MESA, Ariz. - Walking near the Cubs complex a little before 10 a.m. Arizona time, nobody would blame you if you thought you were at a Karaoke bar.
Japanese sensation Munenori Kawasaki warmed the Cubs up before Friday's workout with a stirring rendition of Aerosmith's "I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing."
Joe Maddon said the Cubs have been planning this for a while and it helps that Kawasaki was all about it.
"I tried my best," said Kawasaki, who admitted he was nervous. He said "I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing" is his favorite song and he's seen Armageddon 33 times.
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Kawasaki said that if everybody was happy, he was happy, but also said he wouldn't do it again. He did offer maybe Cubs catcher Taylor Davis could sing an Eric Church song and Kawasaki would play guitar to back up Davis.
"You see the funny side," Kris Bryant said. "He's definitely one of my favorites so far. He's hilarious. Today, stretch was dedicated to him.
"That was one of my favorite skits that I've ever seen here. ... I don't know if you can top that."
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Of course, then the Cubs warmed up listening to songs like "Kung Foo Fighting" and "Turning Japanese" while wearing Japanese headbands that said "Must win," "No. 1" or "Fighting spirit."
This comes just a couple days after Maddon's 1970s-themed pre-workout celebration on Leap Day (that included Kawasaki dressed up as a "Chicago Cowboy") and joins the ranks of the Dexter Fowler arrival and pre-warmup dance party.
Spring training can be very monotonous - wake up the same time, early workouts, two full weeks of practices before the first Cactus League game.
But Maddon loves to go against the grain.
"I hope there's no monotony here," Maddon said. "That's the thing. I really abhor monotony. Why would you ever want to just come out on a daily basis and grind it out in the Arizona heat - a relentless sun - doing the same things every day and hope to get the best out of your group?
"I don't get that. I don't understand that whatsoever. ... I know how I've done my best work - throughout my life, not just my career - and it's always when I was having a good time. You have to be able to separate the fun moments from business moments.
"I like what we're doing right now. I think it's appropriate and I think it's gonna help us get off to a good start. Also, it's part of the group, part of the culture right now and I like that.
"I don't want us to take things too seriously. Just serious enough."
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Maddon didn't even conduct his media session in a normal fashion, letting Fowler step in for him briefly before stepping to the group huddle still wearing his Japanese headband and petitioning for a new headband that says "Process is fearless."
But is there a limit to the "Madd Scientist" process? Is there anything Maddon wouldn't do?
"Of course," he said. "I think so. I think there's things I wouldn't do - let's put it that way. I don't know what that is yet.
"Here's the thing, man: We're just having a good time right now. Political correctness has been at an all-time high over the last couple decades. We're not trying to hurt anybody.
"It was all in fun. Kawasaki got it started. It was a blast and I think everybody can appreciate the humor."