SAN JOSE, Calif. — Shotaro Morii has just finished lifting weights before a game on an unseasonably warm May afternoon in the Bay Area when he and teammate Itsuki Takemoto burst into laughter, their cackling so loud it most certainly can be heard out on the field.<\/p>\n
Morii is gaining attention as a rising three-way prospect from Japan in the Athletics\u2019 farm system \u2014 a hitter and pitcher who unlike Shohei Ohtani also plays the infield. Countryman and baseball roommate Takemoto enjoys teasing Morii at every chance. They are having a blast chasing their big league dreams.<\/p>\n
\u201cI love him!\u201d shouts Morii, who wasn’t in the lineup for that May 20 game with the Single-A Stockton Ports at San Jose after he played second base a night earlier then started on the mound the next day. \u201cHe\u2019s a funny guy. I talk to him about baseball stuff. He has played baseball in the United States like maybe three or four years. He gives advice to me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Morii is quickly becoming comfortable in his new surroundings, speaking near-perfect English, too. It’s something he was determined to do in order to better communicate both on the field and in everyday life.<\/p>\n
Like many players from Japan, Morii has been inspired by Ohtani, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ two-way star.<\/p>\n
Morii isn’t ready to choose just one position, embracing the challenge and daunting schedule demands of trying to hit, pitch and defend. He skipped the draft back home in Japan to pursue this path in the United States.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is great,\u201d he shared. \u201cLast year I couldn\u2019t do pitching. I\u2019m really happy to be doing pitching and hitting.\u201d <\/p>\n
Morii stands behind the cage between his rounds of batting practice and intently listens to hitting coach Jos\u00e9 Ortiz, shaking his head to signal he understands. Then he’s off to the weight room for some lifting.<\/p>\n
At 19, Morii loves all of his positions and is so appreciative of the A’s allowing him to be a utility player and not specialize \u2014 not yet, anyway.<\/p>\n
He didn\u2019t want an interpreter this year, so it forced Morii to learn English and be a better communicator with his teammates and coaches.<\/p>\n
\u201cSpeaking English is one of my dreams, that I was dreaming about that,\u201d he said. \u201cI play baseball here, but also I live in the United States so it\u2019s necessary to speak English.\u201d<\/p>\n
Last year, Morii regularly kept headphones in his ears listening to music but realized that wasn\u2019t helping him become more comfortable in his new surroundings or with the language barrier.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been good. He\u2019s done a good job, fit right in,\u201d manager Darryl Kennedy said. \u201cHe\u2019s going to be really fun to watch. He\u2019s done a great job.”<\/p>\n
The volume here is a drastic difference from what he\u2019s used to back home: In Japan, it\u2019s normal to take 400 swings a day.<\/p>\n
And now?<\/p>\n
\u201cWe think the quantity is the most important thing in Japan,\u201d Morii explained. \u201cBut here, quality is the most important thing.\u201d<\/p>\n
He is adjusting to a slower pace and thoughtful progression. Morii pitches every Thursday, and the Ports started him at just one inning \u2013 as an opener, per se \u2013 in his initial four appearances to build him up before he pitched two innings for the first time last week at Ontario, and then he will eventually go to three. He is 0-2 with an 10.50 ERA for the Ports over five outings on the mound spanning six innings, while batting .174 with two doubles, a triple, four RBIs and two stolen bases.<\/p>\n
Morii can’t wait to stay out there and pitch deeper into games. He knows that time will come.<\/p>\n
\u201cRight now we’re just happy that he’s on the field and playing,” Kennedy said. \u201cHe’s a very mature kid for a 19-year-old. To come over here from Japan all by himself and be able to survive is an accomplishment in itself.\u201d <\/p>\n
In March, Morii injured his right hamstring during the MLB Spring Breakout in Arizona, an exhibition for top minor league prospects. He then spent close to two months rehabilitating at the A\u2019s minor league complex in Mesa, Arizona, even changing his running mechanics to help protect the leg for the long haul.<\/p>\n
With guidance from an athletic trainer, he has learned to shorten his stride, not an easy task after running one way all his life.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt helps a lot,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Each day has become about making adjustments \u2014 some big like the running motion, some just smaller tweaks.<\/p>\n
Ortiz played nine years in Japan, so he can relate to the pressures in the baseball-crazed country and the determination of players like Morii.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s been getting more comfortable,\u201d Ortiz said. \u201cHe wants to do everything perfectly, which sometimes is going to be hard.\u201d <\/p>\n
San Francisco Giants infielder Casey Schmitt did it all during college at San Diego State. He hit, played the infield and came in as a relief pitcher, even starting a handful of games on the mound when needed.<\/p>\n
Schmitt has homered while playing five different positions \u2014 first base, second, third, left field and as designated hitter.<\/p>\n
He\u2019s rooting for Morii to play all of his positions at the highest level one day.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s doing it in pro ball further than I ever did it,\u201d Schmitt said, sitting in the dugout at Oracle Park before a recent game. <\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s good, especially being 19, being young, being able to learn all those new things. When I started learning new positions, I was here. I debuted when I was 23, so I started learning a whole bunch of new positions up here. To be doing it at 19, he\u2019s in low-A and he gets to work on all these things and he\u2019ll get to high-A and continue to work on it in Double-A, Triple-A and in the future the majors. That\u2019s really awesome to be doing it at that age.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ohtani\u2019s influence on the next generation might mean that even more players avoid specializing, opting to try multiple positions.<\/p>\n
\u201cKids grow up admiring and envisioning them being the next version of whoever their heroes are or the guys that are on Instagram or whatever doing great things,\u201d Giants manager Tony Vitello said. \u201cIn my experience it\u2019s been more the player that puts down the bat or puts down the pitching glove then it is coaches, and so I think the more players see that it\u2019s possible the more they\u2019ll push forward for that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Morii plans to keep his options open by playing a variety of spots \u2014 trusting everybody who is helping him manage it all.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor me, playing baseball is the most enjoyable thing,” he said. \u201cSo when I feel homesick, I just play baseball. Playing baseball here is the biggest dream.\u201d <\/p>\n
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