It’s turning out to be an interesting post-season in Major League Baseball. In the American league we have the Toronto Blue Jays coming off a stellar late regular season and into their first real World Series attempt since the 90s. Meanwhile, over in the National League the Cubs are inching closer to a possible first World Series win in over a century, made even more eerie by its prediction in Back to the Future II (minus the Miami Gators).

As an added bonus, more games for Toronto means more interviews with infielder Munenori Kawasaki. Charged up by their victory over Texas in the AL Division series, Munerin was in rare form.

First Kawasaki ran into Hazel Mae and Buck Martinez of Sports Net who tells them his feelings about moving onto the League Championship Series after they explain to him what “LCS” means.

He immediately lets them know there was “no hangover” today. He also explained the team’s strategy of: “Don’t thinking! Don’t don’t thinking. Just swing! Just catc…uh throw! Just catch. Don’t think everybody. Just win!”

Munerin then asked how his “KawaEnglish2015” was, to which Mae and Martinez both expressed their amazement. Kawasaki explained it was because he has “two books, bro” and signed off.

Next Kawasaki came across Greg Ross of CBC News when, as the CBC put it: “Things kind of go off the rails.”

After singing the opening lines to the Alphabet Song, Munerin tells Ross about how just like the CBC his son is also a “Canuck” having been born in the country. Then understandably tired from giving so many interviews in English, Kawasaki explains in surprisingly sober Japanese how he and his team will continue to advance all the way to the World Series and sincerely thanks his fans for their support.

Reaction to Munenori’s interviews show how beloved he is by fans.

“Kawasaki is probably my favorite person who ever lived.”
“There’s no one else like him on planet Earth. Truly a one of a kind individual and a heck of a ball player.”
“CBC, hire Kawasaki.”
“Mune is the best!”
“How can anyone hate this guy? He’s the best.”

As of this writing, the Blue Jays are down by two games against Kansas City. They managed to come from behind against the Rangers in the ALDS, but can they do it again? Let’s hope so, because we need to keep Kawasaki in front of a camera as long as possible!

Videos, screenshots, featured GIF: YouTube/SPORTSNETCANADA, YouTube/CBC news
Original article by Takashi Harada
[ Read in Japanese ]