Kyuji Fujikawa
Encyclopedia
is a closer
for the Hanshin Tigers
.
Fujikawa pitched in the 2006
and 2009
World Baseball Classic
s as well as the 2008 Beijing Olympics
. A prototypical power pitcher
, Fujikawa is said to have one of the most explosive fastball
s in all of Japanese professional baseball and is one of Japan's premier relievers
.
, in 1980, a member of the so-called Matsuzaka Generation
. His name "Kyuji" literally means "baseball kid" in Japanese, and is often used as part of the phrase "Kōkō-kyuji" (高校球児) to refer to a high school baseball
player. It was reportedly given to him by his father because he had thrown a no-hitter
in a sandlot baseball game the day before Fujikawa was born. He began playing baseball for the Little League team "Kodakasa White Wolf", first as a shortstop
, then later as a pitcher
.
Fujikawa went on to Kochi
Commercial High School
, where he both pitched and played right field
in the 79th National High School Baseball Championship
in his second year (the equivalent of eleventh
grade in the United States). His older brother, Junichi, was the team's starting catcher
. While his team lost in the second round to Heian High School, Fujikawa clocked 144 km/h (89 mph) in the regional Kochi Tournament and had been regarded as one of the better high school prospects in the prefecture.
Fujikawa was picked in the first round of the 1998 NPB amateur draft
by the Hanshin Tigers
, one of only four high school pitchers to be selected in the first round (along with Daisuke Matsuzaka
, Nagisa Arakaki
and Katsutoshi Ishidoh, though Arakaki did not end up signing that year).
season was uneventful, his perhaps most humorous moment of 1999 occurring during Spring Training when he was forced to miss part of the team's workouts to attend remedial classes at his high school because his grades
had been so poor. It was a unique situation made possible by the fact that the Tigers' Spring Training site, Aki
, happened to be close to the city of Kochi where Fujikawa's high school was located.
Fujikawa was called up to the ichigun (Japanese equivalent of "major league") team for the first time the following year (2000), coming on in relief in the Tigers' season opener against the BayStars
on March 31 in his professional debut. He saw his first start
in his fourth season, 2002, taking the mound against the BayStars on July 21 but lasting just four innings (he gave up two runs
). He earned his first career win
on September 11, holding the Yakult Swallows
to one run over eight innings, finishing the season with a 1-5 record
and a 3.71 ERA
. However, while the Tigers had hoped that he would blossom as a starter and used him exclusively in that role that season, his career numbers up until 2003 were largely unspectacular.
" or "farm team") with a shoulder injury
, Fujikawa decided to take the advice of pitching coach Takashi Yamaguchi and rebuild his mechanics from scratch in May 2004. Fujikawa was called up the ichigun team in the second half of the season, eager to live up to pitching coach Kiyooki Nakanishi's expectations that he would be more effective as a middle reliever
than as a starter, and appeared
in 26 games, striking out
35 in 31 innings
with a 2.61 ERA.
for the Tigers along with hard-throwing left-hander Jeff Williams. He, Williams and then-closer Tomoyuki Kubota
formed one of the most formidable relief pitching trios in Japan, even earning themselves the nickname JFK ("Jeff", "Fujikawa", "Kubota"). He earned the Central League
Most Valuable Player
award for the month of June and received the most fan votes for Central League relief pitcher (excluding closers) for the NPB All-Star Game
. He recorded his first career save on September 9 against the Hiroshima Toyo Carp
.
Fujikawa played an integral role in the Tigers' league
title that year, striking out 139 in 92 1/3 innings for a 13.55 strikeout rate and holding opposing teams to a 1.36 ERA. He set a new NPB record for games pitched in a single season with 79 on September 29 against the Yomiuri Giants
(Kazuhisa Inao
and Tsuyoshi Kikuchihara were tied for the previous record of 78) and extending it to 80 in his last appearance of the season on October 2. (Kubota holds the current NPB record of 90, established in .) He also led the league with 46 holds
, winning the Central League Most Valuable Setup Pitcher award and even garnering MVP
consideration (teammate and cleanup hitter
Tomoaki Kanemoto
eventually won the award).
to play in the inaugural World Baseball Classic. He began the regular season as the Tigers' eighth-inning setup man, but was promoted to closer when Kubota missed playing time due to injury in June. He set a new NPB record for consecutive games pitched without allowing a run on July 5 against the BayStars with 35 (Kiyoshi Toyoda
held the previous record) and set a franchise record for most consecutive scoreless innings pitched on July 11 (320-win pitcher Masaaki Koyama held the previous record of 47). His streaks stopped at 38 and 47 2/3, respectively, when he gave up a run in a game against the Carp on July 12.
Fujikawa was named to the Central League All-Star team for the second straight year, commenting beforee the All-Star Series that he wanted to "create a baseball world like the one you see in comic books." He came on in relief in Game 1 (held July 21) at Meiji Jingu Stadium
, playfully indicating to then-Seibu Lions slugger Alex Cabrera
that he would throw nothing but fastballs by showing him his grip from the mound. He then proceeded to strike out Cabrera (on three pitches, all swing-and-misses) as well as then-Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters
first baseman
Michihiro Ogasawara
(after he fouled off several pitches). In Game 2, held at Sun Marine Stadium Miyazaki on July 23, he again came on in relief, striking out Orix Buffaloes
slugger Kazuhiro Kiyohara
swinging and causing Kiyohara to remark after the game, "I give up... he was throwing a fireball out there."
That season, the Central League had become a two-way race for the league title between the Tigers and the Chunichi Dragons
by July. However, the Tigers struggled after the All-Star break, so much so that the Dragons had built up a nine-game lead in the standings by late August. The Tigers were subject to widespread criticism from their fans when they were swept by the Dragons in a head-to-head three-game series that month. Fujikawa, who had been scratched from the roster since August 12 due to a neck injury, returned to the team on August 27, taking the mound in the eighth inning against the Giants and getting the win. He shed tears in his post-game interview, saying to fans, "Please understand that we players are giving it everything we've got."
