‘I’m back!’ shouts Toronto Blue Jays’ Munenori Kawasaki after 48-hour absence

 

BOSTON — Jose Bautista entered the clubhouse and shouted a greeting to a briefly departed teammate. Munenori Kawasaki broke into a grin and yelled, “I’m back!”

They embraced. “You’re crazy,” Bautista said with a grin.

“Yeah, I’m crazy,” Kawasaki replied.

They were not smiling on Melky Cabrera, however. His legs have bothered him all season and earlier in the week he twisted his left knee in a game at Tropicana Field. In Thursday night’s game against the Red Sox, he was hobbling even worse than usual. So the Jays placed him on the 15-day disabled list and recalled Kawasaki from Triple-A Buffalo.

In a brief scrum on the field just before batting practice, the popular Japanese infielder said he received a warm welcome from his teammates.

“Clubhouse good, everybody …” He made a handshake gesture. “I’m back,” he said.

He was asked what he hoped to accomplish in his second tour with the Jays.

“I can’t speak English,” he replied.

He had played only shortstop for Toronto. In his one game for Buffalo between big-league assignments, he played second base. How did that go?

“I can’t speak English,” he replied.

Then he bowed, said “arigatou” (thank you) and started his pre-game stretching routine. Near the end of batting practice, a group of Toronto fans began to chant his name. As he entered the dugout, he turned to them and bowed.

With Jose Reyes back, Kawasaki will indeed be a second baseman when he plays, Gibbons said.

‘I’m back!’ shouts Toronto Blue Jays’ Munenori Kawasaki after 48-hour absence | MLB | Sports | National Post.