Suzuki just after hitting his first home run in the majors on April 11 against the Brewers (Photo: Kyodo News)Starting with a one-hit, two-run homer in the season opener, Seiya Suzuki has quickly earned the trust of manager Ross by recording nine consecutive hits and 12 consecutive baserunners since his debut. As of April 29, he still ranks 5th and 6th in the National League in OPS and on-base percentage, respectively, and has four home runs and a .438 on-base percentage, winning the hearts of fans. What do his two mentors think was the reason he was able to make such a spectacular start to his major league career, despite the pressure of the large 5-year, 10 billion yen contract?   Seiya’s mentors were not expecting him to make it to the majors like this. But his success in Hiroshima, winning the top hitter’s title, and being No. 4 in the Samurai Japan team. All of these have exceeded my expectations. He has done that many times, so I had a feeling that he would be able to do the same thing in the Majors. We’re just getting started but he’s off to a good start. Katsuto Ichihara, manager of the baseball team at his alma mater, Nishimatsugakusha University High School, also looks back happily on Suzuki, saying that he is constantly amazed by him. He has never been afraid of anything and is not at all been intimidated by his new environment. As was the case when I joined Hiroshima from high school, “he said,” I didn’t feel particularly conscious of being among the players I had seen on TV. I think he was just looking forward to going to the majors. I think he just went about his business as usual, without putting in the effort because he was in the majors. “ But that normal routine is difficult. Differences in balls, language problems, and changes in the environment. The fact that many of Japan’s leading sluggers have had to suffer through this has proven this point, but Junzo Uchida, who was the manager of the second team when Suzuki joined Hiroshima and helped his talent grow, is full of praise of Suzuki’s ability to adapt.  In Suzuki’s case, it must have been difficult for him to sign a contract due to the prolonged labor-management negotiations between MLB and the players’ union, and it must have been difficult for him emotionally as well. In terms of batting, he has a good sense of timing. Japanese pitchers throw by lifting their front foot and then splitting their bodies. Pitchers over there are very quick from start to release, coming in 1, 2, 3. Extreme pitchers throw in 1, 2, and 3, with almost no 1. That is why Ichiro reduced the width of his pendulum, Hideki Matsui changed from lifting his feet to using a slip foot, and Shohei Ohtani adopted the no-step hitting method to cope with the situation. Conversely, players such as Shogo Akiyama, who left the Reds before the start of the season, have not been able to adapt to this change and have not been able to show their abilities.  Suzuki, however, has slightly reduced his timing from the beginning and has been able to strike aggressively without being slow to get up. He sometimes hits with no steps when he is backed into a corner, but he has also developed enough power in his nine years in Japan to not lose his strength without using a big recoil.