Fujikawa appeared in 63 games that year, striking out 122 in 79 1/3 innings (for a strikeout rate of 13.84) with a meagre 0.68 ERA. He led the league in holds for the second straight year with 30 despite also recording 17 saves as the closer in the latter half of the season.
, who also recorded 46 that year) in that category for the first time. He put up a 5-5 record in 71 appearances with a 1.63 ERA, striking out 115 in 83 1/3 innings.
in 2008, setting a franchise record for consecutive save conversions (11) to begin the season and racking up 30 by the All-Star break. He was chosen to the Japanese national team to play in the 2008 Beijing Olympics
and named one of the team's three closers (along with Iwase and then-Giants right-hander Koji Uehara
). However, Fujikawa gave up the tying run after coming on in the seventh inning of the semi-finals against South Korea, failing to lead the team to a medal.
Fujikawa pitched well after returning to the Tigers despite often being called on to pitch two innings or when the game was tied. He recorded his 100th career save against the BayStars on September 25, finishing the year with an 8-1 record, 38 saves (second to only Giants closer Marc Kroon
), 90 strikeouts and a career-best 0.67 ERA in 67 2/3 innings (63 appearances).
or second
rounds, Fujikawa allowed an inordinate number of baserunners and struggled with his fastball velocity. Manager Tatsunori Hara
opted to appoint Yu Darvish
the closer for the semi-finals and finals instead of Fujikawa, declining to use Fujikawa at all in Japan's last two games of the tournament.
Despite this, Fujikawa found a way to contribute to the team, providing Darvish (who had no prior experience as a closer) advice regarding how a closer was to mentally and physically prepare
himself prior to games. He vehemently denied reports by the media that he would no longer play for the national team because he was dissastisfied by the way he was used, saying, "I have never said anything to that effect."
Fujikawa saw limited appearances the first month of the regular season, going 1-0 with two saves and a 1.29 ERA but pitching in only five games in all of April (the Tigers played few games in which they held a small lead in the late innings). He gave up a game-winning home run
to 20-year-old shortstop Hayato Sakamoto
in a game against the Giants on May 2, incurring his first loss of the year. The Tigers suffered another blow when Fujikawa reported pain in his right elbow and had to be removed from the active roster the following day. Though he returned to the ichigun team on May 13, he was charged with his second loss of the young season when he gave up a game-winning RBI
double
to Carp first baseman Kenta Kurihara
that very day.
Though he has come to use his respectable repertoire of offspeed pitches
more often in recent years, he is most well known for his four-seam fastball
.
While there are other pitchers in both Japanese professional baseball (Kroon, Kubota) and the major leagues
that throw harder than Fujikawa on a consistent basis in terms of absolute velocity, Fujikawa's fastball is most notable for the late life at the end of its trajectory
(akin to that of Boston Red Sox
closer Jonathan Papelbon
) that makes it appear to "hop" in front of hitters and seem faster than radar gun
readings would suggest. That hitters are frequently seen swinging and missing high fastballs by a distance of two to three balls even when they clearly end up caught out of the strike zone
is a testament to how much the pitch appears to "jump" at them in front of the plate.
On March 23, 2008, following an exhibition game between the Tigers and the Oakland Athletics
held at Tokyo Dome
in which he struck out swinging against Fujikawa, current Baltimore Orioles
outfielder
Jeff Fiorentino
commented that Fujikawa's fastball was similar in nature to that of (then-teammate and current Chicago Cubs
right-hander) Rich Harden
.
aired a short documentary on Fujikawa's fastball as part of a series on professional baseball on its popular news program "Hōdō Station" (報道ステーション). Through the use of specialized high speed camera
s, it found that while the average four-seam fastball spins
37 times per second during its trajectory to the plate, Fujikawa's fastball spun 45 times per second (2700 rpm), more than either Daisuke Matsuzaka's (37) or Marc Kroon's (41). Moreover, they also found that while the spin axis of the average four-seam fastball is tilted approximately 30 degrees relative to its direction (trajectory) to the plate, the spin axis of Fujikawa's was only five degrees (Matsuzaka's and Kroon's were 10).
According to the principles of the Magnus effect
, the faster an object spins and the less it is tilted about its vertical axis, the more lift
it will create, causing the ball to travel in a trajectory more closely modeling a straight line than a typical fastball would. The program hypothesized
that Fujikawa's fastball, if thrown from an identical release point at exactly the same target, would cross home plate a full 30 cm (11.8 in) higher than the average fastball. They concluded that was one possible explanation for why hitters felt Fujikawa's fastball appeared to "rise" as it approached the plate.
as well as a curveball
, relying primarily on these two pitches to keep batters off-balance. (He also has a cutter
and a changeup
that he rarely uses in game situations.) While the overwhelming majority of Fujikawa's pitches were fastballs when he first made a name for himself as a reliever in 2004 to 2006, often going entire innings without throwing a single offspeed pitch, he has since incorporated a larger share of forkballs and curveballs to reduce fatigue and possible injury over time.
rock band Lindberg
, to be played over the public address system
when Fujikawa enters home games (including interleague) at Koshien Stadium
or Kyocera Dome Osaka
. Many Tigers fans can be seen waving their megaphones and thundersticks to the beat of the music and singing along as the song is played. Fujikawa has said that the song has had special meaning for him and his wife since before they got married.
Bold indicates league leader; holds not officially recorded in Central League until 2005; statistics current as of 2010
Closer (baseball)
In baseball, a closing pitcher, more frequently referred to as a closer , is a relief pitcher who specializes in closing out games, i.e., getting the final outs in a close game. Closers often appear when the score is close, and the role is often assigned to a team's best reliever. A small number of...
for the Hanshin Tigers
Hanshin Tigers
The are a Nippon Professional Baseball team based in Koshien, Nishinomiya, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, and are in the Central League. Hanshin Electric Railway Co., Ltd., the subsidiary of Hankyu Hanshin Holdings Inc., owns the Hanshin Tigers directly...
.
