Degawa Tetsuro, the beloved comedian and host, has become something of a staple for baseball fans. His unique predictions about baseball lineups, aspirations, and outcomes have often entertained audiences. This year's predictions for the upcoming 2024 season were no exception, as he humorously recapped his forecasts from earlier broadcasts during the recent year-end review show.
On December 29, 2024, the special episode titled "Degawa Tetsuro's Baseball Ranking Predictions 2024: Review and Big Reflection Meeting" aired, where Degawa interacted with fellow entertainers to analyze how accurate his past predictions turned out to be. Primarily, he took some good-natured jabs at himself for the rather incorrect predictions concerning the DeNA baseball team. Interestingly, he had been quite confident they'd perform poorly, claiming, "The reason is simple: Because the BayStars are there!" But as it turns out, this season's results showed the opposite, with DeNA rocketing to unexpected success.
Degawa admitted, albeit with his trademark humor, the surprise he felt when his predicted outcomes dramatically diverged from reality. "No way I thought DeNA would end up ranked so high; I thought they were dead last for sure!" he exclaimed during the broadcast. Fans tuned in to see not just his reaction but also how his colleagues reacted to these turns of events. Entertainers who were fans of various teams joined the review to give their input, injecting plenty of laughter and camaraderie.
One notable moment from the show involved Degawa humbly approaching Oswald’s Ito, who is known as a staunch DeNA supporter, to apologize for his previous predictions. He kneeled, expressing, "I truly felt you deserved this apology. I thought the BayStars were going to last; I was utterly wrong. I owe you and all the DeNA fans my sincere apologies!" Ito shot back with his signature charismatic humor, saying, "I was wondering when you'd finally take responsibility!" This lively banter brought both of them closer together, showcasing the friendly competitiveness among baseball team supporters.
Throughout the hour-long program, fans were treated to flashes of insight from various guest entertainers, ranging from comedic banter to genuine reflections about their teams' performances. Degawa was also praised for his dedication to baseball, which he claimed was merely due to the thrilling highs and lows of the sport and the fandom surrounding it.
The entertaining retrospective not only displayed Degawa's comedic chops but also blended heartfelt fandom as he discussed notable player transfers and injuries, most centered around player Yamasaki Fukuya’s highly publicized shift from Orix to Nippon Ham. Degawa playfully teased earlier comments he made, where he insisted he had insider information about Yamasaki’s next move, saying, "I even had his cousin whispering to me at the game, so how could I have been so wrong?" The recent uproar of speculation surrounding player movements only served to amplify the amusement for viewers.
Degawa, who is widely known for his hearty laugh and comedic timing, promised fans the 2024 baseball season would be one for the books. He humorously declared, "This next year will be spectacular; you'll see! And I won't be making the same mistakes, well... at least I'll try to avoid the bigger ones!" His light-hearted dedication, even amid blunders, reminded everyone why he remains cherished among fans.
Ending the broadcast, Degawa also encouraged fans to cheer for their teams, stating, "It’s the love of the game and the joy of the competition between fans and teams alike. 2024 is our year!" With this closing, he solidified his dedication, not only to baseball but to uplifting spirits through laughter and camaraderie with his audience.