Seiya Suzuki is too nice.
No, really.
Cubs teammates love him. His manager couldn’t ask for a more conversational, respectful star player.
And even opponents and umpires have been taken aback by his good manners.
No?
Just watch him when he draws a walk.
Thirteen times in 12 games as a Cub, the right-handed slugger with the uncommon eye at the plate has walked — and then stepped back from the plate and taken the long way to first, circling behind the catcher and umpire before relocating the base line.
MLB
“It’s kind of disrespectful to walk in front of someone,” the former Japanese batting champ said through his team interpreter, Toy Matsushita. “Especially if it’s someone older than you. It’s Japanese culture. It’s not a good thing to do.”
Not every player from Japan has done that in the majors; in fact, we can’t think of any from recent memory (Kosuke Fukudome, for instance, is left-handed, so it doesn’t apply; same with Yankee slugger Hideki Matsui before him).
And not every player in NPB in Japan does it, say veteran Japanese baseball writers.
“Depends on the person,” Suzuki said, “but that’s what I was taught as a kid, to be respectful.”
Add it to a long and growing list of admirable qualities the Cubs’ $99.6-million free agent already has demonstrated two weeks into his MLB career — including the league-leading batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage and offensive WAR he took into Wednesday night’s rain-shortened loss to the Rays at Wrigley Field.
The niceness has not been lost on manager David Ross.
“I would assume, never having had an interpreter, that having somebody that you’re always having to talk through could be taxing over time,” Ross said. “But he’ll sit there and have a conversation for as long as you want to have it.”
And he’ll do it with energy and an engaging wit, Ross said.
“Just the right amount of respect but also a great sense of humor.”
Even after a pair of early strikeouts in the ugly conditions Wednesday Suzuki drew a walk his third trip to the plate, extending his streak of reaching base to every major-league game he’s played — and then taking the long way to first again.
When it was pointed out that his manners were conspicuous for this game in this country — even these days — Suzuki essentially shrugged.
“It just doesn’t feel good to walk in front of the umpire and the catcher,” he said.
But even when you get hit by a pitch — like in Monday’s game?
Come on, man.
“If you get hit by a pitch it’s a plus for the team,” he said. “You’re on base. So that’s what’s most important."
It doesn't get nicer than that.