Fujikawa pitched in the 2006
2006 World Baseball Classic
---------Pool B:-------------Pool C:-------------Pool D:-------------Pool 1:-----------------Pool 2:-------------Finals:-Semifinals:-Final:-Final standings:...
and 2009
2009 World Baseball Classic
The 2009 World Baseball Classic was an international baseball competition. It is the only international baseball tournament to feature a large number of players from the major leagues of North America and Asia. It began on March 5, 2009, and finished March 23, 2009.Japan emerged victorious for the...
World Baseball Classic
World Baseball Classic
The World Baseball Classic is an international baseball tournament sanctioned by the International Baseball Federation and created by Major League Baseball , the Major League Baseball Players Association , and other professional baseball leagues and their players associations around the world...
s as well as the 2008 Beijing Olympics
Baseball at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Baseball at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing was held from August 13 to August 23. All games were played at Wukesong Baseball Field, a temporary venue constructed at the Beijing Wukesong Culture & Sports Center...
. A prototypical power pitcher
Power pitcher
In baseball, a power pitcher is a pitcher who relies on the velocity of his pitches, sometimes at the expense of accuracy. Power pitchers usually record a high number of strikeouts and statistics such as strikeouts per 9 innings pitched are common measures of power...
, Fujikawa is said to have one of the most explosive fastball
Fastball
The fastball is the most common type of pitch in baseball. Some "power pitchers," such as Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, have thrown it at speeds of 95–106 mph and up to 108.1 mph , relying purely on speed to prevent the ball from being hit...
s in all of Japanese professional baseball and is one of Japan's premier relievers
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
.
Early life and high school career
Fujikawa was born in Kōchi, KōchiKochi, Kochi
is the capital city of Kōchi Prefecture on Shikoku island of Japan.Kōchi is the main city of the prefecture with over 40% of its population. As of May 31, 2008, the city had an estimated population of 340,515 and a density of...
, in 1980, a member of the so-called Matsuzaka Generation
Matsuzaka Generation
The is a term used to collectively describe the baseball players that belong to current Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka's age group...
. His name "Kyuji" literally means "baseball kid" in Japanese, and is often used as part of the phrase "Kōkō-kyuji" (高校球児) to refer to a high school baseball
High school baseball in Japan
In Japan, high school baseball generally refers to the two annual baseball tournaments played by high schools nationwide culminating at a final showdown at Hanshin Kōshien Stadium in Nishinomiya, Japan...
player. It was reportedly given to him by his father because he had thrown a no-hitter
No-hitter
A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...
in a sandlot baseball game the day before Fujikawa was born. He began playing baseball for the Little League team "Kodakasa White Wolf", first as a shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
, then later as a pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
.
Fujikawa went on to Kochi
Kochi Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the south coast of Shikoku. The capital is the city of Kōchi.- History :Prior to the Meiji Restoration, Kōchi was known as Tosa Province and was controlled by the Chosokabe clan in the Sengoku period and the Yamauchi family during the Edo period.- Geography...
Commercial High School
Commercial high school (Japan)
A , called or shōgyō for short, is a Japanese high school which concentrates more on the teaching of business and commerce knowledge and skills rather than the college preparatory courses taught in most Japanese high schools. Most students who graduate from a commercial high school directly enter...
, where he both pitched and played right field
Right fielder
A right fielder, abbreviated RF, is the outfielder in baseball or softball who plays defense in right field. Right field is the area of the outfield to the right of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
in the 79th National High School Baseball Championship
National High School Baseball Championship
The National High School Baseball Championship of Japan, commonly known as "Summer Kōshien" , is an annual nationwide high school baseball tournament...
in his second year (the equivalent of eleventh
Eleventh
In music or music theory an eleventh is the note eleven scale degrees from the root of a chord and also the interval between the root and the eleventh....
grade in the United States). His older brother, Junichi, was the team's starting catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
. While his team lost in the second round to Heian High School, Fujikawa clocked 144 km/h (89 mph) in the regional Kochi Tournament and had been regarded as one of the better high school prospects in the prefecture.
Fujikawa was picked in the first round of the 1998 NPB amateur draft
Draft (sports)
A draft is a process used in the United States, Canada, Japan, Australia, Russia and the Philippines to allocate certain players to sports teams. In a draft, teams take turns selecting from a pool of eligible players...
by the Hanshin Tigers
Hanshin Tigers
The are a Nippon Professional Baseball team based in Koshien, Nishinomiya, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, and are in the Central League. Hanshin Electric Railway Co., Ltd., the subsidiary of Hankyu Hanshin Holdings Inc., owns the Hanshin Tigers directly...
, one of only four high school pitchers to be selected in the first round (along with Daisuke Matsuzaka
Daisuke Matsuzaka
is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball in the United States. He previously played for the Seibu Lions in Japan's Pacific League. He was selected the MVP of the inaugural and the second World Baseball Classic, and is an Olympic bronze...
, Nagisa Arakaki
Nagisa Arakaki
is a Japanese professional baseball player. He is currently with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball. Despite having one of the best fastballs and sliders of anyone in the league, Arakaki has battled control problems and injuries throughout his career...
and Katsutoshi Ishidoh, though Arakaki did not end up signing that year).
Early years: 1999 to 2003
Fujikawa's rookieRookie
Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of their sport or has little or no professional experience. The term also has the more general meaning of anyone new to a profession, training or activity Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of...
season was uneventful, his perhaps most humorous moment of 1999 occurring during Spring Training when he was forced to miss part of the team's workouts to attend remedial classes at his high school because his grades
Grade (education)
Grades are standardized measurements of varying levels of comprehension within a subject area. Grades can be assigned in letters , as a range , as a number out of a possible total , as descriptors , in percentages, or, as is common in some post-secondary...
had been so poor. It was a unique situation made possible by the fact that the Tigers' Spring Training site, Aki
Aki, Kochi
is a city located in Kōchi, Japan on the island of Shikoku.As of 2010, the city has an estimated population of 19,882 and the density of 64.4 persons per km². The total area is 317.34 km². The heart of Aki city is located along the Japan National Route 55 and faces the Pacific Ocean to the south...
