Tsuyoshi Nishioka
Encyclopedia
is a professional baseball
infielder
who currently plays for the Minnesota Twins
of Major League Baseball
. He also played in Nippon Professional Baseball for the Chiba Lotte Marines
from 2003–10.
Prior to joining the Twins, Nishioka was one of the few active switch hitter
s in Japanese professional baseball. He played in the 2006 World Baseball Classic
as well as the 2008 Beijing Olympics
as a member of the Japanese national team
.
, and grew up in the city of Nara
. He played in the national tournament as a member of Kōriyama
Senior while attending Nara Prefectural
Heijō East Junior High School, starting baseball as a right-handed hitter
and switched to the left side during junior high
.
Nishioka had longed to attend noted baseball powerhouse PL Gakuen High School in Tondabayashi, Osaka
, but suffered much disappointment when he was told he would not be chosen as a recipient of an athletic scholarship
. He made up his mind to attend Osaka
Tōin Senior High School in his birth place of Daitō instead, vowing to defeat PL Gakuen when he played the school later on. In all of the games that Osaka Tōin played during the three years (the equivalent of tenth
through twelfth
grades in the United States) that Nishioka spent at the school, it never once lost to PL Gakuen.
Nishioka led Osaka Tōin to the 84th National High School Baseball Championship
in his senior year of high school as the team captain
and leadoff hitter
, but the team lost in the first round to Tōhō High School, the Aichi
champions. Despite his lack of success on the national stage
, Nishioka hit 42 home run
s in his high school career, mostly as a second baseman
, and was considered one of the top high school prospects in the country by NPB scouts. He was selected in the first round of the 2002 NPB amateur draft
held that fall by the Chiba Lotte Marines.
season
, Nishioka was assigned to the ichigun (Japanese equivalent of "major league") team during Spring Training, but he was sent down to the nigun team ("minor league
" or "farm team") for the season opener. He was called up to the ichigun team in mid-June and made his professional debut on June 23 as a pinch runner
, hitting a double
off then-Orix BlueWave right-hander Hisashi Tokano in his very first plate appearance
on June 28 for the first hit
of his professional career. However, he was sent back down to the minors after a few games. His .216 batting average was the lowest among all qualifying players in the Eastern League
.
Nishioka followed the advice of coach
Yoshihiko Takahashi and become a switch hitter in his second year in the pros (2004). (He remains one of the few examples of a naturally right-handed player switching from hitting left-handed to hitting switch in Japanese professional baseball today.) He hit his first career home run at the ichigun level off then-Seibu Lions right-hander Mitsutaka Goto on June 27 and recorded his first career stolen base
in the same game. He finished with six homers and 35 RBI
for the season (though his average was just .255 and his on-base percentage a mere. 304).
but starting at both second base and shortstop alongside veterans Koichi Hori and Makoto Kosaka
in an unorthodox platoon system
as the season went on. He hit just .268 but led the Pacific League
in triples
(11) and stolen bases (41), playing a key role in the Marines' first Japan Series
championship since 1974. His splitting time between the two middle infield positions
created an unusual situation in which he won the Pacific League Best Nine Award
at shortstop and the Golden Glove Award at second base (incidentally, double-play
partners Hori and Kosaka were awarded the Best Nine Award at second base and the Golden Glove Award at shortstop, respectively).
Bobby Valentine
in 2006 and was used exclusively at shortstop for the first time in his career to reduce the risk of injury (Nishioka had hurt his knee the previous year after switching between second base and shortstop so frequently). Though the Marines finished fourth that year, Nishioka improved on his batting average (hitting .282) and on-base percentage (.358) from the previous season. Though he led the league
in triples (seven, tied with Munenori Kawasaki
, Shogo Akada
and Teppei Tsuchiya) and stolen bases (33) for the second straight season, he was also caught stealing
a league-high 17 times, resulting in a stolen base percentage
of just 66 percent.
used his given name on the back of his uniform during his years with the BlueWave, but in the Latin alphabet
rather than in Katakana
) rather than his actual Japanese name in Kanji
characters for the 2007 season.
