Dodgers’ Yoshinobu Yamamoto Identifies Biggest Adjustment He’ll Have to Make in MLB
For many veteran players, spring training is the least important time of the season. It’s a series of often-repeated rituals that serve little purpose other than preparing for competition – every day for six weeks or so.
For Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, spring training is critical. It’s his first acclimation to a new country, a new team, and a new league of hitters — who happen to be the best in the world.
What represents the biggest adjustment from Nippon Professional Baseball, Japan’s highest league, to Major League Baseball? In an interview with SportsNet LA’s Kirsten Watson from Camelback Ranch-Glendale, Yamamoto revealed his answer.
“The biggest key for me to play in the big leagues is the communication with the coaching staff and digging into the data. If issues come up, I will adjust as I need.”
– Yoshinobu Yamamoto, via SportsNet LA
In the same interview, Yamamoto noted that “the biggest difference as like a daily life environment will be completely different from Japan, and that might be the biggest challenge for me.” But as far as the on-field transition goes, Yamamoto notes that communication is key.
The language barrier between Japanese and English poses its own challenge. At his introductory press conference, Yamamoto began by reading a prepared statement in English. His agent, Joel Wolfe, said Yamamoto intends to learn the language over the course of his 12-year contract with the Dodgers. His sister, who teaches English in Japan, can help give him a head start.
In addition, baseball has its own language that exists independently of a traditional dictionary. Coaches typically use different verbal cues to elicit results from players. That can pose a challenge even when the coach and player speak the same language.
The PitchCom devices that digitize pitch calling between pitcher and catcher can help. But understanding how the Dodgers translate the data points they consider essential to a pitcher who might be unfamiliar with them – in any language – is the substance of in-depth spring training conversations.
Perhaps Yamamoto’s comment sheds context on the Dodgers’ decision to not use him in their Cactus League opener Thursday against the San Diego Padres. Spring training represents more of a learning curve for Yamamoto than perhaps any player in the Dodgers’ camp. He’ll need to take advantage of all the time he gets.
Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
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