, happened to be close to the city of Kochi where Fujikawa's high school was located.
Fujikawa was called up to the ichigun (Japanese equivalent of "major league") team for the first time the following year (2000), coming on in relief in the Tigers' season opener against the BayStars
Yokohama BayStars
The are a professional baseball team in the Japanese Central League. Home field is the Yokohama Stadium, located in central Yokohama. The clubhouse is located near the stadium....
on March 31 in his professional debut. He saw his first start
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
in his fourth season, 2002, taking the mound against the BayStars on July 21 but lasting just four innings (he gave up two runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
). He earned his first career win
Win (baseball)
In professional baseball, there are two types of decisions: a win and a loss . In each game, one pitcher on the winning team is awarded a win and one pitcher on the losing team is given a loss in their respective statistics. These pitchers are collectively known as the pitchers of record. Only...
on September 11, holding the Yakult Swallows
Tokyo Yakult Swallows
is a professional baseball team in Japan's Central League.The Swallows are named after their corporate owners, the Yakult Corporation. From 1950 to 1965, the team was owned by the former Japanese National Railways and called the Kokutetsu Swallows; the team was then owned by the newspaper Sankei...
to one run over eight innings, finishing the season with a 1-5 record
Pitchers of record
Pitcher of record is a baseball term that refers to a pitcher who is credited with the win or charged with the loss in a particular game. These pitchers are known respectively as the winning and losing pitchers and collectively as the pitchers of record; thus, there are always two pitchers of...
and a 3.71 ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
. However, while the Tigers had hoped that he would blossom as a starter and used him exclusively in that role that season, his career numbers up until 2003 were largely unspectacular.
2004
Relegated to the nigun team ("minor leagueMinor league
Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities. This term is used in North America with regard to several organizations competing in...
" or "farm team") with a shoulder injury
Shoulder problems
Shoulder problems including pain, are one of the more common reasons for physician visits for musculoskeletal symptoms. The shoulder is the most movable joint in the body. However, it is an unstable joint because of the range of motion allowed...
, Fujikawa decided to take the advice of pitching coach Takashi Yamaguchi and rebuild his mechanics from scratch in May 2004. Fujikawa was called up the ichigun team in the second half of the season, eager to live up to pitching coach Kiyooki Nakanishi's expectations that he would be more effective as a middle reliever
Middle relief pitcher
In baseball, middle relief pitchers are relief pitchers who commonly pitch in the 6th or 7th innings or in situations where several innings worth of work is required . In the National League, a middle reliever often comes in after the starting pitcher has been pulled for a pinch hitter...
than as a starter, and appeared
Games pitched
In baseball statistics, games pitched is the number of games in which a player appears as a pitcher; a player who is announced as the pitcher must face at least one batter, although exceptions are made if the pitcher announced in the starting lineup is injured before facing a batter, perhaps while...
in 26 games, striking out
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
35 in 31 innings
Innings pitched
In baseball, innings pitched are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one inning pitched. One out counts as one-third of an inning, and two...
with a 2.61 ERA.
2005
The 2005 season was a breakout year in every sense for Fujikawa, who became a setup pitcherSetup pitcher
In baseball, a setup pitcher is a relief pitcher who regularly pitches before the closer. They commonly pitch the 7th and/or 8th innings, with the closer pitching the 9th....
for the Tigers along with hard-throwing left-hander Jeff Williams. He, Williams and then-closer Tomoyuki Kubota
Tomoyuki Kubota
is a Japanese pitcher with the Hanshin Tigers in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball. He was selected as a member in the 2006 World Baseball Classic.-External links:...
formed one of the most formidable relief pitching trios in Japan, even earning themselves the nickname JFK ("Jeff", "Fujikawa", "Kubota"). He earned the Central League
Central League
The or is one the two professional baseball leagues that constitute Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. The winner of the league championship plays against the winner of the Pacific League in the annual Japan Series. It currently consists of six teams from around the country,The Central League...
Most Valuable Player
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
award for the month of June and received the most fan votes for Central League relief pitcher (excluding closers) for the NPB All-Star Game
Nippon Professional Baseball All-Star Game
The Nippon Professional Baseball All-Star Game is an annual baseball game between players from the Central League and the Pacific League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
. He recorded his first career save on September 9 against the Hiroshima Toyo Carp
Hiroshima Toyo Carp
The are a professional baseball team in Japan's Central League. The team is primarily owned by the Matsuda family, led by , who is a descendant of Mazda founder Jujiro Matsuda. Mazda is the largest single shareholder , which is less than the portion owned by the Matsuda family . Because of that,...
.
Fujikawa played an integral role in the Tigers' league
Sports league
League is a term commonly used to describe a group of sports teams or individual athletes that compete against each other in a specific sport. At its simplest, it may be a local group of amateur athletes who form teams among themselves and compete on weekends; at its most complex, it can be an...
title that year, striking out 139 in 92 1/3 innings for a 13.55 strikeout rate and holding opposing teams to a 1.36 ERA. He set a new NPB record for games pitched in a single season with 79 on September 29 against the Yomiuri Giants
Yomiuri Giants
The are a professional baseball team based in Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan. The team competes in the Central League in Nippon Professional Baseball, the top level of professional play in Japan. They play their home games in the Tokyo Dome, opened in 1988. The English-language press occasionally calls the...
(Kazuhisa Inao
Kazuhisa Inao
was a Japanese professional baseball pitcher. In 1957, he won 20 consecutive games. In 1958 Japan Series, he pitched six games and won 4 consecutive games after his team lost 3 games. He even made a home run in fifth game of Japan Series. He was the Pacific League's Most Valuable Player in 1957 and...
and Tsuyoshi Kikuchihara were tied for the previous record of 78) and extending it to 80 in his last appearance of the season on October 2. (Kubota holds the current NPB record of 90, established in .) He also led the league with 46 holds
Hold (baseball)
A hold is awarded to a relief pitcher who meets the following three conditions:Unlike saves, wins, and losses, more than one pitcher per team can earn a hold for a game, though it is not possible for a pitcher to receive more than one hold in a given game...
