I do not remember the first time I watched Hisashi Iwakuma pitch. It was likely in 2012, as I was preparing for my first year of college and sorting through an ill-fated long-distance relationship, seeking solace at Safeco in a 75-87 Mariners team. Game logs tell me Iwakuma’s first appearance was a relief outing after sitting the better half of April. He’d just signed a one-year deal for merely $1.5 million, and was a 31-year-old MLB rookie with a 90-mph fastball. What I do remember is for over four years, nearly every chance I had to make it to Safeco amidst trips back from school and summer breaks, the veteran from Tokyo was on the mound.
The Old Bear in the bunch with us
