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We sat down with infielder Wilin Rosario (29) for an interview and talked about his mental state as he prepares for opening day. Although Rosario was a hitting machine during February’s Okinawa camp, he lost steam through March, finishing the exhibition schedule batting .143 with four RBIs and a lone home run. He admits he was surprised with the high level of skill in Japan, but remains confident that once the season starts, the big bat will return and lead the team forward.
The (Japanese) pitchers were better than I’d imagined… but I’ll adapt and make it work
It’s been two months since you arrived in Japan. How have these two months been?
I feel good. The exhibition games didn’t go well [last place], but I think I — and the team too — are feeling good going into opening day on the 30th [vs. Giants, at Tokyo Dome]. I think we can show everybody something different when the season starts.
Is everything going as planned so far?
Of course. I will say that the [Japanese] pitchers are better than I thought they’d be. Totally different from what I imagined. I played great when we were in Okinawa [at Spring Camp]¹, but then we got home, played a lot of games on the road, in a different climate, and things didn’t really go the way I hoped. Even so, that’s getting better. Personally I think I’m in a really good place right now. The first thing to do is bring my level up to where I wanted it to be, and just keep improving as much as I can.
What’s your impression of the Japanese pitchers you faced during the exhibition games?
Lots of good pitchers. I played in Korea for two years, but [the Japanese pitchers] have way better control, and the pitches have a lot more movement on them. So being prepared is important. I think the main thing is to get as much information about the pitchers as possible.
You said the level was higher than you’d imagined.
Good velocity and good control. Way better than in Korea. At the same time I think I’ll adapt and make it work. So that’s what I want to look for moving forward.
Do you feel like you’ve made solid steps in the right direction yet?
I can’t really say what I’ve picked up on, but I just think I need to make sure all the preparation I’ve done leads to some results.
Number 4 batter: big honor, big responsibility
Some say “they’re only exhibition games” – but the losses have fans worried.
Not just the fans! We were a little worried, too. But I think things are going to change once we get into the season. We worked hard ever since Okinawa for that. I played well in Okinawa, so I know the fans are really counting on me, and I think if I push myself I’ll get back to that level and give the fans who come to the stadium something good to see.
How do you feel with the season opener right around the corner?
I feel like I’m both mentally and physically prepared. I got to know my teammates, the coaches, and the fans over the past two months. You know, hearing the fans cheering is really important. It really affects your motivation, so I want to give them something to cheer about.
Are you excited for the season to start?
Yeah, the main thing is for me to be healthy throughout the year, do my job and help the team. Of course the main thing is to win. That’s why they brought me here. I want to share that happiness with everyone else, and with the fans, too. So I’m going to give it my all. I’m practicing hard right now, and ultimately that will lead to results. You just have faith in that and play hard.
How do you feel about being given a key role as the number 4 batter?
I’m really honored. There’s also a lot of responsibility with the position, too. I want to be a leader, to help pull everybody along. Of course you’re going to have good at-bats and bad at-bats, so I just want to work hard, keep playing well consistently, and hopefully that will happen for the entire team as well.
First game of the season, and you’re up against one of Japan’s best in Sugano [Giants].
Right now I don’t have any info on him. We’ll have meetings, I’ll watch video and check him out. The main thing is to just have fun playing baseball.
Do you have any rituals to prepare you for Opening Day?
I really try to keep my routine constant regardless of how far along we are in the season. I just have my own routine, so I go to the gym, take my swings according to my own routine before batting, stuff like that. I really think it’s just a matter of staying consistent. Doesn’t matter if it’s exhibition games or the regular season. The games get a lot tougher once you’re in the regular season, so you’ve got to prepare a lot more.
You changed bats a few times during the exhibition games. Did you try a lot of different bats?
I used the same bat for two years in Korea, but once I got to Japan I started using a Mizuno bat. The material felt a little hard to me, but I’ve been trying a few different bats to get myself used to it as quickly as I can.
Can’t dance until you hit home runs
In the game you played with Itoi you guys got the team going with a little dance². Do you think we’ll see more of that in the future?
Dancing is great, but you’ve got to hit a home run first [laughs]. But yeah, that’s what I want to do. That [showing emotion] is how I’ve always played the game. Having fun in each game has always been the main thing for me. Hopefully I can keep that going, and use it to create the kind of atmosphere where we can always have fun.
You’re also a pretty aggressive baserunner. Are the Japanese pitchers better than the Koreans in that sense [holding runners on base] too?
Of course there are differences, but the coaches always give you info, and tell you what you need to do. You just always have to be totally prepared, so hopefully I can keep doing that.
In Korea you put up great numbers for average, home runs, and RBIs³. What do you focus on the most?
It not so much what’s I focus on most when I’m at bat. It’s more about looking at how I’m doing from day to day, and checking what I need to focus on as I go into the games. The pitching can be totally different, depending on the pitcher, and even just depending on the day. So I think the key is to take it day by day and move forward.
Have you gotten used to life in Japan?
I’ve come to love Japan. The food especially is really similar to Dominican food. In Korea, everything was really spicy, but there’s none of that here, so I can enjoy all the flavors. The only problem I’ve had is that my bed was really hard so I couldn’t get a good night’s sleep. But Kanemoto bought me a new mattress, so I’ve been sleeping well since then. Right now I’m really having no problems at all.
What’s your favorite food?
Kobe beef! And sushi, too.
Translated by Jacob Dunlap
¹ Rosario played seven games in Okinawa, going 8-for-12 (.667), with three home runs in consecutive games.
² Rosario went back-to-back with Itoi against the Dragons on the 17th, and did an impromptu “dance” with Itoi in the dugout to celebrate.
³ Rosario’s numbers with Korea’s Hanwha Eagles: .321, 33 HR, 120 RBI (2016); .339, 37 HR, 111 RBI (2017)