, winning the Central League Most Valuable Setup Pitcher award and even garnering MVP
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
consideration (teammate and cleanup hitter
Cleanup hitter
In baseball, the cleanup hitter is the hitter who bats fourth in the lineup. Although the third man up is generally the hitter with the highest batting average, cleanup hitters often have the most power on the team and are typically the team's best power hitter; their job is to "clean up the...
Tomoaki Kanemoto
Tomoaki Kanemoto
is a Japanese professional baseball outfielder with the Hanshin Tigers in Nippon Professional Baseball.The Tigers' current cleanup hitter, Kanemoto is regarded as one of the most accomplished hitters in Japanese professional baseball history and has hit more home runs in his career than any other...
eventually won the award).
2006
In 2006, Fujikawa was named to the Japanese national teamJapan national baseball team
The Japan national baseball team is the national baseball team representing Japan in international competitions. They are one of the more successful baseball teams in the world, having won the World Baseball Classic in 2006 and 2009...
to play in the inaugural World Baseball Classic. He began the regular season as the Tigers' eighth-inning setup man, but was promoted to closer when Kubota missed playing time due to injury in June. He set a new NPB record for consecutive games pitched without allowing a run on July 5 against the BayStars with 35 (Kiyoshi Toyoda
Kiyoshi Toyoda
Kiyoshi Toyoda is a Japanese professional baseball player. He is currently with the Hiroshima Toyo Carp in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball.-External links:...
held the previous record) and set a franchise record for most consecutive scoreless innings pitched on July 11 (320-win pitcher Masaaki Koyama held the previous record of 47). His streaks stopped at 38 and 47 2/3, respectively, when he gave up a run in a game against the Carp on July 12.
Fujikawa was named to the Central League All-Star team for the second straight year, commenting beforee the All-Star Series that he wanted to "create a baseball world like the one you see in comic books." He came on in relief in Game 1 (held July 21) at Meiji Jingu Stadium
Meiji Jingu Stadium
is a baseball stadium in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan. It opened in 1926 and holds 37,933 spectators. Property of the Meiji Shrine, it is the home field of the Tokyo Yakult Swallows professional baseball team...
, playfully indicating to then-Seibu Lions slugger Alex Cabrera
Alex Cabrera
Alex Cabrera is a Venezuelan first baseman and right-handed batter who played in Major League Baseball and Nippon Professional Baseball...
that he would throw nothing but fastballs by showing him his grip from the mound. He then proceeded to strike out Cabrera (on three pitches, all swing-and-misses) as well as then-Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters
Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters
The are a Japanese professional baseball team based in Sapporo, Hokkaidō. They compete in the Pacific League of Nippon Professional Baseball, playing the majority of their home games at the Sapporo Dome. The Fighters also host a select number of regional home games in cities across Hokkaidō,...
first baseman
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
Michihiro Ogasawara
Michihiro Ogasawara
Michihiro Ogasawara is a Japanese professional baseball player. He currently plays first base for the Yomiuri Giants in Japan's Central League . He played with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters from to .-Career:Ogasawara is one of the most consistent hitters in Japanese baseball...
(after he fouled off several pitches). In Game 2, held at Sun Marine Stadium Miyazaki on July 23, he again came on in relief, striking out Orix Buffaloes
Orix Buffaloes
The are a Nippon Professional Baseball team based in Osaka and Kobe, Japan. They play in the Pacific League. The team is owned by the Orix Group, a leading diversified financial services company based in Tokyo....
slugger Kazuhiro Kiyohara
Kazuhiro Kiyohara
is a former professional baseball player in Japan, having played in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball league for 23 seasons. He retired following the 2008 season.-Biography:...
swinging and causing Kiyohara to remark after the game, "I give up... he was throwing a fireball out there."
That season, the Central League had become a two-way race for the league title between the Tigers and the Chunichi Dragons
Chunichi Dragons
The are a professional baseball team based in Nagoya, the chief city in the Chubu region of Japan. The team is in the Central League. They won the 2007 Japan Series and 2007 Asia Series.-History:...
by July. However, the Tigers struggled after the All-Star break, so much so that the Dragons had built up a nine-game lead in the standings by late August. The Tigers were subject to widespread criticism from their fans when they were swept by the Dragons in a head-to-head three-game series that month. Fujikawa, who had been scratched from the roster since August 12 due to a neck injury, returned to the team on August 27, taking the mound in the eighth inning against the Giants and getting the win. He shed tears in his post-game interview, saying to fans, "Please understand that we players are giving it everything we've got."
Fujikawa appeared in 63 games that year, striking out 122 in 79 1/3 innings (for a strikeout rate of 13.84) with a meagre 0.68 ERA. He led the league in holds for the second straight year with 30 despite also recording 17 saves as the closer in the latter half of the season.
2007
Fujikawa was officially appointed the team's closer for the start of the 2007 season. He was consistent throughout the season, making his third consecutive All-Star appearance (striking out two and closing the game for the Central League team in Game 1) and recorded his 100th strikeout of the season on September 7 in a game against the Giants, the first time a pitcher had ever recorded 100 strikeouts as a reliever in three consecutive seasons in Japan. During the Tigers' 10-game win streak in the second half of the season, he pitched in all 10 games, setting a Central League record for most consecutive games pitched and earning two wins and seven saves (with a 1.80 ERA) in that span. Fujikawa recorded his 46th save in the Tigers' last game of the season on October 3, tying the NPB record for saves in a single season and leading the league (along with Dragons closer Hitoki IwaseHitoki Iwase
Hitoki Iwase is a Japanese professional baseball player from Nishio, Aichi, Japan. He is a closing pitcher....
, who also recorded 46 that year) in that category for the first time. He put up a 5-5 record in 71 appearances with a 1.63 ERA, striking out 115 in 83 1/3 innings.
