Munenori Kawasaki’s legend grows with epic karaoke performance

(AP) For those not familiar with Munenori Kawasaki, now is as good a time as any to get familiar with the wildly entertaining infielder from Kagoshima, Japan.

Kawasaki has been around Major League Baseball since 2012, but has played sparingly during stints with the Seattle Mariners and Toronto Blue Jays. Still, he’s managed to become an instant fan favorite in both cities and a popular figure in the clubhouse among his teammates. That’s because Kawasaki loves to have fun, enjoys entertaining teammates every chance he gets, and has a zest for life that becomes infectious.

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Now with the Chicago Cubs, Kawasaki isn’t about to change. Even though he’s 34 now and is a long shot to make Chicago’s already loaded roster, he’s still bringing that same zest and that same passion to camp. And his new teammates are eating it up.

That was especially true on Friday, as Kawasaki stole the show at camp by performing a karaoke version of Aerosmith’s “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing.”

We feel you, @MuneKawasakiWB. “I don’t want to miss a thing” during this #Cubs #SpringTraining.https://t.co/KpJcuyuUu2

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) March 4, 2016

Awesome.

It’s pretty clear that Kawasaki landed in the right spot, even if it’s only for the spring. That’s because Cubs manager Joe Maddon is all about keeping things loose and fun. On day’s like Friday, he’ll let the players amuse themselves to loosen up before taking the field. Then he’ll pull back on the reins when he feels it’s necessary.

“I hope there’s no monotony here,” Maddon told MLB.com’s Carrie Muskat. “Why would you ever want to come out on a daily basis and grind it out in the Arizona heat, relentless sun, doing the same things every day and hoping to get the best things from your group? We just had a really good time a couple minutes ago, and now they’ll get down to business and do their work and take a break and come out and play.

“I know how I’ve done my best work throughout my life, not just my career, and it’s always when I’m having a good time,” Maddon said. “You have to separate the fun moments from business moments. … I like what we’re doing now, and I think it’s appropriate and I think it will help us. It’s part of the group and part of the culture right now.”

And that culture certainly works for the Cubs.

By the way, you may have noticed some of the headbands Cubs players were wearing. Those were actually gifts from Kawasaki designed to inspire and motivate.