▁had ▁stated ▁that ▁acqu iring ▁either ▁U eh ara ▁or ▁D ais u ke ▁M ats uz aka ▁was ▁a ▁top ▁priority ▁for ▁the ▁team . ▁However , ▁many ▁other ▁teams , ▁including ▁the ▁Yan ke es , ▁D od gers , ▁Red ▁So x , ▁M ets , ▁and ▁Ori oles , ▁had ▁shown ▁interest ▁in ▁b idd ing ▁for ▁U eh ara ▁if ▁he ▁were ▁to ▁become ▁available . ▁ ▁Y omi uri ▁Gi ants ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁draft ed ▁with ▁the ▁first ▁pick ▁by ▁the ▁Y omi uri ▁Gi ants ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁he ▁had ▁a ▁successful ▁ro ok ie ▁year ▁with ▁ 1 5 ▁consecutive ▁wins ▁that ▁broke ▁the ▁all - time ▁ro ok ie ▁record , ▁claimed ▁the ▁Ro ok ie ▁of ▁the ▁Year , ▁E iji ▁S aw am ura ▁Award , ▁and ▁led ▁in ▁wins , ▁E RA , ▁strike outs ▁and ▁winning ▁percentage . ▁In ▁the ▁final ▁game ▁of ▁the ▁season ▁against ▁the ▁Y akult ▁Sw all ows , ▁with ▁the ▁league ▁stand ings ▁already ▁decided , ▁U eh ara ▁was ▁ordered ▁to ▁issue ▁three ▁intent ional ▁wal ks ▁to ▁the ▁Sw all ows ' ▁Roberto ▁Pet agine ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁give ▁the ▁Gi ants ' ▁H ide ki ▁M ats ui ▁a ▁chance ▁to ▁catch ▁Pet agine ▁for ▁the ▁home ▁run ▁title . ▁The ▁compet itive ▁U eh ara ▁comp lied ▁with ▁the ▁order ▁but ▁showed ▁his ▁bit tern ess ▁on ▁the