It's Opening Day 1994 at venerable Wrigley Field in Chicago. You're playing for the hometown Cubs and facing Dwight Gooden of the New York Mets, one of the premier power pitchers in Major League Baseball. By the end of the day, you'll have have homered in your first three at-bats of the season and added a single for good measure.
You're off to a dream start, becoming the first person in National League history to hit three dingers on Opening Day. You're on your way to a banner year, right?
"Actually, that hurt me more than it helped me because I went out there and tried to become a home-run hitter overnight," Kintetsu Buffaloes slugger Tuffy Rhodes says prior to a game at the Tokyo Dome earlier this week. "I was a leadoff hitter back then, but after that my swing got longer. I tried hitting home runs all the time instead of just getting the bat on the ball and just going out there and being successful."
Tuffy Rhodes a leadoff hitter? The man has never hit fewer than 22 home runs a season and has driven in more than 100 runs twice since coming to Japan in 1996. In fact, Rhodes, a 32-year-old native of Cincinnati who now makes his offseason home in Houston, led the Pacific League in homers (40) and RBIs (101) two years ago.
"When I came over here my first year, I started growing up," explains Rhodes. "I was 27, I got stronger, got bigger, and I started hitting home runs, hitting the ball farther. But I just continued to try and be a .300 hitter, and if the ball left the ballpark, that's a plus."
Rhodes credits two things for his continued success here in Japan: a good outlook and a Kintetsu coach named Takao Ise.
"(A positive attitude) is the most important thing," says the fun-loving outfielder, who is constantly bantering with fans and teasing teammates. "You have to come over here and try not to forget that you're not in America anymore -- you're not playing baseball in America, you're playing in Japan. So I try to adjust as much as possible, you know, fit in, enjoy myself. I'm playing baseball and it's something I love to do, and plus I love to be in Japan, so I have a good time on the field as well as off it. If you go home and just think about baseball, it's going to drive you crazy, and it's already tough enough to play the game.
"I also tried to learn how to adapt to Japanese baseball as fast as possible," Rhodes continues. "We've got a great coach in Ise-san, who's been here with me for six years and knows me like a book. He's always watching out for me and telling me what to look for in certain situations. He's helped me tremendously." Tuffy, whose real name is Karl (a local boy's club coach gave him the nickname when he took a ball in the mouth at the age of six and refused to cry), came to Japan in 1996 as a free agent after an unspectacular -- with the possible exception of April 4, 1994 -- five-year MLB career with the Houston Astros, Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox.
"I became a free agent and my agent told me a Japanese team was interested in me. Once he told me I was going to play every day and the money I was going to make, I said 'Where do I sign and what day do I report?' " Rhodes says with a laugh, before adding that he has no interest in playing in the majors again and plans on eventually ending his career here in Japan.
But if this season is any indication, that day is still a long way off. Through Tuesday, Rhodes was hitting .307 with 29 home runs and 66 RBIs for the first-place Buffaloes. He's on pace to hit 55 HRs with 125 RBIs, both career highs.
And though Rhodes has adjusted well to Japanese baseball, he still sees differences in the game here.
"In America, we try to keep the game as simple as possible," Rhodes observes. "Over here, it's like a chess match. From the first pitch to the last pitch here, every inning of every game is like the seventh game of the World Series."
Speaking of the major leagues, Rhodes, who played against Ichiro Suzuki for five years in the Pacific loop, says he is not surprised at the success the Seattle Mariners phenom is having this season.
"Ichiro's a great hitter," says Rhodes. "His hand-eye coordination is incredible. I knew he'd be a success over there; he'd be successful anywhere.
"Our third baseman (Norihiro Nakamura, .362 average, 26 home runs through Tuesday) is one of my best friends in Japan and I love him 110 percent. I think he'll be successful (in the majors) and both Matsuis (Hideki of the Giants and Seibu's Kazuo) will also be very successful over in America."
Anyone who's seen a Buffs game lately may have noticed that Rhodes is sporting a new look. He's the guy with the 1970s-style Oscar Gamble afro under construction.
"If I'm here for another four years, and it takes another four years for us to win a championship, then I'm going to wait to cut it. Right now, we've got a good team and I'd be almost crazy to cut my hair while we're playing so well."
A Japan Series title in Osaka? Can you dig it, man!