Profile of then-Hiroshima Carp (and former MLB) player Chad Tracy a few weeks after 3/11/2011

This feature appeared in the Kinston (North Carolina) Free Press on April 17, 2011

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Former Pirate Tracy making an impact in Japan on and off field

By Ed Odeven
Special to The Free Press
TOKYO — While pro baseball is under way in Japan after the catastrophic natural disasters on March 11 forcefully and unexpectedly created a number of unique challenges for an entire nation, former East Carolina baseball standout Chad Tracy is eager to make an impact for the Hiroshima Carp this season.

The red-and-white clad Carp hope to improve on their 58-84-2 record and climb into playoff contention in Japan’s Central League. On the other hand, Tracy won’t set targets for home runs, RBIs, batting average, etc. To him, that’s not the proper approach.

“I usually don’t set number goals,” Tracy said by phone from Hiroshima as he geared up for the Carp’s season-opening series against the…