CLEARWATER, Fla. -- Cole Hamels' eyes lit up on Friday, when he heard So Taguchi was at BayCare Ballpark.
Taguchi was a member of the Phillies’ 2008 World Series championship team, playing 88 games in the regular season and four in the postseason. He played six more games for the Cubs in 2009 before returning to Japan to finish his baseball career.
Taguchi lives in Japan today, where he works as an NHK baseball analyst. He was in Phillies camp on Friday to interview Kyle Schwarber. It was a rare trip to the United States’ East Coast. Taguchi said he has been to Philly just once since 2008 -- he missed the 10-year reunion in 2018 -- and that happened only a year or two ago. He said he visits the United States for work maybe twice a year.
“We just stop by L.A.,” Taguchi said.
Taguchi’s rare trips to the East Coast have made him a Holy Grail for 2008 World Series autograph collectors, who try to get pieces of memorabilia signed by every member of the team.
“But I think Chase [Utley] is the hardest guy, I think,” Taguchi said, smiling.
Actually, he’s right.
Utley and Taguchi are known as the two most difficult autographs to acquire from the 2008 team.
“But I’m in Japan,” Taguchi said, laughing.
Utley lives in Los Angeles, of course. But neither have attended many signings since the end of their baseball careers. Taguchi said he did his first and only event in the Philly area about a year or two ago. Utley has done only a couple signings in the past 10-15 years.
Hamels, who is in camp as a guest instructor, chatted with Taguchi for a few minutes in the media work room.
He didn’t ask for an autograph.