Despite being hampered by a wrist injury as well as neck pain, Nishioka reached .300 while accumulating enough plate appearances to qualify for the batting title for the first time in his career. However, while he succeeded in improving on both his batting average and his on-base percentage from the previous season (.300 and .366, respectively), he managed to steal only 27 bases in 40 attempts for a mediocre 67.5 percent success rate.
. On the other hand, he hit .300 for the second straight year, hitting double-digit home runs (13) and slugging over .400 over a full season (.463) for the first time in his career even though he missed time due to the Beijing Olympics
held in August.
in early 2009 along with teammate Shunsuke Watanabe
, but was ultimately cut from the final 28-man team. He continued to be bothered by injuries once the regular season began, hitting .263 for the month of April (albeit with a .391 on-base percentage) but missing several games in the opening weeks of the season with a right hamstring
injury as well as a bruise
to the right tarsus
suffered when sliding into second base to break up a double play and colliding with second baseman Yosuke Takasu
in the fifth inning of a game against the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles
on April 16.
accepted a million bid through the posting system
, giving the Minnesota Twins
thirty days to work out a contract with Nishioka. On December 17, Nishioka officially signed with the Twins for $9 million over three years, with a club option for 2014 or a $250,000 club buyout .
announced that Nishioka would play second base for the Twins, allowing Alexi Casilla
to become the starting everyday shortstop. Nishioka made his MLB debut with the Twins on April 1. In his first major league game he went 1-3 with one strikeout and one fielding error. On April 7, just one week into his Major League career, Nishioka suffered a broken left fibula as New York Yankee outfielder Nick Swisher
slid into second base attempting to break up a double play. After missing 59 games, Nishioka returned to start against the Chicago White Sox
on June 16, going 1 for 4 while batting third and playing shortstop.
held in 2006. He played in all eight games and hit .255 with two home runs and five stolen bases as the team's No. 2 hitter and starting second baseman, driving in eight runs
and scoring five and playing an integral role in Japan's championship run.
Nishioka was involved in a play that attracted much attention in the second round
game against the United States
on March 12 when his attempt to score on a routine sacrifice fly
by Akinori Iwamura
with the score
tied in the eighth inning was nullified by a controversial call by home plate umpire
Bob Davidson
, who (seemingly incorrectly) ruled that Nishioka had left third base
too early (Japan went on to lose the game 4-3). The play was rather sensationalistically dubbed the "Bad Call of the Century" by the Japanese media. (Incidentally, Davidson came under fire yet again for another dubious call he made later in the tournament in a game between the United States and Mexico
.)
. However, despite being viewed as one of the favorites to win the gold
prior to the tournament, Japan lost to South Korea in the semi-finals on August 22, and to the United States in the bronze medal match held the following day, finishing fourth behind South Korea, Cuba
and the United States.
reputation has taken somewhat of a backseat to that of his defense in the pros. He has made strides in both plate discipline as well as power since first coming into the pros (slugging a career-high .463 in 2008), but remains largely a protoypical leadoff man and contact hitter
, adept at beating out infielders' throws or bunting safely (particularly push-bunting) to get on base. Nishioka has said that one of his goals as a hitter is to win a batting title.
in high school and does not have blazing speed. Though he has made a name for himself as a base stealer by becoming skilled at reading pitcher
s' motions
and getting good jumps rather than relying on his outright speed, his career stolen base percentage remains a mediocre 71.6 percent (65.5 percent from 2006 to 2008), a success rate that pales in comparison to that of elite base stealers like Hanshin Tigers
outfielder Norihiro Akahoshi
and Yomiuri Giants
outfielder Takahiro Suzuki
. (Modern sabermetric
theory
suggests that a team's run production is only positively affected by stolen bases when a player is successful at a rate of at least 70 to 75 percent.)
es, soft hands and an exceptional throwing arm (he clocked 142 km/h (88 mph) in his first pitch
in an informal pre-game contest in 2006). He has some of the best range of any Japanese shortstop; though he logged time at second base earlier in his career and can man both middle infield positions quite proficiently, manager Bobby Valentine played him almost exclusively at shortstop since 2006 to lessen the stress placed on his lower body.
