Mr. Baseball

My son is slowly emerging from the second stage of Red Sox fandom (the one where you reject the Sox and baseball because you can't bear having your heart broken by them again) by watching movies like "Mr. Baseball" and the Major League series as well as watching games with me to see what swears the players come out with that aren't audibly broadcast. As I say, he is slowly emerging from the second stage of Red Sox fandom - the one where you reject all things baseball because you can't bear to have your heart broken by them again.

The other thing he did was teach himself Japanese so he could read manga and watch anime in the original. This means he has become particularly adept at the "polite" translations into English the majority of us hear. Which is why I asked him to watch the D-Mat press conference with me yesterday.

As I suspected, his translator is very polite.

I have to admit that I am always amused when someone gives paragraph long answers and the translator says, "Yes, he is excited," and moves onto the next question. You know there was just so much more said and yet...

For example, D-Mat is awestruck by Fenway and Boston given his use of Japanese equivalent of the word "awesome." Particularly in describing the Red Sox-Yankees rivalry. In that particular answer he was using the word to describe the depth and intensity of the rivalry as something he could relate to the Yomuri Giants and Hanshin Tigers - only it wasn't nearly at the level of the Sox - Yanks rivalry. It will be a new experience for him.

It really had that feel of "I'll take care of what comes out of my mouth - you translate the words."

I must say my son has inspired me. I think I'm going to teach myself Japanese the way my son did. If for no other reason than to be in a position to understand the difference between "having a yen to play here" instead of "it's such an honor that he would pay to play here."