Mac Suzuki
Encyclopedia
is a Japan
ese professional baseball
pitcher
who plays for the Calgary Vipers
of the Golden League
. Over his career, Suzuki had played 18 seasons in professional baseball, including six in Major League Baseball
and one in the Japan Pacific League. In his major league career, he has played for the Seattle Mariners
(1996, 1998–1999), the Kansas City Royals
(1999–2001, 2002), the Colorado Rockies
(2001), and the Milwaukee Brewers
(2001). With those teams, he has had a combined record of 16–31 with a 5.72 earned run average
(ERA), one complete game
, one shutout
, and 327 strikeouts in 117 games, 67 starts
.
. He then got a job with the Salinas Peppers
, an independent baseball club based in Salinas, California
. With the Peppers, Suzuki pitched the final game of the season in 1992, after he spent the entire season as their batboy
. The next season, Suzuki became a full-time player for the Peppers. Suzuki later stated that his parents were proud of him for learning the English language
and how much he matured after he was sent away.
in 1993, going 4–4 with a 3.68 earned run average
(ERA), 12 saves, and 87 strikeouts in 48 games, one start
. He led the Spirit in saves that season. Suzuki signed with the Seattle Mariners
in 1993, choosing Seattle over a list of suitors including the Toronto Blue Jays
. In his first season in affiliated professional baseball in 1994, Suzuki pitched for the Double-A Jacksonville Suns
of the Southern League
. In eight games, he went 1–0 with a 2.84 ERA, one save, and 10 strikeouts. Suzuki was sidelined that season due to a shoulder
injury. After an earthquake
hit his home town on Kobe, Japan, Suzuki returned to care for his family during the off-season before the 1995 season. During spring training
in 1995, Suzuki was again plagued by shoulder injuries. He split the season between the rookie-league AZL Mariners and the Class-A Advanced Riverside Pilots
. In ten combined games in the minors, Suzuki went 1–1 with a 5.40 ERA, and nine strikeouts. Suzuki was promoted to the majors in 1995, however, he did not play. He made his major league debut on July 7, , becoming the third Japanese player to play in the major leagues, after Masanori Murakami
and Hideo Nomo
, and the first Japanese player to pitch in the American League
. He was sent back to the minors shortly afterwards, but marked his first major league win in .
in June, , before being shipped away again to the Kansas City Royals. He won 8 games in , including one shut-out victory. He went to the Colorado Rockies, then to the Milwaukee Brewers, before returning to the Royals again. While playing for the Brewers, it should be noted that he occasionally forgot to cover first base when the play on field dictated that he should. He did not win a game in , and was released by the Royals. He announced his decision to enter the Japanese professional leagues at the end of the season.
According to regulations, Suzuki still needed to be picked in the draft to join a Japanese team. The Yakult Swallows
had originally intended to choose him, but the Orix BlueWave forcefully picked Suzuki in the 2nd round, and he ended up joining the Blue Wave. There was debate about whether Suzuki qualified for the Japanese rookie of the year award, since he had already played in the major leagues. The league granted him the qualification, but Suzuki rejected it, perhaps due to his pride as a former major leaguer. In the end, the debate proved meaningless, as Suzuki won only 4 games that year, and in August, , he could not get a single out in a game against the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks
, where his team lost 1-29. He pitched horrendously against the Hawks in 2003, giving up 32 runs in only 6 games. In , he started only 5 games (none of which were against the Hawks), all of which he failed to get past the 5th inning. His only win that year came against the Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes
, where he won despite giving up 5 runs over 5 innings. He did not pitch at all in , and was cut from the team during the off-season. Suzuki returned to the United States, and signed a minor league contract with the Oakland Athletics
in December, 2005. He pitched poorly in spring training
, and did not make the major league team. He joined a Mexican League team in , and signed a minor league deal with the Chicago Cubs
in the 2006 off-season. In 2009 he played for the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs of the independent Atlantic Professional Baseball League.
In 2010 he signed with the Calgary Vipers of the Golden Baseball League.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese professional baseball
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
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...
who plays for the Calgary Vipers
Calgary Vipers
The Calgary Vipers were a professional baseball team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They were part of the Western Division of the independent North American League. The Vipers have played all of their home games at Foothills Stadium. Previously, the Vipers played in the Northern League from...
of the Golden League
Golden League
Golden League may refer to:*Golden Baseball League*IAAF Golden League*BIGBANK Kuldliiga...
. Over his career, Suzuki had played 18 seasons in professional baseball, including six in Major League Baseball
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...
and one in the Japan Pacific League. In his major league career, he has played for the Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
(1996, 1998–1999), the Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
(1999–2001, 2002), the Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...
(2001), and the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
(2001). With those teams, he has had a combined record of 16–31 with a 5.72 earned run average
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...
(ERA), one complete game
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...
, one shutout
Shutout
In team sports, a shutout refers to a game in which one team prevents the opposing team from scoring. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball....
, and 327 strikeouts in 117 games, 67 starts
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....
.
Early life
At the age of 16, Suzuki was sent away from his home by his parents after getting expelled from high schoolHigh school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
. He then got a job with the Salinas Peppers
Salinas Peppers
The Salinas Peppers were a minor league baseball team located in Salinas, California. The team played in the independent Western Baseball League, and was not affiliated with any Major League Baseball team. Their home stadium was Salinas Municipal Stadium....
