Baseball Star Munetaka Murakami Shows Better Form With New Team
Listen to the story
Munetaka Murakami, a baseball player from Japan, is showing better form for his team, the White Sox.
His manager praised his hitting, saying Murakami is sending the ball on a good trajectory.
The manager also spoke positively about Murakami's character, showing respect for him as a person, not just a player.
Before a recent game, Murakami was seen talking and laughing with Tomoyuki Sugano, another Japanese baseball player.
The two players were teammates in March, when they represented Japan in the World Baseball Classic (WBC).
The WBC is an international baseball tournament where national teams compete against each other.
The day before their friendly chat, Murakami and Sugano had faced each other as opponents for the first time in Major League Baseball.
In that game, Murakami hit two home runs, clearly getting the better of his former teammate.
Despite competing against each other on the field, the two players remain friendly off it.
Their rivalry on the field does not seem to affect their friendship away from the game.
Murakami's manager appears confident that his player is finding his best form after a difficult period.
The improvement in his hitting suggests Murakami is settling in well with his new team.
Vocabulary8 words
- form
- how well someone is playing recently
- trajectory
- the path a ball follows when hit
- character
- the kind of person someone is
- teammates
- people who play on the same team
- tournament
- a big competition with many games
- opponents
- people you compete against
- home runs
- a hit that scores a point in baseball right away
- rivalry
- a friendly or serious competition between people
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Quiz
Answer key
1. His hitting trajectory and his character 2. During the WBC in March 3. True
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Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Munetaka Murakami, a baseball player from Japan, is showing better _____ for his team, the White Sox.
His manager praised his hitting, saying Murakami is sending the ball on a good _____.
The manager also spoke positively about Murakami's _____, showing respect for him as a person.
Before a recent game, Murakami was seen talking and laughing with _____, another Japanese baseball player.
The two players were _____ in March, when they represented Japan in the World Baseball Classic.
The WBC is an international baseball _____ where national teams compete against each other.
The day before, Murakami and Sugano had faced each other as _____ for the first time in Major League Baseball.
In that game, Murakami hit two _____, clearly getting the better of his former teammate.
Their _____ on the field does not seem to affect their friendship away from the game.
Discussion questions
- Why might a manager talk publicly about a player's character, not just their skill?
- Do you think athletes can stay friends even when they compete against each other? Why?
- What do you think helps a player adjust well to a new team?
- Have you ever competed against a good friend? How did it feel?
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