Bold indicates league leader; statistics current as of Oct 20, 2010
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....
infielder
Infielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
who currently plays for the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
of 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...
. He also played in Nippon Professional Baseball for the Chiba Lotte Marines
Chiba Lotte Marines
The are a professional baseball team in Japan's Pacific League based in Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture, in the Kantō region, and owned by the Lotte conglomerate.-History:...
from 2003–10.
Prior to joining the Twins, Nishioka was one of the few active switch hitter
Switch hitter
In baseball, a switch-hitter is a player who bats both right-handed and left-handed.-Baseball:Usually, right-handed batters hit better against left-handed pitchers and vice-versa. Most curveballs break away from batters hitting from the same side as the opposing pitcher. Such pitches are often...
s in Japanese professional baseball. He played in the 2006 World Baseball Classic
2006 World Baseball Classic
---------Pool B:-------------Pool C:-------------Pool D:-------------Pool 1:-----------------Pool 2:-------------Finals:-Semifinals:-Final:-Final standings:...
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...
as a member of the Japanese national team
Japan 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...
.
Early life and high school career
Nishioka was born in Daitō, OsakaDaito, Osaka
is a city located in Osaka, Japan.-Railways:*West Japan Railway Company**Katamachi Line Suminodo Station - Nozaki Station - Shijonawate Station-Education:...
, and grew up in the city of Nara
Nara, Nara
is the capital city of Nara Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan. The city occupies the northern part of Nara Prefecture, directly bordering Kyoto Prefecture...
. He played in the national tournament as a member of Kōriyama
Yamatokoriyama, Nara
is a city located in Nara, Japan.As of August 31, 2006, the city has an estimated population of 93,280 and the density of 2,185.56 persons per km². The total area is 42.68 km².-Geography:...
Senior while attending Nara Prefectural
Nara Prefecture
is a prefecture in the Kansai region on Honshū Island, Japan. The capital is the city of Nara.-History:The present-day Nara Prefecture was created in 1887, making it independent of Osaka Prefecture....
Heijō East Junior High School, starting baseball as a right-handed hitter
Batting (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...
and switched to the left side during junior high
Middle school
Middle School and Junior High School are levels of schooling between elementary and high schools. Most school systems use one term or the other, not both. The terms are not interchangeable...
.
Nishioka had longed to attend noted baseball powerhouse PL Gakuen High School in Tondabayashi, Osaka
Tondabayashi, Osaka
is a city located in Osaka, Japan.As of 2010, the city has an estimated population of 120,483 and the density of 3,040 persons per km². The total area is 39.66 km².The city was founded on April 1, 1950....
, but suffered much disappointment when he was told he would not be chosen as a recipient of an athletic scholarship
Athletic scholarship
An athletic scholarship is a form of scholarship to attend a college or university awarded to an individual based predominantly on his or her ability to play in a sport...
. He made up his mind to attend Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
Tōin Senior High School in his birth place of Daitō instead, vowing to defeat PL Gakuen when he played the school later on. In all of the games that Osaka Tōin played during the three years (the equivalent of tenth
Tenth grade
In majority of the world,Tenth grade is the tenth year of school post-kindergarten. The variants of "10th grade" in various nations is described below.-Australia:...
through twelfth
Twelfth grade
Twelfth grade or Senior year, or Grade Twelve, are the North American names for the final year of secondary school. In most countries students then graduate at age 17 or 18. In some countries, there is a thirteenth grade, while other countries do not have a 12th grade/year at all...
grades in the United States) that Nishioka spent at the school, it never once lost to PL Gakuen.