2008
Fujikawa continued to dominate hittersBatting (baseball)
In baseball, batting is the act of facing the opposing pitcher and trying to produce offense for one's team. A batter or hitter is a person whose turn it is to face the pitcher...
in 2008, setting a franchise record for consecutive save conversions (11) to begin the season and racking up 30 by the All-Star break. He was chosen to the Japanese national team to play in the 2008 Beijing Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
and named one of the team's three closers (along with Iwase and then-Giants right-hander Koji Uehara
Koji Uehara
is a Major League Baseball Japanese right-handed relief pitcher. He is currently a relief pitcher for the Texas Rangers.Uehara throws a high-80s four-seam fastball and a solid forkball as his primary pitches...
). However, Fujikawa gave up the tying run after coming on in the seventh inning of the semi-finals against South Korea, failing to lead the team to a medal.
Fujikawa pitched well after returning to the Tigers despite often being called on to pitch two innings or when the game was tied. He recorded his 100th career save against the BayStars on September 25, finishing the year with an 8-1 record, 38 saves (second to only Giants closer Marc Kroon
Marc Kroon
Marc Jason Kroon is an American right-handed relief pitcher in the San Francisco Giants organization in Major League Baseball. He served as the closer for the Yomiuri Giants of Japan's Central League....
), 90 strikeouts and a career-best 0.67 ERA in 67 2/3 innings (63 appearances).
2009
Fujikawa was named to the national team to play in the World Baseball Classic in 2009, his second time playing in the tournament. However, though he did not allow a run in his four appearances in the first2009 World Baseball Classic - Round 1
The first round of the 2009 World Baseball Classic was played between March 5 and March 19, 2009 at four regional sites. The 16 teams were divided into four pools which played a double-elimination tournament. The winners for the first games matched up in the second game, while the losers faced each...
or second
2009 World Baseball Classic - Round 2
The second round of the 2009 World Baseball Classic took place between March 15 and March 19, 2009 at PETCO Park in San Diego and Dolphin Stadium in Miami. Like the first round, the second round was a double-elimination tournament...
rounds, Fujikawa allowed an inordinate number of baserunners and struggled with his fastball velocity. Manager Tatsunori Hara
Tatsunori Hara
is the current manager for the Yomiuri Giants baseball team in Nippon Professional Baseball. He also played for the Yomiuri Giants during his professional baseball career from to . Hara led the Japan national baseball team to victory in the final of the 2009 World Baseball Classic.- External links :...
opted to appoint Yu Darvish
Yu Darvish
Yu Darvish is a Japanese starting pitcher for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters.Darvish pitched in the 2008 Beijing Olympics as well as the 2009 World Baseball Classic as a member of the Japanese national team...
the closer for the semi-finals and finals instead of Fujikawa, declining to use Fujikawa at all in Japan's last two games of the tournament.
Despite this, Fujikawa found a way to contribute to the team, providing Darvish (who had no prior experience as a closer) advice regarding how a closer was to mentally and physically prepare
Physical exercise
Physical exercise is any bodily activity that enhances or maintains physical fitness and overall health and wellness. It is performed for various reasons including strengthening muscles and the cardiovascular system, honing athletic skills, weight loss or maintenance, as well as for the purpose of...
himself prior to games. He vehemently denied reports by the media that he would no longer play for the national team because he was dissastisfied by the way he was used, saying, "I have never said anything to that effect."
Fujikawa saw limited appearances the first month of the regular season, going 1-0 with two saves and a 1.29 ERA but pitching in only five games in all of April (the Tigers played few games in which they held a small lead in the late innings). He gave up a game-winning home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
to 20-year-old shortstop Hayato Sakamoto
Hayato Sakamoto
is a Japanese shortstop with the Yomiuri Giants.In , Sakamoto became the first player in Giants franchise history to start a season opener while under the age of 20 since Hideki Matsui...
in a game against the Giants on May 2, incurring his first loss of the year. The Tigers suffered another blow when Fujikawa reported pain in his right elbow and had to be removed from the active roster the following day. Though he returned to the ichigun team on May 13, he was charged with his second loss of the young season when he gave up a game-winning RBI
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
double
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
to Carp first baseman Kenta Kurihara
Kenta Kurihara
is a first baseman for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp.The Carp's current cleanup hitter, Kurihara has blossomed into one of the most feared power threats in the Central League...
that very day.
Pitching style
Listed at 184 cm (72.4 in) and 83 kg (183 lb), Fujikawa is a slender right-handed pitcher with a conventional overhand delivery. He hesitates momentarily after raising his left leg and loading his hips, a trait seen in many Japanese pitchers.Though he has come to use his respectable repertoire of offspeed pitches
Pitch (baseball)
In baseball, a pitch is the act of throwing a baseball toward home plate to start a play. The term comes from the Knickerbocker Rules. Originally, the ball had to be literally "pitched" underhand, as with pitching horseshoes. Overhand throwing was not allowed until 1884.The biomechanics of...
more often in recent years, he is most well known for his four-seam fastball
Four-seam fastball
A four-seam fastball, also called a rising fastball, a four-seamer, or a cross-seam fastball, is a pitch in baseball. It is a member of the fastball family...
.
Fastball
Fujikawa's fastball, which usually clocks 148 to 152 km/h (92 to 94.4 mph) but tops out at 156 km/h (96.9 mph), is often described in Japan using the term "Hi no tama sutorēto" (火の玉ストレート), which literally means "Fireball fastball" but can be loosely translated to "Four-seam fireball".While there are other pitchers in both Japanese professional baseball (Kroon, Kubota) and the major leagues
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
that throw harder than Fujikawa on a consistent basis in terms of absolute velocity, Fujikawa's fastball is most notable for the late life at the end of its trajectory
Trajectory
A trajectory is the path that a moving object follows through space as a function of time. The object might be a projectile or a satellite, for example. It thus includes the meaning of orbit—the path of a planet, an asteroid or a comet as it travels around a central mass...
(akin to that of Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
closer Jonathan Papelbon
Jonathan Papelbon
Jonathan Robert Papelbon is an American professional baseball pitcher with the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball. Before joining the Phillies, Papelbon played with the Boston Red Sox from 2005-2011....
