Japanese import a good fit

Five months into his new life, Braves pitcher Kenshin Kawakami could be a pretty lonely guy by now. Since February, he's been away from family and friends back in Japan. He has no one in the United States he is particularly close to and who speaks his language, unless you count Daichi Takasue, his 22-year-old interpreter and, by default, his closest companion. But that's not how Kawakami sees it. And he doesn't need Takasue to answer this question for him: Are you happy? "Yes," Kawakami said. The right-hander signed a three-year, $23 million contract with the Braves , which makes the transition to life away from home easier. He has also found a favorite sushi spot --- Hayakawa on Buford Highway. He has also started to show he can hold his own on the mound, which translates in any language. Kawakami is 4-6 with a 4.25 ERA, but over his past 10 starts he has revealed himself as a more polished performer, with a 3-3 record and 3.18 ERA. The win total could be higher, but like the rest of the rotation, he has suffered from poor run support on a regular basis. Kawakami was scheduled to open the series against the Philadelphia Phillies tonight, but his start was pushed back to Friday to give him extra time to recover from a contusion he suffered when he was hit in the neck with a line drive last Wednesday against the New York Yankees. The biggest adjustment Kawakami has faced, cultural or otherwise, is the strike zone. Known as a control pitcher in Japan, he walked 10 batters in his first 17 innings for the Braves and had to contend with high pitch counts. "It was different than what he expected," Takasue said of the strike zone. "It's small," Kawakami said himself. The game itself is bigger, Kawakami explained. In Japan, they play small ball, with even the third or fourth hitter prepared to bunt when asked. But he has enjoyed it just the same, feels welcomed by his teammates and doesn't focus on what or whom he's missing at home. Even the word "miss" is hard to translate into Japanese, Takasue said. "It's not too bad since I get a lot of calls from Japan from my friends," Kawakami said through Takasue. "I just try to think of it as a very far road trip." When Kawakami finishes a night game on the East coast, it's just midday in Japan, so it's a good time to call. His parents plan to make a trip to Atlanta in August or September. In the meantime, he has made a home for himself in Sugarloaf Country Club. And he's found a favorite shopping spot to buy things for the house. "I like to go to Home Depot," Kawakami said through Takasue. "It's fun just to walk around because there are so many things, not like Japan." He has fed his car hobby in the U.S., too. He recently bought a Maserati to go with the Chevy Tahoe hybrid he has through the Braves . The trick, he has found, is driving it around town. "I have to be very careful so I don't get in an accident," Kawakami said through Takasue. "Safety first, because people drive fast over here." He played golf during spring training but has put it aside for the season while he focuses on pitching. He's learning English --- some Spanish, too --- to get closer to his teammates. And when that falls short, he's got a locker mate in Buddy Carlyle who played two years in Japan and speaks some Japanese. He also has a pitching coach in Roger McDowell who learned some Japanese to make Kawakami more comfortable. "'Yoi' is 'really, really good,'" McDowell said. "'Ganbatte kudasai' is 'good luck and win, please.'" When it comes to strategy, McDowell can count on catcher Brian McCann to interpret what he wants. There is no language barrier in the signs for pitches and locations. And Kawakami is learning phrases, so when McDowell says "control the body," he knows the coach wants him to slow down his motion. "My Japanese is getting a little bit better," McDowell said. "His English is getting a lot better, so somewhere in the middle we kind of figure things out." That goes for Kawakami off the field as well. Takasue said Kawakami has learned about 50 English phrases. Like what, Kawakami is asked? "Can I have a cheeseburger?" he said with a smile. "My order come yet? Not yet?" Next for Braves Who: vs. Phillies When: 7:10 p.m. today TV; radio: WPCH; 96.1, 640