Nishioka led Osaka Tōin to the 84th 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 senior year of high school as the team captain
Captain (sports)
In team sports, a captain is a title given to a member of the team. The title is frequently honorary, but in some cases the captain may have significant responsibility for strategy and teamwork while the game is in progress on the field...
and leadoff hitter
Leadoff hitter
In baseball, a leadoff hitter is a batter who bats first in the lineup. It can also refer to any batter who bats first in an inning.- Strategy :...
, but the team lost in the first round to Tōhō High School, the Aichi
Aichi Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region. The region of Aichi is also known as the Tōkai region. The capital is Nagoya. It is the focus of the Chūkyō Metropolitan Area.- History :...
champions. Despite his lack of success on the national stage
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...
, Nishioka hit 42 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...
s in his high school career, mostly as a second baseman
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
, and was considered one of the top high school prospects in the country by NPB scouts. He was selected in the first round of the 2002 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...
held that fall by the Chiba Lotte Marines.
Early years: 2003 to 2004
In 2003, his 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
Season (sports)
In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an...
, Nishioka was assigned to the ichigun (Japanese equivalent of "major league") team during Spring Training, but he was sent down to the nigun team ("minor league
Minor 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") for the season opener. He was called up to the ichigun team in mid-June and made his professional debut on June 23 as a pinch runner
Pinch runner
A pinch runner is a baseball player substituted for the specific purpose of replacing a player on base. In the typical case, the pinch runner is faster or otherwise more skilled at base-running than the player for whom the pinch runner has been substituted...
, hitting a 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....
off then-Orix BlueWave right-hander Hisashi Tokano in his very first plate appearance
Plate appearance
In baseball statistics, a player is credited with a plate appearance each time he completes a turn batting. A player completes a turn batting when: He strikes out or is declared out before reaching first base; or He reaches first base safely or is awarded first base ; or He hits a fair ball which...
on June 28 for the first hit
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....
of his professional career. However, he was sent back down to the minors after a few games. His .216 batting average was the lowest among all qualifying players in the Eastern League
Eastern League (Japanese baseball)
The is one of the two minor leagues of Japanese professional baseball. The league is owned and managed by the Central League.-History:The league was created in 1955, and contained the minor league teams of the seven professional teams that had their homefields in the Eastern region of Japan...
.
Nishioka followed the advice of coach
Coach (baseball)
In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, or head coach, who determines the lineup and decides how to substitute players during the game...
Yoshihiko Takahashi and become a switch hitter in his second year in the pros (2004). (He remains one of the few examples of a naturally right-handed player switching from hitting left-handed to hitting switch in Japanese professional baseball today.) He hit his first career home run at the ichigun level off then-Seibu Lions right-hander Mitsutaka Goto on June 27 and recorded his first career stolen base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
in the same game. He finished with six homers and 35 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...
for the season (though his average was just .255 and his on-base percentage a mere. 304).
2005
Nishioka had a breakout year in 2005, starting as a backup infielderInfielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
but starting at both second base and shortstop alongside veterans Koichi Hori and Makoto Kosaka
Makoto Kosaka
is a Japanese infielder. He currently plays for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles.Makoto Kosaka is well known for his fast running skills -References:*...
in an unorthodox platoon system
Platoon system
The platoon system in baseball is a method of designating two players to a single defensive position—usually one right-handed and one left-handed. Typically the right-handed half of the platoon is played on days when the opposing pitcher is left-handed and the left-handed player is played otherwise...
as the season went on. He hit just .268 but led the Pacific League
Pacific League
The or is one of the two professional baseball leagues constituting Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. The winner of the league championship competes against the winner in the Central League for the annual Japan Series...
