Griffey, MLB stars reveal importance of 'having fun' in Tokyo MLB Cup coaches clinic

TOKYO -- Twenty local Japanese U-12 coaches arrived at Tokyo Dome early Monday morning for an MLB Cup clinic led by MLB stars and legends. MLB Network's Harold Reynolds helped play M.C., while Jason Kendall shared catching insights, Jeremy Guthrie broke down the importance of pitching and throwing mechanics and Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. revealed how he approaches batting.

Despite the differences in players, styles, and positions, the messages they shared revealed startling similarities: Positioning, stances, and approaches to the game all shared commonalities. Kendall, Guthrie, and Griffey even stood around in a circle, each in their stance, to show how alike they each were.

In addition to the mechanical and tactical tips the big leaguers shared, there was one message each player wanted the coaches to take away from the day: The importance of making sure the young players were having fun.

"When you're having fun, you go to practice, you go to games, and you get better," Guthrie said. (When Kendall joked that Guthrie was maybe throwing a little too hard for a demonstration, the pitcher reiterated the point: It's more fun to throw hard.)

Reynolds agreed, wanting the coaches to let their players to have the freedom to make decisions at the plate, on the mound.

Kendall discussed the importance of catchers having the ability to call the game from behind the dish, working with the pitchers, instead of simply repeating what the manager called from the dugout.

And then Griffey, the player known as "The Kid" for the child-like joy he displayed in his playing career, shared a training tool he used when he coached his son's team. Rather than immediately jumping into the batter's box, he gave each of the young players a towel and let them run around the field, laughing and swatting at each other. This wasn't just to let the kids burn off some excess energy: It was to help find where each player's natural "power position," was -- whether they liked their hands up high and close to the body, or perhaps lower and stretched farther away.

Most important of all, the players were simply having fun.

"Baseball is fun. It's supposed to be fun," Griffey said. "If you guys went to work and were miserable after about two weeks, you'd be like, 'You know what? I'll find something else to do.'"

Even as players advance in the game and reach higher levels of the sport, whether that's high school or the pros, it's important to remember that fact: The game is fun.

"You start off playing this game with what? Nothing, because you wanted to play," Griffey said. "You don't have a shoe deal, you don't have a contract, you don't have anything. You have your mom, dad, grandparents. Those are the only people that show up at the game. As you get older, then it becomes such and such, but if you don't have the love for the game, you're not gonna last long."

The slugger, who bashed 630 home runs in his 22-year big league career, admitted that it can be hard to remember that at times. The game is competitive and no one is happy with an oh-fer at the plate.

"Throughout my entire career, I tried to stay as even keel as possible," Griffey said. "I will laugh if something's funny, but I take baseball very seriously."

He shared that at times he would go home, still stewing from a rough day at the plate, his wife reminding him that he is back at home and no longer at the park. Perhaps it was time to forget about the one pitch he missed.

"What's great about baseball is you've got the next day," Griffey said. "You can go 0-for-4 for the next day or you can go two-for-four, three-for-four, make three plays."

The tip he shared is what his dad, Major Leaguer Ken Griffey Sr. taught him: "Dad told me, you're not as good as what they write about you, and you're not as bad as what you think you are. You're right there in the middle, so try to stay there."