Tatsunori Hara moved into rarefied air when his Yomiuri Giants beat the Hiroshima Carp on Tuesday night, becoming the 13th NPB manager to reach 1,000 career victories.
It's easy to look back and see how he got there. Hara has managed a number of strong Giants teams and his entire tenure — 12 full seasons across three different stints — has been one of consistent success.
"I started with three straight losses (in his first season in 2002), so I know the importance of one win," Hara said after win No. 1,000. "The importance of one win. . . . It's hard to win one game. How are you going to win tomorrow? That piles up."