Jani Komulainen’s transition to Manse PP’s game manager was a shock to Aapo Komulainen at first. On Saturday, father and son will face in a TV match – on different sides.
Sakari Lund,
Kimmo Porttila
Manse PP–Sotkamon Jymy on Saturday from 14:45 on TV2 and Areena.
In the men’s Superpesis TV match, the leading teams Manse PP and Sotkamon Jymy will meet on Saturday. The match has an exceptional setting when Mansen acts as the game director Jani Komulainen and his son, 20 years old, as Sotkamo’s suitor Aapo Komulainen.
The people of Komu have always been together and participated in the same team, so the situation is new and special for both. Jani Komulainen was Jymy’s game manager from 2018 to 2022. In March of this year, he moved to Manse PP’s game manager, when Toni Kohonen the contract was terminated.
When Komulainen told his son about it, the first reaction was violent.
– Aapo was dismayed. He was the first to say that you cannot become an enemy. He spent a day digesting the matter and I digested Aapo’s reaction, Jani Komulainen says.
– Then when we got to discuss what value baseball has in relation to the father-son relationship, I believe that it has only deepened the relationship.
Aapo also describes the same situation in such a way that deeper discussions have indeed clearly taken place.
– It didn’t come out of the blue, but it did scare me a bit. The first thing I heard from him was that he is seriously negotiating with Manse. It aroused emotions, but the first reaction was overcome and the matter was thoroughly reviewed.
– We went through the importance and importance of baseball in life and how much it affects one of the most important relationships in life. We quickly came to the conclusion that quite a lot can happen on the field, that such a valuable relationship would be ruined.
Game director versus lock
What makes it particularly interesting is that it is precisely the game director and the locker. In baseball, the shortstop and the opposing game manager play specifically against each other.
– Without a doubt, the competition is going on. Lukkari constantly tries to find out the game director’s thoughts, and the game director tries to think about what the game director thinks. We play against each other all the time, confirms Jani Komulainen.
Aapo Komulainen states the competitive situation even more strongly.
– On a scale from zero to ten, ten. The situation is quite frankly that the game manager is thinking about what the lock is doing and vice versa.
Father and son Komulainen certainly know each other’s thoughts better than game managers and lockers on average.
– It’s an interesting situation and certainly exciting. I have never had such an experience before. Aapo is one of Finland’s best strikers, so the situation will be challenging for me. This is a competitive sport and both try to use the things we know about each other, Jani said.
Who knows the other better?
– Good question. Maybe it will be clear after the game is played, Jani stated.
– If all the issues are discussed, he knows more. But when we go to the field, I know better what comes from the fan than he knows what comes from under the flipper, Aapo threw.
Aapo also reminds that he is not the only one who knows Jani Komulainen’s thoughts. The whole team, apart from the newcomers, has been in his team for the past few years.
On Saturday, father and son will face off in the first match of both seasons. According to his own words, Aapo Komulainen has not thought about the matter especially during the match.
– Everyday has been quite hectic, so I haven’t had time to think about it. You’ll see it after the game, how it feels.
Jani Komulainen was already thinking about the time after the game.
– When the game is played, no matter how it went, we play and laugh or wonder together.