, an independent baseball club based in Salinas, California
Salinas, California
Salinas is the county seat and the largest municipality of Monterey County, California. Salinas is located east-southeast of the mouth of the Salinas River, at an elevation of about 52 feet above sea level. The population was 150,441 at the 2010 census...
. With the Peppers, Suzuki pitched the final game of the season in 1992, after he spent the entire season as their batboy
Batboy
A batboy is an individual who carries the baseball bats around to a baseball team. A batboy may also lay out the equipment and mud the baseballs to be used in the game.Mascots and batboys had both been part of baseball since the 1880s....
. The next season, Suzuki became a full-time player for the Peppers. Suzuki later stated that his parents were proud of him for learning the English language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and how much he matured after he was sent away.
Seattle Mariners
Suzuki pitched for the non-affiliated Class-A San BernardinoSan Bernardino
San Bernardino, California is a large city in the Inland Empire Metropolitan Area of Southern California.San Bernardino may also refer to:-Landforms:*San Bernardino , a torrent that flows through the Italian province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola...
in 1993, going 4–4 with a 3.68 earned run average
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...
(ERA), 12 saves, and 87 strikeouts in 48 games, one 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....
. He led the Spirit in saves that season. Suzuki signed with the Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
in 1993, choosing Seattle over a list of suitors including the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
. In his first season in affiliated professional baseball in 1994, Suzuki pitched for the Double-A Jacksonville Suns
Jacksonville Suns
The Jacksonville Suns are a minor league baseball team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The team is currently a member of the Southern League and is the class Double-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins Major League Baseball team...
of the Southern League
Southern League (baseball)
The Southern League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the Southern United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The original league was formed in , and shut down in . A new league, the Southern Association, was formed in , consisting of twelve teams...
. In eight games, he went 1–0 with a 2.84 ERA, one save, and 10 strikeouts. Suzuki was sidelined that season due to a shoulder
Shoulder
The human shoulder is made up of three bones: the clavicle , the scapula , and the humerus as well as associated muscles, ligaments and tendons. The articulations between the bones of the shoulder make up the shoulder joints. The major joint of the shoulder is the glenohumeral joint, which...
injury. After an earthquake
Earthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
hit his home town on Kobe, Japan, Suzuki returned to care for his family during the off-season before the 1995 season. During spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
in 1995, Suzuki was again plagued by shoulder injuries. He split the season between the rookie-league AZL Mariners and the Class-A Advanced Riverside Pilots
Riverside Pilots
The Riverside Pilots were a minor league baseball team in Riverside, California. They were a high-A class team that played in the California League, and were a farm team of the Seattle Mariners for the franchise’s entire stay in Riverside...
. In ten combined games in the minors, Suzuki went 1–1 with a 5.40 ERA, and nine strikeouts. Suzuki was promoted to the majors in 1995, however, he did not play. He made his major league debut on July 7, , becoming the third Japanese player to play in the major leagues, after Masanori Murakami
Masanori Murakami
Masanori "Mashi" Murakami is a former pitcher for the San Francisco Giants....
and Hideo Nomo
Hideo Nomo
is a former right-handed pitcher in Nippon Professional Baseball and Major League Baseball from Japan. He achieved early success in Japan, where he played with the Kintetsu Buffaloes from to...
, and the first Japanese player to pitch in the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
. He was sent back to the minors shortly afterwards, but marked his first major league win in .
Later career
He was sent briefly to the New York MetsNew York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
in June, , before being shipped away again to the Kansas City Royals. He won 8 games in , including one shut-out victory. He went to the Colorado Rockies, then to the Milwaukee Brewers, before returning to the Royals again. While playing for the Brewers, it should be noted that he occasionally forgot to cover first base when the play on field dictated that he should. He did not win a game in , and was released by the Royals. He announced his decision to enter the Japanese professional leagues at the end of the season.
According to regulations, Suzuki still needed to be picked in the draft to join a Japanese team. 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...
had originally intended to choose him, but the Orix BlueWave forcefully picked Suzuki in the 2nd round, and he ended up joining the Blue Wave. There was debate about whether Suzuki qualified for the Japanese rookie of the year award, since he had already played in the major leagues. The league granted him the qualification, but Suzuki rejected it, perhaps due to his pride as a former major leaguer. In the end, the debate proved meaningless, as Suzuki won only 4 games that year, and in August, , he could not get a single out in a game against the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks
Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks
The are a Japanese baseball team based in Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture. The team was bought on January 28, 2005 by the SoftBank Corporation.The team was formerly known as the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks. In 1988, Daiei bought the team from Osaka's Nankai Electric Railway Co., and its headquarters were...
, where his team lost 1-29. He pitched horrendously against the Hawks in 2003, giving up 32 runs in only 6 games. In , he started only 5 games (none of which were against the Hawks), all of which he failed to get past the 5th inning. His only win that year came against the Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes
Kintetsu Buffaloes
The was a Nippon Professional Baseball team based in Osaka, Japan, which were in the Pacific League. The team was owned by Kinki Nippon Railway Co. and later sold to the Orix Group, the owner of the Orix BlueWave baseball team, in 2004...
, where he won despite giving up 5 runs over 5 innings. He did not pitch at all in , and was cut from the team during the off-season. Suzuki returned to the United States, and signed a minor league contract with 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....
in December, 2005. He pitched poorly in spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
, and did not make the major league team. He joined a Mexican League team in , and signed a minor league deal with the 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...
in the 2006 off-season. In 2009 he played for the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs of the independent Atlantic Professional Baseball League.
In 2010 he signed with the Calgary Vipers of the Golden Baseball League.