) that makes it appear to "hop" in front of hitters and seem faster than radar gun
Radar gun
A radar speed gun is a small doppler radar unit used to measure the speed of moving objects, including vehicles, pitched baseballs, runners and other moving objects. Radar speed guns may be hand-held, vehicle-mounted or static...
readings would suggest. That hitters are frequently seen swinging and missing high fastballs by a distance of two to three balls even when they clearly end up caught out of the strike zone
Strike zone
In baseball, the strike zone is a conceptual right pentagonal prism over home plate which defines the boundaries through which a pitch must pass in order to count as a strike when the batter does not swing.-Definition:...
is a testament to how much the pitch appears to "jump" at them in front of the plate.
On March 23, 2008, following an exhibition game between the Tigers and the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
held at Tokyo Dome
Tokyo Dome
Tokyo Dome is a 55,000-seat baseball stadium located in Bunkyo Ward of Tokyo, Japan.The stadium opened for business on March 17, 1988. It was built on the site of the Velodrome which was next door to the site of the predecessor ballpark, Kōrakuen Stadium...
in which he struck out swinging against Fujikawa, current Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
Jeff Fiorentino
Jeff Fiorentino
Jeffrey Philip Fiorentino is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Oakland Athletics of Major League Baseball. He attended Florida Atlantic University and Nova High School in Davie Florida...
commented that Fujikawa's fastball was similar in nature to that of (then-teammate and current Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
right-hander) Rich Harden
Rich Harden
James Richard Harden is a Canadian professional baseball pitcher.-Early years:Harden attended Claremont Secondary School in Victoria, British Columbia. He was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the 38th round of the 1999 Major League Baseball Draft...
.
Scientific studies
On November 23, 2006, major Japanese television network TV AsahiTV Asahi
, also known as EX and , is a Japanese television network headquartered in Roppongi, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. The company writes its name in lower-case letters, tv asahi, in its logo and public-image materials. The company also owns All-Nippon News Network....
aired a short documentary on Fujikawa's fastball as part of a series on professional baseball on its popular news program "Hōdō Station" (報道ステーション). Through the use of specialized high speed camera
High speed camera
A high speed camera is a device used for recording fast moving objects as a photographic image onto a storage media. After recording, the images stored on the media can be played back in slow-motion...
s, it found that while the average four-seam fastball spins
Rotation
A rotation is a circular movement of an object around a center of rotation. A three-dimensional object rotates always around an imaginary line called a rotation axis. If the axis is within the body, and passes through its center of mass the body is said to rotate upon itself, or spin. A rotation...
37 times per second during its trajectory to the plate, Fujikawa's fastball spun 45 times per second (2700 rpm), more than either Daisuke Matsuzaka's (37) or Marc Kroon's (41). Moreover, they also found that while the spin axis of the average four-seam fastball is tilted approximately 30 degrees relative to its direction (trajectory) to the plate, the spin axis of Fujikawa's was only five degrees (Matsuzaka's and Kroon's were 10).
According to the principles of the Magnus effect
Magnus effect
The Magnus effect is the phenomenon whereby a spinning object flying in a fluid creates a whirlpool of fluid around itself, and experiences a force perpendicular to the line of motion...
, the faster an object spins and the less it is tilted about its vertical axis, the more lift
Lift (force)
A fluid flowing past the surface of a body exerts a surface force on it. Lift is the component of this force that is perpendicular to the oncoming flow direction. It contrasts with the drag force, which is the component of the surface force parallel to the flow direction...
it will create, causing the ball to travel in a trajectory more closely modeling a straight line than a typical fastball would. The program hypothesized
Hypothesis
A hypothesis is a proposed explanation for a phenomenon. The term derives from the Greek, ὑποτιθέναι – hypotithenai meaning "to put under" or "to suppose". For a hypothesis to be put forward as a scientific hypothesis, the scientific method requires that one can test it...
that Fujikawa's fastball, if thrown from an identical release point at exactly the same target, would cross home plate a full 30 cm (11.8 in) higher than the average fastball. They concluded that was one possible explanation for why hitters felt Fujikawa's fastball appeared to "rise" as it approached the plate.
Secondary pitches
In addition to the fastball, Fujikawa also throws an effective forkballForkball
The forkball is a type of pitch in baseball. Related to the split-fingered fastball, the forkball is held between the first two fingers and thrown hard snapping the wrist....
as well as a curveball
Curveball
The curveball is a type of pitch in baseball thrown with a characteristic grip and hand movement that imparts forward spin to the ball causing it to dive in a downward path as it approaches the plate. Its close relatives are the slider and the slurve. The "curve" of the ball varies from pitcher to...
, relying primarily on these two pitches to keep batters off-balance. (He also has a cutter
Cutter (baseball)
In baseball, a cutter, or cut fastball, is a type of fastball which breaks slightly toward the pitcher's glove side as it reaches home plate. This pitch is somewhere between a slider and a fastball, as it is usually thrown faster than a slider but with more motion than a typical fastball. Some...
and a changeup
Changeup
A changeup is a type of pitch in baseball. Other names include change-of-pace, Bugs Bunny change-up, the dreaded equalizer, and simply change. The changeup is sometimes called an off-speed pitch, although that term can also be used simply to mean any pitch that is slower than a fastball...
that he rarely uses in game situations.) While the overwhelming majority of Fujikawa's pitches were fastballs when he first made a name for himself as a reliever in 2004 to 2006, often going entire innings without throwing a single offspeed pitch, he has since incorporated a larger share of forkballs and curveballs to reduce fatigue and possible injury over time.
Entrance music
It has become customary for "every little thing every precious thing", a song by a JapaneseMusic of Japan
The music of Japan includes a wide array of performers in distinct styles both traditional and modern. The word for music in Japanese is 音楽 , combining the kanji 音 with the kanji 楽...
rock band Lindberg
Lindberg (band)
Lindberg is a Japanese pop/rock band that was active from 1989 to 2002 and again in 2009. It is now defunct.-History:Lindberg typically appealed to the junior high to early high school crowd, and was unique in that in the time of its inception in 1989, few Japanese "rock" bands had female members,...
