Kazuya during training camp in Guam with Shinnosuke Abe
Today it's time for two episodes of Going! Sports & News in one post. Episodes are from 16th and 23rd of January 2011 and are about Kame's time in Guam, taking part in Giants training camp with Shinnosuke Abe.
It's a special post in a way since I finally have some real translations in it. It's possible thanks to my new friend Karin and I'm really grateful for her work :)
So Kazuya went to Guam and along with Hayato Sakamoto (one of the most promising young stars in all of Japanese professional baseball today) took part in special training under Shinnosuke Abe, a Yomiuri Giants' player that in the 2009 Japan Series, was named the Most Valuable Player.
Now let's see some screencaps from the training, a hard training for Kazuya ^^
During both episodes we could see two parts of of Kazuya's batting session with Shinnosuke Abe and Kame received few important advices from Giants' player.
-First batting session-
(along with the players, Kamenashi was given a chance to bat)
Kazuya: I kept hitting a lot of line drives… like it’s being pulled down. Was my stance too broad after all?
Abe: You do open your body up too fast. You should also think where you’re hitting.
Abe: You see that trash bin there? If you’re aiming there and pretend like you’re being pulled towards that… just hold (your form) on for a bit
Kazuya: Hee…
Kazuya: So when you hit it, it’s with a sense of being pulled, from the other side
Kazuya: Even though you’re hitting right in the middle you’re not just paying attention to the middle part…
Abe: If you do it like that the ball would fly well
(If he’s focusing on something slightly to the right of what he aims, his (upper) body stance won’t open up, and he can hit the ball stronger) (c)
- Second batting session -
Kazuya: Is there a way to distribute your weight better?
Abe: I pay attention to here (the waist). Pushing the line here (around the top of your thigh) outwards-that’s what I pay attention to. Imagine pushing hard at something with your hip. If you do that your whole body follows along. (c)
After a long day of training time for some or a lot of good food :) It's good to have a meal together, talking about an interview that will take place the next day and hearing wise things from Abe.
The interview with Shinnosuke Abe, Hisayoshi Chouno and Hayato Sakamoto took place the next day and few screencaps from it since Kazuya looked so casual and really good :)
Two more screencaps from the first question since I was curious about it after seeing the video and not everything was clear to me so Karin translated it too for me :)
Kazuya: We’d like to dig deeper into what you’re learned of Abe-san’s real personality as you’ve spent independent training and living together with him.
Chouno & Sakamoto: …
Kazuya: Are we okay? Chouno player you look like you froze right there,
Chouno: *small voice* Fine,
Sakamoto: *small voice* I’m fine
(To erase the young players’ nervousness, we’ll start with a quiz from an old footage of Abe player)
(This is a clip from his first professional year. They’ve filmed him while training. There was trouble that happened in this training day. What was it?)
Kazuya: This is about yourself, Abe player so I’m sure you still remember
Sakamoto: Did something happened so he couldn’t hit the ball?
Kazuya: It might be that, or something happened after he batted.
Abe: Oh I know. Now I remember.
Kazuya: You’ve just remembered? Abe: I think this is it.
(Even if it’s 10 years ago, for Abe-san this is an easy question.)
Everybody, let’s try to guess too)
Kazuya: Let’s start with Chouno player. The accident was?
Chouno: Was it a strike out?
Kazuya: That’s too normal! *laughs* You can’t call that an accident, can you?
Chouno: I haven’t seen much of Abe-san getting a strike out. So… *small voice* maybe that?
Kazuya: Then Sakamoto player Sakamoto: The ball hit his beloved dog Rui-kun Kazuya: Oh,
Sakamoto: He was introduced on the clip, right? So I thought maybe it’s that. Am I getting warm?
Kazuya: Yeah, you’re getting warm.
Sakamoto: …but I’m wrong, aren’t I?
Kazuya: Let’s ask Abe player then
Abe: The ball I hit went out of the field and hit a car
Kazuya: So you’re saying the ball hit a car; you’re saying the ball hit his dog… as for Chouno player’s answer that’s just out of the question All: *laughs*
Kazuya: Let’s watch the clip to see the answer.
(This is the answer. After introducing his beloved pet to the camera, the ball he hit went out of the field and… it hit a passing car!) (c)
Finally like always I'm ending my post with screencaps from the studio, from both episodes. Kazuya like always looks very stylish and handsome ^_^
Credit for the translations goes to takarai_karin Thank You very much Karin for the translations, your work means a lot :)