in triples
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
(11) and stolen bases (41), playing a key role in the Marines' first Japan Series
Japan Series
, or is the annual championship series in Nippon Professional Baseball, the top baseball league in Japan. It is a seven-game series between the winning clubs of the league's two circuits, the Central League and the Pacific League....
championship since 1974. His splitting time between the two middle infield positions
Baseball positions
There are 9 fielding positions in baseball. Each position conventionally has an associated number which is used to score putouts...
created an unusual situation in which he won the Pacific League Best Nine Award
Best Nine Award
The Best Nine Award is awarded annually to the best player at each position in both the Central League and Pacific League of Japanese professional baseball as determined by a pool of journalists.-History:...
at shortstop and the Golden Glove Award at second base (incidentally, double-play
Double play
In baseball, a double play for a team or a fielder is the act of making two outs during the same continuous playing action. In baseball slang, making a double play is referred to as "turning two"....
partners Hori and Kosaka were awarded the Best Nine Award at second base and the Golden Glove Award at shortstop, respectively).
2006
Coming off a strong showing in the inaugural World Baseball Classic, his first major international tournament, Nishioka was named one of the cornerstones of the team by managerManager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
Bobby Valentine
Bobby Valentine
Robert John "Bobby V" Valentine is an American professional baseball manager and former player who is currently the manager of the Boston Red Sox. He previously managed the Texas Rangers and New York Mets as well as the Chiba Lotte Marines in Japan...
in 2006 and was used exclusively at shortstop for the first time in his career to reduce the risk of injury (Nishioka had hurt his knee the previous year after switching between second base and shortstop so frequently). Though the Marines finished fourth that year, Nishioka improved on his batting average (hitting .282) and on-base percentage (.358) from the previous season. Though he led the 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...
in triples (seven, tied with Munenori Kawasaki
Munenori Kawasaki
is a Japanese shortstop for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks. He played for the Japanese national team in the 2008 Beijing Olympics as well as the 2006 and 2009 World Baseball Classics.-Early life and high school career:...
, Shogo Akada
Shogo Akada
is a professional Nippon Professional Baseball player for the Orix Buffaloes in Japan's Pacific League.-External links:...
and Teppei Tsuchiya) and stolen bases (33) for the second straight season, he was also caught stealing
Caught stealing
In baseball, a runner is charged, and the fielders involved are credited, with a time caught stealing when the runner attempts to advance or lead off from one base to another without the ball being batted and then is tagged out by a fielder while making the attempt...
a league-high 17 times, resulting in a stolen base percentage
Stolen base percentage
Stolen base percentage is a statistic used in baseball.A player's stolen base percentage measures his rate of success in stealing bases. Because stolen bases tend to help a team less than times caught stealing hurt, a player needs to have a high stolen base percentage in order to contribute much...
of just 66 percent.
2007
On January 7, Nishioka publicly announced that he would have his name listed on the Marines' official roster as "TSUYOSHI" (much like how Ichiro SuzukiIchiro Suzuki
, usually known simply as is a Major League Baseball right fielder for the Seattle Mariners. Ichiro has established a number of batting records, including the sport's single-season record for hits with 262...
used his given name on the back of his uniform during his years with the BlueWave, but in the Latin alphabet
Latin alphabet
The Latin alphabet, also called the Roman alphabet, is the most recognized alphabet used in the world today. It evolved from a western variety of the Greek alphabet called the Cumaean alphabet, which was adopted and modified by the Etruscans who ruled early Rome...
rather than in Katakana
Katakana
is a Japanese syllabary, one component of the Japanese writing system along with hiragana, kanji, and in some cases the Latin alphabet . The word katakana means "fragmentary kana", as the katakana scripts are derived from components of more complex kanji. Each kana represents one mora...
) rather than his actual Japanese name in Kanji
Kanji
Kanji are the adopted logographic Chinese characters hanzi that are used in the modern Japanese writing system along with hiragana , katakana , Indo Arabic numerals, and the occasional use of the Latin alphabet...
characters for the 2007 season.
