DUNEDIN, Fla. -- Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has found his new sidekick. Everywhere he went Friday, Kazuma Okamoto was by his side.
Guerrero can be so many people, all at once. He’s George Springer’s mischievous younger brother, the ringleader of a circus and the face of the franchise, depending on the moment. Friday morning at the Blue Jays’ complex, he looked like a leader, like a big brother showing the new guy the ropes.
The duo had Field 2 to themselves for over an hour, fielding 1,000 ground balls from third-base coach Carlos Febles. They started on their knees next to first base, a drill designed to focus on their hands. Okamoto received the first ball closer to his body, but Guerrero waved his hand and told Okamoto to watch him. As Guerrero fielded the ball, he moved his glove outward, attacking the ball with those few inches of movement.
Guerrero mimed the motion a few more times as Okamoto watched and nodded. Every other ball hit Okamoto’s way in the drill looked exactly like that.
Throughout the morning, Guerrero would stop Febles from hitting to call him over along with Okamoto’s interpreter, Yusuke Oshima. Guerrero was running every moment of this. At times, it was as simple as a motion or a few words. At other times, Guerrero was chairing a four-man meeting at the bag.
“Tell him, take the angle like this,” Guerrero would say to Oshima, then as Oshima explained that to Okamoto, Guerrero would be acting out the play in front of them. Then, when it all ended, Okamoto and Guerrero came together for the handshake they’ve already developed. They smack hands, pause, and bow to one another.
“I think Okamoto has become a team favorite in the clubhouse already,” manager John Schneider said. “He’s got a pretty funny sense of humor, and I think the more he can stick with Vlad, the better.”
So much was unspoken, but the respect and friendship was easy to see. Okamoto is a giant in Japan, a star of the Yomiuri Giants, one of the biggest organizations and biggest markets in the country. He’s used to being “the guy,” but in these early days of camp when everything has felt so new, he’s looking to Guerrero. At times, Okamoto was asking questions and working with Guerrero on the fundamentals around the bag. Other times, there was only a glance, one brother looking for a nod of approval from the other.
Then, the two made the walk over to Field 1 for batting practice, where they met the other two brothers in the group, Springer and Daulton Varsho. They fit together as two pairs, each with one wild child, one serious one.
Earlier this week, when Schneider was looking for Springer for a meeting, he simply walked through the clubhouse and bellowed, “Daulton, where’s your brother?”
On the way over to Field 1, Guerrero stopped off at the washrooms, so Okamoto arrived to meet Springer and Varsho alone. Last week, the group had given Okamoto a hard time for being late for a drill -- even if he wasn’t -- so this time, they let Okamoto in on the fun. Springer was the setup man, urging Okamoto to wait for Guerrero to walk out of the building and start yelling.
“Put your hands up in the air like this,” Springer said, getting Okamoto in position. Springer, in most of these moments, is the big brother, scheming.
When Guerrero finally walked out, there was Okamoto, hands waving in the air and pointing at his watch. “Hey! Hey!” Guerrero was beaming.
“George has been close to him, I’ve tried to be close to him and then there’s Vladdy, a guy who can talk first base with him a little bit and talk hitting a little bit,” Schneider said. “I know Vlad said it’s easy to talk to him because he speaks some Spanish. We’ll see how that unfolds.”
These small moments matter. They also show how far Guerrero has come, especially those quiet moments while the two took ground balls together. Guerrero, like Springer, is an overgrown 10-year-old, but he understands how serious all of this is. He understands the power of his voice now. Even Okamoto, one of the most talented and respected Japanese players today, has immediately looked to follow Guerrero’s lead, understanding who he is and what he represents.
Soon enough, Okamoto will be drawn into more of the chaos. He’ll learn the dances and join the dinners, but already, he’s been an excellent fit in the Blue Jays’ clubhouse. If you’re looking for him, and the dozens of Japanese news cameras aren’t enough of a clue, just look for Vladdy.