Masao Morinaka
Encyclopedia
Masao Morinaka is a former professional baseball player who played for the Yokohama BayStars
. He currently works as a batting pitcher for the Yomiuri Giants
organization.
Morinaka was drafted by the Yokohama BayStars
in the second round of the 1996 amateur draft. He was a valuable left-handed reliever, but was dropped after only 7 seasons in 2003. He marked a 2.16 ERA in 41 appearances in 1999, and a 2.38 ERA in 53 appearances in 2000. He hit a home run at the Koshien
baseball stadium in his final season.
He won a silver medal playing for the Japanese national team in the 1996 Summer Olympics
before entering the Japanese professional leagues.
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....
. He currently works as a batting pitcher for 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...
organization.
Morinaka was drafted by the Yokohama 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....
in the second round of the 1996 amateur draft. He was a valuable left-handed reliever, but was dropped after only 7 seasons in 2003. He marked a 2.16 ERA in 41 appearances in 1999, and a 2.38 ERA in 53 appearances in 2000. He hit a home run at the Koshien
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...
baseball stadium in his final season.
He won a silver medal playing for the Japanese national team in the 1996 Summer Olympics
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
before entering the Japanese professional leagues.