Despite being hampered by a wrist injury as well as neck pain, Nishioka reached .300 while accumulating enough plate appearances to qualify for the batting title for the first time in his career. However, while he succeeded in improving on both his batting average and his on-base percentage from the previous season (.300 and .366, respectively), he managed to steal only 27 bases in 40 attempts for a mediocre 67.5 percent success rate.
2008
Nishioka announced that he would have his name listed as "Tsuyoshi Nishioka" again for the 2008 season exactly one year (January 7) after his announcement to change it to "TSUYOSHI". He continued to be plagued by injuries (both to his knee and neck as well as to his feet) but chose to play through them, determined to keep the Marines within reach of the Climax Series (playoffs). His injuries limited him to just 18 stolen bases (his lowest total since becoming the team's regular shortstop) in 29 attempts for a success rate of 62.1 percent and hindered his play both on the basepaths and in the fieldBaseball positions
There are 9 fielding positions in baseball. Each position conventionally has an associated number which is used to score putouts...
. On the other hand, he hit .300 for the second straight year, hitting double-digit home runs (13) and slugging over .400 over a full season (.463) for the first time in his career even though he missed time due to the 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...
held in August.
2009
Nishioka was named to the national team's preliminary roster for the upcoming World Baseball Classic2009 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...
in early 2009 along with teammate Shunsuke Watanabe
Shunsuke Watanabe
is a professional baseball player from Tsuga, Tochigi, Japan who plays for the Chiba Lotte Marines in the Japanese Pacific League.His submarine pitching form was noted during the 2006 World Baseball Classic.-Amateur career:...
, but was ultimately cut from the final 28-man team. He continued to be bothered by injuries once the regular season began, hitting .263 for the month of April (albeit with a .391 on-base percentage) but missing several games in the opening weeks of the season with a right hamstring
Hamstring
In human anatomy, the hamstring refers to any one of the three posterior thigh muscles, or to the tendons that make up the borders of the space behind the knee. In modern anatomical contexts, however, they usually refer to the posterior thigh muscles, or the tendons of the semitendinosus, the...
injury as well as a bruise
Bruise
A bruise, also called a contusion, is a type of relatively minor hematoma of tissue in which capillaries and sometimes venules are damaged by trauma, allowing blood to seep into the surrounding interstitial tissues. Bruises can involve capillaries at the level of skin, subcutaneous tissue, muscle,...
to the right tarsus
Tarsus (skeleton)
In tetrapods, the tarsus is a cluster of articulating bones in each foot situated between the lower end of tibia and fibula of the lower leg and the metatarsus. In the foot the tarsus articulates with the bones of the metatarsus, which in turn articulate with the bones of the individual toes...
suffered when sliding into second base to break up a double play and colliding with second baseman Yosuke Takasu
Yosuke Takasu
is a Japanese Nippon Professional Baseball player for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles in Japan's Pacific League.-External links:...
in the fifth inning of a game against the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles
Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles
The is a baseball team founded in 2004; it played its first season in the Japanese Pacific League in 2005. It is simply called Rakuten . The team was created to fill the void left by the merger of the Orix Blue Wave and the Kintetsu Buffaloes, after the 2004 season due to financial difficulties,...
on April 16.
2010
Following the 2010 season, in which Nishioka led the league with 206 hits, a .346 batting average and 121 runs scored, the Chiba Lotte MarinesChiba Lotte Marines
The are a professional baseball team in Japan's Pacific League based in Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture, in the Kantō region, and owned by the Lotte conglomerate.-History:...
accepted a million bid through the posting system
Posting system
The is a baseball player transfer system that operates between Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball and the United States' Major League Baseball . Despite the drafting of the United States – Japanese Player Contract Agreement in 1967 designed to regulate NPB players moving to MLB, problems...
