Translation: Interview with Shohei Suzuki

Pacific League TV uploaded a recent interview with Saitama Seibu Lions OF Shohei Suzuki this past week.

Suzuki, who will turn 20 in May, was drafted by the Lions in the fourth round of the 2016 NPB Draft out of high school. Recently, he was invited to the ichi-gun (Group A) camp for Spring Training. 

Here is a translation of the interview:

Reporter: In this spring training you started in Group A for the first time in your career. We guess you might have some problems, say, you didn't know how to spend the time in training. How did you spend the days there?

Suzuki: Well, at first I had spent the days in putting my mind on people around me more than myself. As the mood on the field was so nice, the elder players were so friendly to me. I had a good training thanks to them. 

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Reporter: At first what did you focus on? 

Suzuki: I have hardly met some players, (Takumi Kuriyama, Takeya "Okawari-kun" Nakamura and so on before, by only saying 'Hi'. It felt different and fresh by playing with them. I thought about our ichi-gun players more than usual. 

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Reporter: Did you get any advice from them? 

Suzuki: I begged for their advice, technical ones, or got some fielding tips from Shogo Akiyama or Coach Tomoaki Sato. So I have got a better feeling on fielding. 

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Reporter : You asked Coach Sato for advice on fielding?

Suzuki: He told me to have more attention to detail and I have been thinking about it since. I think I have become more meticulous on fielding. 

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Reporter: Which player is your favorite teacher? 

Suzuki: Shogo Akiyama. I often ask for his advice as I'm familiar with him.

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Reporter: What do you often ask him about? 

Suzuki: The behavior in hitting and some hitting tips. 

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Reporter: It means you really ask him for helping you out. 

Suzuki: Yes, now I am there to get better. Hotaka Yamakawa often talks to me. He gives me good advice in hitting. Sometimes I ask him to watch my hitting. After that, he gives me some comments. It is so nice for me to play here with them. 

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Reporter: You started this training with Group A. The farm team's season began today. You were there last season. Have you ever imagined that you are now here? 

Suzuki: It was my goal to be with the ichi-gun, but in reality, I knew it wasn't guaranteed. I have been in better training now and coaches keep me in this group for the exhibition games. I want to stay here until Opening day of the regular season. 

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Reporter: What do you think is the most important thing in order for you to keep your ichi-gun roster spot until Opening Day? 

Suzuki: I guess they keep me here for what I did last year, but I want my hitting to be more important and I hope they understand how much they need me. I want to show them during the last training days. 

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Reporter: Good luck. 

Suzuki: Thank you. 

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(Female) Reporter: The Spring Koshien high school baseball tournament starts soon. You came from Shizuoka High School. How do you feel about your high school in the tournament? 

Suzuki: I played with quite a few players on the current team. I wish them good luck. I have a lot of nice alumni, they gave me the good news on them. I am looking for their good plays.

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Special thanks to @Yoshi_Tanaka for the translation help. 

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