▁would ▁be ▁presented ▁with ▁the ▁number ▁ 3 4 ▁previously ▁worn ▁by ▁the ▁long - ser ving , ▁ 2 1 7 ▁win ▁taking ▁pitch er , ▁Mas ah iro ▁Yam am oto . ▁At ▁the ▁conference , ▁Fu ku ▁promised ▁that ▁" the ▁responsibility ▁of ▁carrying ▁on ▁the ▁legacy ▁of ▁a ▁number ▁worn ▁by ▁such ▁a ▁legend ▁as ▁Yam am oto ▁is ▁heavy ▁but ▁I ▁don ' t ▁think ▁of ▁that ▁as ▁a ▁minus , ▁rather ▁is ▁sp urs ▁me ▁on ▁to ▁go ▁out ▁and ▁do ▁it . ▁A ▁professional ▁never ▁uses ▁the ▁word ▁impossible ." ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁conference ▁Fu ku ▁was ▁asked ▁in ▁a ▁play ful ▁way ▁whether ▁he ▁would ▁give ▁an ▁impression ▁of ▁his ▁time ▁working ▁with ▁J R , ▁and ▁he ▁replied ▁with ▁" This ▁is ▁a ▁call ▁for ▁customers ▁r iding ▁the ▁express ▁train ▁to ▁H ak ata . ▁For ▁those ▁customers ▁taking ▁the ▁number ▁ 3 4 ▁Son ic ▁express ▁please ▁move ▁to ▁the ▁number ▁ 4 ▁platform ." ▁This ▁play fully ▁mixed ▁in ▁a ▁reference ▁to ▁his ▁new ▁number ▁to ▁the ▁app la use ▁and ▁laugh ter ▁of ▁the ▁crowd . ▁ ▁Professional ▁career ▁ ▁Ch un ichi ▁Drag ons ▁ ▁Ro ok ie ▁Year ▁Fu ku ▁was ▁the ▁only ▁ro ok ie ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 5 ▁draft ▁class ▁to ▁make ▁the ▁opening ▁day ▁ro ster ▁and ▁he ▁made ▁his ▁professional ▁debut ▁on ▁March ▁ 2 6 , ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁as ▁a ▁relief ▁pitch er ▁in ▁a ▁ 7