Shintaro Fujinami's recent Samurai Japan call-up may have been taken him by surprise, but he said the opportunity won't be taken for granted.

Although Fujinami had been a regular member of manager Hiroki Kokubo's pitching staff, the right-hander was coming off his worst season as a pro. Thus, it was a surprise to many that Kokubo picked him for the games earlier this month against Mexico and the Netherlands.

But the confidence shown in him by Samurai Japan pitching coach Hiroshi Gondo has lit a fire under the 197-cm Fujinami, who now has his sights firmly set on earning a shot to play in March's World Baseball Classic.