Japanese professional baseball, the time players are required to be at the ballpark seems to be very long. For one thing, America is quite vast, so for games in distant locations, bus travel takes a long time. The number of games is also high, and even on days when he is not scheduled to play, he is apparently required to go to the stadium and watch the game to participate.

In Japanese professional baseball, there are cases where you don't even have to go to the stadium when you aren't scheduled to play. I didn't know about these circumstances, so I was very surprised when I read the book. Somehow, Japan feels more rational and American, while America feels more like it's based on grit or a sense of belonging, which feels more Japanese.

When Kuroda was active in the Major Leagues, he was in his 30s, so his physical peak was starting to decline. In addition, he had to follow the grueling schedule unique to the Major Leagues, so he realized that if he stuck to the conditioning methods he had used in Japan, his physical strength would not hold up.

In Japan, pitchers apparently throw in the bullpen during practice until they are satisfied to adjust their pitching. However, he realized that if he did that in the Major Leagues, the daily physical exhaustion would outweigh his recovery.

He decided to limit his pitching adjustments to playing catch, and he made sure not to throw too hard even during that catch. It is more accurate to say that this was not cutting corners, but rather that he had to do this to optimize his overall performance to bring out his maximum potential.

By the way, his partner for playing catch was always fixed as the same teammate. Surprisingly, he would even practice new breaking balls during this catch session.

However, Kuroda also limited himself from doing too much even during this catch. No matter what his condition was, and even if he wanted to throw more, he made sure to stop at exactly 36 pitches. This is also a kind of 'decision,' isn't it?

Not being particular about food either

Kuroda also 'decided' to let go of his pickiness about food during his Major League days. By the time he decided to play in America, he had already given up on the idea of eating Japanese food normally, and he stopped thinking things like, 'I must eat this on the day before I pitch.'

He 'decided' to let go of his pickiness about food as much as possible, knowing that things wouldn't go his way when traveling. To avoid accumulating stress regarding baseball, he gave up his pickiness about food... I think this is a decision that can only be made because his priorities in life are clear.

However, letting go of pickiness and consuming what is necessary are two different things; he would force himself to eat fruits he didn't particularly like because they made his body feel better.

One could be as particular as one wants about training and diet. However, by knowing his own personality and characteristics inside out, and by prioritizing his contribution to the organization and the people who allowed him to play, he focused on optimizing his performance and left behind a legacy as a top-tier professional baseball player. Truly a professional.

Summary

The quote I introduced this time was this one!

I delved into the meaning of these words, which are also the title of the book 'Decide and Cut Off - Important Things to Stay Unwavering -' by former professional baseball player Hiroki Kuroda.

Although the book "Decide and Cut Off" starts with a monologue that might make it seem like I dislike baseball, as you read on, you realize that Mr. Kuroda certainly does not dislike baseball.

Rather, because he takes baseball seriously as his 'job,' his stance as a professional who transcends likes and dislikes comes through vividly.

The subtitle of "Decide and Cut Off" is "Important things to stay unwavering."

Throughout the book, although it is not explicitly stated, I felt that the value that pitcher Kuroda cherishes most is 'repaying kindness.' that was my impression.

To repay as much kindness as possible, what he can do as a professional baseball player is to build the game as a pitcher and win. Even if his own stats are good, it is meaningless if the team does not win.

To ensure he does not waver from the value of playing well for the people who support him most, he is willing to discard (decide to cut off) his attachments to things like diet, training styles, and ways of thinking.

In this, I felt the pleasantness of Hiroki Kuroda as a professional.

In other words, it is a perfectly brilliant giver mindset.

Moreover, it is not the mindset of a failed giver who sacrifices themselves, but that of a successful giver. That is why I thought he is able to succeed and remain a person who is loved forever.

For detailed content regarding givers and takers, this book is a good reference.

In order to protect the most important values, he boldly decides to cut off things he values to some extent.

Since that is not something everyone can do, I feel a certain admiration for Mr. Kuroda's way of life. Whether you play baseball or not, it is a way of life itself, so it should move many people.

I remembered while writing this, but being too obsessed with the way things have been done and losing sight of the chance to win is the essence of failure. That said, everyone feels resistance to boldly changing customs and methods based on past successful experiences.

I still have no interest in baseball, but I have become a fan of Mr. Kuroda.

By making a decision, that is, deciding and cutting off,

To master or achieve something, do not think about what to add, but first think about what to stop. It was a book that taught me that. Please read it!

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