, to be played over the public address system
Public address
A public address system is an electronic amplification system with a mixer, amplifier and loudspeakers, used to reinforce a sound source, e.g., a person giving a speech, a DJ playing prerecorded music, and distributing the sound throughout a venue or building.Simple PA systems are often used in...
when Fujikawa enters home games (including interleague) at Koshien Stadium
Koshien Stadium
is a baseball park located near Kobe in Nishinomiya, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. The stadium was built to host the national high school baseball tournaments, and opened on April 1, 1924. It was the largest stadium in Asia at the time it was completed, with a capacity of 55,000.The name Kōshien comes...
or Kyocera Dome Osaka
Osaka Dome
Osaka Dome is a baseball stadium located in Osaka, Japan. Beginning in 1997, the stadium was the home field of the Kintetsu Buffaloes. In 2005, the stadium became one of the homes of the Orix Buffaloes, a result of the merger between the Orix Blue Wave and Kintetsu Buffaloes. Prior to the Osaka...
. Many Tigers fans can be seen waving their megaphones and thundersticks to the beat of the music and singing along as the song is played. Fujikawa has said that the song has had special meaning for him and his wife since before they got married.
Career statistics
| Nippon Professional Baseball | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Age | Team | W Win (baseball) In professional baseball, there are two types of decisions: a win and a loss . In each game, one pitcher on the winning team is awarded a win and one pitcher on the losing team is given a loss in their respective statistics. These pitchers are collectively known as the pitchers of record. Only... |
L | W% Winning percentage In sports, a winning percentage is the fraction of games or matches a team or individual has won. It is defined as wins divided by wins plus losses . Ties count as a ½ loss and a ½ win... |
G Games pitched In baseball statistics, games pitched is the number of games in which a player appears as a pitcher; a player who is announced as the pitcher must face at least one batter, although exceptions are made if the pitcher announced in the starting lineup is injured before facing a batter, perhaps while... |
GS Games started In baseball statistics, games started indicates the number of games that a pitcher has started for his team. A pitcher is credited with starting the game if he faces the first opposing batter... |
CG Complete game In baseball, a complete game is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher.As demonstrated by the charts below, in the early 20th century, it was common for most good Major League Baseball pitchers to pitch a complete game almost every start. Pitchers were... |
SV | HLD Hold (baseball) A hold is awarded to a relief pitcher who meets the following three conditions:Unlike saves, wins, and losses, more than one pitcher per team can earn a hold for a game, though it is not possible for a pitcher to receive more than one hold in a given game... |
IP Innings pitched In baseball, innings pitched are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one inning pitched. One out counts as one-third of an inning, and two... |
H Hit (baseball) In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice.... |
R Run (baseball) In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured... |
ER Earned run In baseball, an earned run is any run for which the pitcher is held accountable . Any runner who tags his base and reaches home plate is scored against the pitcher as an earned run... |
HR Home run In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process... |
BB Base on balls A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08... |
K Strikeout In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters.... |
ERA Earned run average In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine... |
WHIP Walks plus hits per inning pitched In baseball statistics, walks plus hits per inning pitched is a sabermetric measurement of the number of baserunners a pitcher has allowed per inning pitched. It is a measure of a pitcher's ability to prevent batters from reaching base... |
LgERA |
| 18 | Hanshin Hanshin Tigers The are a Nippon Professional Baseball team based in Koshien, Nishinomiya, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, and are in the Central League. Hanshin Electric Railway Co., Ltd., the subsidiary of Hankyu Hanshin Holdings Inc., owns the Hanshin Tigers directly... |
No appearances at major league level | 4.12 | |||||||||||||||||
| 19 | 0 | 0 | ---- | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -- | 22.2 | 25 | 15 | 12 | 1 | 18 | 25 | 4.76 | 1.90 | 3.91 | ||
| 20 | No appearances at major league level | 3.78 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 21 | 1 | 5 | .167 | 12 | 12 | 0 | 0 | -- | 68.0 | 56 | 33 | 28 | 6 | 30 | 64 | 3.71 | 1.26 | 3.58 | ||
| 22 | 1 | 1 | .500 | 17 | 2 | 0 | 0 | -- | 29.1 | 28 | 12 | 11 | 4 | 12 | 19 | 3.38 | 1.36 | 4.15 | ||
| 23 | 2 | 0 | 1.000 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -- | 31.0 | 26 | 10 | 9 | 3 | 11 | 35 | 2.61 | 1.19 | 4.42 | ||
| 24 | 7 | 1 | .875 | 80 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 46 | 92.1 | 57 | 20 | 14 | 5 | 20 | 139 | 1.36 | 0.83 | 4.10 | ||
| 25 | 5 | 0 | 1.000 | 63 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 30 | 79.1 | 46 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 22 | 122 | 0.68 | 0.86 | 3.67 | ||
| 26 | 5 | 5 | .500 | 71 | 0 | 0 | 46 | 6 | 83.0 | 50 | 15 | 15 | 2 | 18 | 115 | 1.63 | 0.82 | 3.84 | ||
| 27 | 8 | 1 | .889 | 63 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 5 | 67.2 | 34 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 13 | 90 | 0.67 | 0.69 | 3.74 | ||
| 28 | 5 | 3 | .625 | 49 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 3 | 57.2 | 32 | 9 | 8 | 4 | 15 | 86 | 1.25 | 0.82 | 3.55 | ||
| 29 | 3 | 4 | .429 | 58 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 5 | 62.2 | 47 | 14 | 14 | 7 | 20 | 81 | 2.01 | 1.08 | 4.13 | ||
| Career | 37 | 20 | .649 | 458 | 14 | 0 | 155 | 95 | 593.2 | 401 | 140 | 122 | 37 | 179 | 776 | 1.85 | 0.98 | |||
Bold indicates league leader; holds not officially recorded in Central League until 2005; statistics current as of 2010