After demolishing Central League pitching in his first full season, second baseman Tetsuto Yamada has been spending time upgrading his fielding — a team-wide weakness last season when the Tokyo Yakult Swallows finished last place for the second straight year.

Upon winning the league’s Best IX Award last autumn, the big-hitting youngster vowed to pay more attention to the defensive side, but said the process is anything but a labor of love.

“It’s not interesting at all,” the 22-year-old told Kyodo News at the Swallows’ practice facility earlier this week.

“I guess what I’m trying to achieve is ‘reliability.’ I want people to see balls hit my way and automatically think that’s going to be an out. But I really haven’t improved yet.”

The Swallows were weak at double plays last year. They turned 114 on the ground, but should have had more given the large number of opposing runners on first base.

This year, Yamada, new double-play partner Keiji Obiki and infield coach Hajime Miki have worked overtime to rectify that situation.

Miki, who said a prerequisite for acquiring skills is a real interest in learning, took Yamada’s stated lack of interest with a grain of salt.

“That’s exactly what that kid would say,” Miki said with a laugh. “I think it’s going to take him some time, but he’s going to be fine. In part, he talks like that because he’s still just a kid and I think he’s a little embarrassed. From my perspective he’s getting better little by little and I think he knows that, too.

“There is genius in parts of his game, but when I look at him I think, ‘Yep, he’s still just a kid and when he starts thinking like an adult, he’s going to be something.’

“One thing he’s amazing at is that no matter what happens, he gets over it and doesn’t dwell on it.”

Obiki, a veteran Pacific League shortstop who joined Yakult as a free agent over the winter, is expected to provide stability to what was Japan’s worst defense last season.

He was tasked with the same role after the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters acquired him in a trade prior to the 2013 season, but it wasn’t until last year when the team settled on one man to play second, that the infield defense in Sapporo turned around.

“So much depends on knowing where the other guy is going to be, and what you are both doing in different situations,” Obiki said. “The first year (in Sapporo) I was new and we had a new second baseman and then they switched to other guys.”

Last year at Jingu Stadium, Yamada had six different double-play partners and it was a disaster. This year’s practice might not lead to perfection, but it has led to improvement in Yamada’s fielding skills, at least according to Obiki.

“I think he’s gotten a lot better since the start of camp,” Obiki said. “I have offered advice but for the most part, coach Miki is giving the feedback each and every day, so I don’t really have to say anything. During the game, however, I’ll suggest how we can make plays in different situations.”

The Swallows defense appears to have improved, but both Miki and outfield defense coach Kazuki Fukuchi agreed it’s too early to start anticipating Golden Glove Awards.

“We’ve been better so far, but some of that is just random chance,” Fukuchi said. “It’s a process and what matters is how you play over the course of the season.”

For Yamada, who earned his first call-up to the national team last November with his offense, his talent has long been discussed in terms of his prodigious bat speed.

His 193 hits in 2014 were the most ever in a season by a right-handed Japanese batter. Yamada tied for the CL lead in runs (106) and doubles (39) and was third in home runs with 29.

“I am working on (fielding) because I have to, but I don’t want my offense to suffer,” he said. “Of course, I don’t expect to reach the same numbers this season. Batting is simply too difficult. You can’t let up.”