cumberlandreds (01-10-2020),OhioRiverBarge (01-11-2020)
so apparently Shogo likes to hear "GANBARE" when he bats - https://twitter.com/YTamai/status/1212374218521755649
(sounds like GUN-BERET) ... means "Do your best, keep it up!"
https://www.mlb.com/reds/news/shogo-...tions-for-redsAt a young age, Reds outfielder Shogo Akiyama realized the type of hitter he would need to be to succeed as a professional. Akiyama simply seeks to get on base any way possible.
And counter to the recent trend in Major League Baseball, Akiyama has disdain for striking out and not putting the ball into play.
“When I was younger, I watched Ichiro and Hideki [Matsui] play and I also wanted to hit a bunch of homers as a kid,” Akiyama explained via translator Luke Shinoda. “But I knew that it wasn’t my style. I changed my focus to be able fit my own play style.”
“I’ve always thought about not striking out after the count is two strikes,” Akiyama said. “Instead of trying to hit the ball, I just try to make contact if it comes into the strike zone. I always change my style of hitting depending on the count. Whatever way I can make contact with the ball, that’s all I can try to do.”
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