SoftBank Manager Impressed by Young Rival Player
SoftBank Hawks manager Hiroki Kokubo has expressed surprise at the skill of a young player from a rival team.
The player, who is either 19 or 20 years old, impressed Kokubo with his performance on the field.
Kokubo said the player's actions did not seem like those of someone so young.
He commented, "He doesn't look like he's 19 or 20 years old."
This player is someone SoftBank was unable to recruit in the past.
Now, Kokubo has seen the player's talent while facing him as an opponent.
His comments suggest the player has strong potential for the future.
In other baseball news, Nippon-Ham manager Shinjo also spoke about a young player.
A player named Shibata got his first hit as a professional baseball player.
Shinjo congratulated Shibata's family and praised his good performance.
He said the family should be proud, and that the content of the play was good.
Shinjo also commented on his own philosophy about playing time.
He said that even if a player gets a hit, if similar plays continue, chances to play may decrease.
This suggests that Shinjo values consistent good performance, not just single good results.
Both stories highlight how managers pay close attention to young players' development.
Talented young athletes often attract attention from managers on other teams as well.
These comments show the ongoing competition and respect between Japanese baseball teams.
Vocabulary10 words
- rival
- a team or person you compete against
- recruit
- to bring a new player onto a team
- philosophy
- a set of beliefs or ideas someone follows
- development
- the growth and improvement of a skill
- potential
- the possibility to become very good in the future
- consistent
- staying the same in a good way over time
- performance
- how well someone does an activity
- opponent
- the person or team you compete against
- impressed
- feeling admiration because something is very good
- praise
- words that say something is good
Quiz
Answer key
1. His age compared to his skill 2. It depends on consistent good plays 3. False
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
SoftBank Hawks manager Hiroki Kokubo has expressed _____ at the skill of a young player from a rival team.
The player, who is either 19 or 20 years old, _____ Kokubo with his performance on the field.
Kokubo said the player's actions did not seem like those of someone so _____.
This player is someone SoftBank was unable to _____ in the past.
Now, Kokubo has seen the player's _____ while facing him as an opponent.
In other baseball news, Nippon-Ham manager Shinjo also spoke about a young _____.
A player named Shibata got his first hit as a _____ baseball player.
Shinjo also commented on his own _____ about playing time.
He said that even if a player gets a hit, if similar plays continue, chances to play may _____.
Both stories highlight how managers pay close attention to young players' _____.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think managers pay attention to players on other teams?
- What does Shinjo's comment tell us about how coaches decide who plays?
- Why might a talented player be missed by a team when they are very young?
- How important is consistency compared to single good performances in sports?