ShareThisIt was a nice spring night in 2006 at a bar in Vero Beach, Fla., the old site of Los Angeles Dodgers spring training, when Takashi Saito grabbed a microphone and queued up a Beatles song, and Brad Penny laughed his way into a lasting friendship.
The pair had just met. The Japanese reliever had signed with the Dodgers straight from Japan that winter. He knew no English, and very little about America. He felt very alone in the Dodgers clubhouse.
Until Penny came over and talked to him.
"I was the only Japanese down there. In that time, I didn't know what to do. It was a new environment. The first big-leaguer who talked to me was Penny. That's how we got to know each other," Saito said.
They started chatting about hobbies and interests, through a translator. It certainly didn't look like there would be any common ground. Penny is a big, bearded Oklahoma boy (6-4 and 260 pounds) and at the time, 27 years old. Saito was 36 then, refined, genial and thoughtful, and seemingly very quiet.
Penny liked to hunt. Saito said he didn't do much but baseball. Wait, he said, he did sing a lot of karaoke, when he was back in Japan. Penny immediately told Saito they were going out to find a microphone and do some singing.
They went to a place with some of the other players. There was the microphone set up. Saito didn't need much prompting. He sauntered up to the mic, asked for "Hey Jude,'' and started to belt it out to the delight of his new teammates.
"He went on and got up there, and he was awesome," Penny said.
After some laughs, Penny realized that there might be more to this quiet new guy. It was the beginning of a friendship that has now spanned two cities and countless karaoke joints.
"He's hilarious, he's a funny guy, he's a great friend, and I'm glad I've gotten to play with him. It's a joy," Penny said.
The pair certainly look the part of the baseball odd couple, the hulking, Ultimate-Fighting obsessed Oklahoman and the thin, elegant Japanese, joking together at their lockers.
Appearances, of course, are just that. As Penny learned that Saito was more gregarious than he initially seemed, Saito quickly figured out that Penny was a softer individual that he first realized -- when not firing away with his compound hunting bow, of course.
"He looks really tough, but he has sensitive elements to his character," Saito said.
After three years together in Los Angeles, Penny and Saito came to Boston together this winter. The Red Sox have assigned the two pitchers lockers next to each other, and they can often be seen chuckling together
The Red Sox knew about their friendship, and when they were about to sign Penny, they asked him about whether they should also grab Saito. Penny told them how amazed he had been at Saito's intelligence pride, and will to win.
"When he's healthy, he's one of the best I've seen," Penny said. "I love to hand the ball over to him."
He told the team about how they first met, and the commitment Saito displayed to learn English. Saito's English is now strong enough that he can talk easily with his teammates without a translator, but uses one for his formal interviews.
"He's been great from the get-go. Wanted to learn English, really put forth the effort," Penny said. " ... You'd see him studying in his locker."
Their two backgrounds also meant they learned two different styles of baseball, and two methods of preparation. The Japanese throw and run much more than their American counterparts, who try to conserve energy and minimize wear and tear on the arm.
Saito initially had a tough time making that switch, but eventually resolved to do things the American way, and changed his routine dramatically, with periodic advice from Penny.
At the same time, Penny has looked to the older reliever for game-situation advice.
"Sometimes he asks me what to do about specific situations," Saito said.
On their new club, Penny has made sure the other Red Sox have hung out with Saito and gotten to know him.
There has, of course, been some karaoke involved.
"Oh, yeah, oh yeah, it's incredible. He did it the other night for me and (Josh) Beckett," Penny said.
(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.scrippsnews.com.)
Must credit The Providence Journal
