SoftBank Manager Praises Young Rival Player's Talent
Listen to the story
Kosuke Kobokuro, manager of the SoftBank Hawks, has praised a young player from an opposing team.
The player is not part of the SoftBank team but plays for a rival club.
Kobokuro said the player's skill was surprising for someone so young.
He commented, "He doesn't seem like he's 19 or 20 years old."
Kobokuro's comment suggests the young player has a lot of natural talent.
Japanese baseball fans often follow comments from managers about other teams' players.
In separate baseball news, Nippon-Ham Fighters manager Shinjo Tsuyoshi spoke about one of his own players.
A player named Shishi Shibata got his first hit in a professional game.
Shinjo congratulated Shibata's family after the moment.
He also said that Shibata's overall play in the game was good.
This shows that Shinjo was happy not just about the hit, but about the player's full performance.
Both stories focus on young baseball talent in Japan.
Managers from different teams are noticing new players and sharing their thoughts publicly.
These comments often appear in Japanese sports news, showing respect between rival teams.
Fans see this as a normal part of baseball culture in Japan, where managers speak openly about talent, even from other clubs.
Vocabulary10 words
- manager
- the person who leads and controls a sports team
- opposing
- from the other side; a different team
- rival
- a team or person you compete against
- talent
- natural skill or ability
- hit
- in baseball, a good strike of the ball that lets the player reach a base
- congratulate
- to tell someone well done for something good
- performance
- how well someone does in a game or activity
- professional
- related to being paid to do something as a job
- comment
- something said to give an opinion
- culture
- the normal way people in a group think and act
Quiz
Answer key
1. His age compared to his skill 2. Nippon-Ham Fighters 3. His first professional hit
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Kosuke Kobokuro, manager of the SoftBank Hawks, has _____ a young player from an opposing team.
The player is not part of the SoftBank team but plays for a _____ club.
Kobokuro said the player's skill was _____ for someone so young.
He commented, "He doesn't seem like he's 19 or 20 _____."
In separate baseball news, Nippon-Ham Fighters manager Shinjo Tsuyoshi spoke about one of his own _____.
A player named Shishi Shibata got his first _____ in a professional game.
Shinjo _____ Shibata's family after the moment.
He also said that Shibata's overall play in the game was _____.
Both stories focus on young baseball _____ in Japan.
Managers from different teams are noticing new players and sharing their thoughts _____.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think managers comment publicly on players from rival teams?
- How important is a player's age when judging their skill in sports?
- What does it mean when a manager congratulates a player's family?
- Do you think it's common in your country for coaches to praise opposing players?