青木宣親が引退会見 涙出てくるよ［2024.9.14］

ヤクルト・青木宣親外野手（４２）が１３日、都内の球団事務所で引退会見を行った。

　終始笑顔で会見した青木が後輩の涙にもらい泣きした。会見の最後に山田と村上が花束贈呈。涙に暮れる村上の姿に「俺も涙出てくるよ～。やめてくれよ～」と涙腺が緩んだ。村上が「いい野球人生を歩めたり、いい人生を歩めたのは本当に青木さんと出会ったのが大きい。泣くつもりはなかったんですけど申し訳ないです。ありがとうございました」と感謝を述べると、涙で抱擁した。

会見で青木はメジャーから２０１８年にヤクルトに復帰して以降、後輩たちを指導してきたが「自分の方から話しかけていった。もうベテランなので、かけやすい立場ではないと思って、自分を知ってもらって、会話がはずむように何でも聞けるように距離を縮めていけるようにはしました」と説明。特に村上の存在については「年々成長していったので、今でこそ苦しんでいるけど、プロ野球生活では必要なこと。幸せな野球人生を送って欲しいなと思います」とエールを送っていた。

　青木は２００４年に早大からドラフト４位でヤクルトに入団。１２年からはメジャーにも挑戦し、１７年には日米通算２０００安打を記録。１８年から古巣・ヤクルトに復帰した。

　ドラフト時には「ヤクルトに指名されたい」と願い、海を渡る前には「また帰ってきてほしいと言われる活躍がしたい」と表情を引き締めた。また１８年に古巣へ復帰した際には「この球団を愛している」と言葉にした。ミスタースワローズと呼ばれ、ヤクルトと相思相愛だった２１年間。歴代５位の日米通算２７２３安打という誇りと結果を胸に、惜しまれながらユニホームを脱ぐ。

　◇青木宣親（あおき・のりちか）１９８２年１月５日、宮崎県日向市出身。日向高から早大を経て２００４年ドラフト４位でヤクルト入団。０５、１０年にプロ野球史上唯一の２度のシーズン２００安打以上を達成した。１１年オフに大リーグ・ブルワーズに移籍。１７年に日米通算２０００安打を達成し、１８年にヤクルトに復帰した。０６、０９、１７年ＷＢＣ、０８年北京五輪日本代表。１７５センチ、８０キロ。右投げ右打ち。

■英訳　

On the 13th, Yakult Swallows outfielder Norichika Aoki (42) held a retirement press conference at the team's office in Tokyo.

Aoki, smiling throughout the press conference, was moved to tears by his younger teammates. At the end of the event, Yamada and Murakami presented him with bouquets of flowers. Seeing Murakami in tears, Aoki joked, "You're making me cry too, stop it!" and his own emotions got the better of him. Murakami expressed his gratitude, saying, "The reason I’ve had a great baseball career and a good life is largely thanks to meeting Aoki-san. I didn’t plan on crying, but I’m sorry. Thank you so much," and the two shared an emotional embrace.

During the press conference, Aoki reflected on his role mentoring younger players since his return to Yakult from the MLB in 2018. He explained, "I always took the initiative to reach out to them. As a veteran, I knew it might be hard for them to approach me, so I made an effort to close the gap by having conversations and making myself approachable." Speaking specifically about Murakami, Aoki added, "He’s grown each year. He may be struggling now, but it’s something necessary in his baseball career. I hope he has a fulfilling baseball life."

Aoki joined Yakult in 2004 as the team's fourth-round pick from Waseda University. In 2012, he challenged himself in Major League Baseball, and by 2017, he had recorded over 2,000 hits combined in Japan and the U.S. He returned to his former team, Yakult, in 2018.

When he was drafted, Aoki had said, "I want to be selected by Yakult." Before heading to the MLB, he had hoped to perform well enough that they’d want him to return. Upon his return in 2018, he declared, "I love this team." Known as "Mr. Swallows," Aoki enjoyed a mutual affection with Yakult over the course of 21 years. Now, with pride in his 2,723 hits across Japan and the U.S.—the fifth-highest total in history—he retires from the game, leaving behind an impressive legacy.

### Norichika Aoki Profile:
- Born January 5, 1982, in Hyuga City, Miyazaki Prefecture.
- After attending Hyuga High School and Waseda University, he was drafted in the 4th round by Yakult in 2004.
- He is the only player in Japanese professional baseball history to achieve over 200 hits in two separate seasons (2005, 2010).
- He moved to the MLB’s Milwaukee Brewers in 2011 and achieved his 2,000th hit across both Japan and the U.S. in 2017.
- Represented Japan in the 2006, 2009, and 2017 World Baseball Classics, and the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
- Height: 175 cm, Weight: 80 kg, Throws: Right, Bats: Right.

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