The last game pitcher Tony Barnette ever started for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows came against the Chunichi Dragons on March 8, 2011, during spring training. Barnette had already had one life-altering moment that spring — he'd proposed to now-wife Hillary before leaving Arizona for Japan — and, though he didn't know it, another was right around the corner.
He was messing around with a cutter that day and noticed the Dragons' power hitters were having trouble getting their bats on it. Junji Ogawa, Yakult's manager at the time, and pitching coach Daisuke Araki saw this as well. Barnette had joined the Swallows as a starter in 2010, but was cut after going 4-5 with a 5.99 ERA in 16 appearances (15 starts). The team quickly re-signed him, however, and now Ogawa had an idea.
Ogawa and Araki approached Barnette after the game. They didn't get to the point of the meeting right away, taking a more circuitous route, as they perhaps tried to gauge Barnette's reaction. Eventually they got down to business. The Birds needed help in the bullpen, and Ogawa and Ararki wanted to try Barnette out as a reliever. Barnette, who trusted his coaches, didn't need much convincing.