There’s nothing but joy in this man’s game.
Munenori Kawasaki is remembered by Mariner fans as the bouncy Tigger® of their 2012 infield, a grin super-glued to his face saying how lucky he felt standing there, spikes caked at last with Major League dirt.
Who cares if he hit .192 in only 104 at-bats, appearing in less than half the Mariners’ games? That smile stayed on his face on the bench, lighting up the dugout. TV cameras loved the guy, check him out, what a great influence on his teammates, slapping backs, cheering on every pitch, just happy to be there.
He went on entertaining the fans in Toronto for the next three years.
Kawasaki joined the M’s at age 31 after eleven seasons in the Japanese leagues. Five years later, his single year with the Mariners stands as his only full season in the US majors. He split time between the bigs and AAA in three campaigns with the Blue Jays.
In 2016, “Kawa” went to the Cubs organization, appearing in 102 games for AAA Iowa. Des Moines is a long way from Kagashima. Especially when you’re 35 years old.
But look who just elbowed his way back onto the 40-man September roster for the Central Division Champions. Paraphrasing Scotty Smalls, oh my god, it’s the same guy.
Little Papi is back at Wrigley Field.
In the next-to last paragraph of Ball Four, leading into that famous closing line about who’s gripping whom, you or the baseball, Jim Bouton writes of a washed-up ballplayer, a guy who once was the starting pitcher in the All-Star Game, still hanging on with the Ross Eversoles of the Kentucky Industrial League.
“…would I do that? When it’s all over for me, would I be hanging on with the Ross Eversoles? I went down deep and the answer I came up with was yes.”
Munenori Kawasaki is 35 years old. He has eleven at-bats in eight major-league game appearances this season. Baseball-reference.com says he’s 6.8 years older than the average bear in The Show.
His Cubs are on top, the first team to clinch a division crown, and visualizing their first world championship in over 100 years. Barring a miracle, Kawa won’t be part of that playoff roster.
But with all those years in baseball’s grip, can you blame Tigger® for taking another ride, still dreaming?