Speaking with a roundtable-style show, Kawasaki said that he didn’t speak much English when he got to the United States and couldn’t understand team meetings. He then said that he started to accompany his teammates to the bar to drink, and then at that point, he started to learn some English that made meetings more understandable.
The 42-year-old former infielder is generally regarded as well-liked with a good personality, so he just may be a fit for television down the line, which he reportedly has said he’d be interested in doing.
After playing in Japan, Kawasaki made his major league debut in 2012 at the age of 30. He started with the Mariners, staying for just one season, before going to Toronto for two and the Cubs for two more.
With the M’s in 2012, he hit just .192 with seven RBI. He played in 61 games and posted a .257 on-base percentage. He was released by the Mariners after just one the season before signing with Toronto.
With the Jays, he played in 96 and 82 games, respectively over the next two years. Lifetime, he was just a .237 hitter in the major leagues. He never appeared in the playoffs, but he did get a ring for the 2016 Cubs.
With a solid international resume, Kawasaki was a two-time Gold Medalist at the World Baseball Classic, representing Japan in both 2006 and 2009. During his career in the NPB, he was a 3x Japan Series champion, an eight-time All-Star, a two-time Gold Glover and the Pacific League hits leader in 2004.