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How did Yakult’s super-excellent helper Osuna adapt to Japanese baseball | Professional baseball | Shueisha’s general sports magazine Sportiva official website web Sportiva

José Osuna is a man of hard work and a friend. The 30-year-old from Venezuela spent eight years in the minor leagues under the Pittsburgh Pirates in the United States. After that, when he was promoted to the majors, he was a reserve player for four years. And last year, he decided to join Yakult without hesitation, saying, “Even if it’s a foreign country, it’s a chance to play baseball as a regular player.”

367 batting average, 2 home runs, 8 RBIs in the Japan Series, Osuna wins the Fighting Spirit Award
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[The spirit of united team]

Osuna immediately blended into the team, saying, “When I entered Jingu Stadium with Mingo (Domingo Santana’s nickname), it was a really fresh feeling.”

“I didn’t know everyone’s names when we greeted each other, but I thought that all the players were friendly and I could easily get along with them. It’s been a few months since I joined the team, but it seems like we’ve been together for a long time.”

That’s what Osuna said when he first arrived in Japan. Regarding the difference between baseball and baseball as team sports, he said, “The majors are simply about being active and contributing to victory,” he continued.

“I feel that the team in Japan is fighting together as a team. Bunting as a pinch hitter and things that aren’t reflected in individual results, but we all work together to say, ‘Get the next run. When I’m not feeling well, the other players cover me up. That style is fresh and I like it.”

In this year’s Japan Series with Orix, Osuna’s awareness of “team unity” became clearer. In batting, he devoted himself to batting that advances runners according to the situation, and what left the strongest impression on me was the appearance of Osuna running to the mound alone when midfielder Naofumi Kizawa was in a pinch.

Looking back on that time, Kizawa said, “I was extremely grateful.”

“It was in English, but I was told, ‘Your fastball has plenty of speed, so don’t aim too close, just throw it into the zone and let him hit a grounder.’ I don’t think it’s easy for someone to call me, and the way I say it may be misleading, but I’m also grateful that there are players on the team who are hungry for victory.”

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