, giving the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
thirty days to work out a contract with Nishioka. On December 17, Nishioka officially signed with the Twins for $9 million over three years, with a club option for 2014 or a $250,000 club buyout .
Minnesota Twins
Nishioka joined the Minnesota Twins for spring training at their facility in Fort Myers, Florida to start the 2011 MLB season. During spring training, Twins manager Ron GardenhireRon Gardenhire
Ronald Clyde "Gardy" Gardenhire is a former Major League Baseball shortstop and current manager of the Minnesota Twins.He is six feet tall and weighed 175 pounds during most of his baseball career....
announced that Nishioka would play second base for the Twins, allowing Alexi Casilla
Alexi Casilla
Alexi Casilla Lora is a Major League Baseball second baseman and shortstop for the Minnesota Twins.-Professional career:...
to become the starting everyday shortstop. Nishioka made his MLB debut with the Twins on April 1. In his first major league game he went 1-3 with one strikeout and one fielding error. On April 7, just one week into his Major League career, Nishioka suffered a broken left fibula as New York Yankee outfielder Nick Swisher
Nick Swisher
Nicholas Thompson "Nick" Swisher is an outfielder for the New York Yankees. Swisher is a switch hitter who throws left-handed....
slid into second base attempting to break up a double play. After missing 59 games, Nishioka returned to start against the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
on June 16, going 1 for 4 while batting third and playing shortstop.
International career
2006 World Baseball Classic
Nishioka's first stint with the Japanese national team came in the inaugural World Baseball ClassicWorld 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...
held in 2006. He played in all eight games and hit .255 with two home runs and five stolen bases as the team's No. 2 hitter and starting second baseman, driving in eight 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...
and scoring five and playing an integral role in Japan's championship run.
Nishioka was involved in a play that attracted much attention in the second round
2006 World Baseball Classic - Pool 1
Games of Pool 1 played at the Angel Stadium, Anaheim, California-Results:-United States 4, Japan 3:* Game time: March 12, 2006 – 13:00 PST* Attendance: 32,896 Two outs when winning run scored.-South Korea 2, Mexico 1:...
game against the United States
United States national baseball team
The United States National Baseball team represents the United States in international baseball competition. The United States has won the previous two Baseball World Cups, having lost this title to the Netherlands in 2011, and is currently second in the IBAF World Rankings, behind Cuba.The team...
on March 12 when his attempt to score on a routine sacrifice fly
Sacrifice fly
In baseball, a sacrifice fly is a batted ball that satisfies four criteria:* There are fewer than two outs when the ball is hit.* The ball is hit to the outfield....
by Akinori Iwamura
Akinori Iwamura
Akinori Iwamura is a Japanese Major League Baseball infielder, who is currently with the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles of the Japanese Pacific League...
with the score
Score (game)
In games, score refers to an abstract quantity associated with a player or team. Score is usually measured in the abstract unit of points, and events in the game can raise or lower the score of different parties...
tied in the eighth inning was nullified by a controversial call by home plate umpire
Umpire (baseball)
In baseball, the umpire is the person charged with officiating the game, including beginning and ending the game, enforcing the rules of the game and the grounds, making judgment calls on plays, and handling the disciplinary actions. The term is often shortened to the colloquial form ump...
Bob Davidson
Bob Davidson (umpire)
Robert Allan Davidson is an umpire for Major League Baseball.-Early life:Bob Davidson graduated from Duluth East High School in Duluth, Minnesota in 1970. He attended the University of Minnesota-Duluth where he played baseball for two seasons. Davidson then left to pursue a professional umpiring...
, who (seemingly incorrectly) ruled that Nishioka had left third base
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
too early (Japan went on to lose the game 4-3). The play was rather sensationalistically dubbed the "Bad Call of the Century" by the Japanese media. (Incidentally, Davidson came under fire yet again for another dubious call he made later in the tournament in a game between the United States and Mexico
Mexico national baseball team
The Mexico national baseball team is the baseball team which represents Mexico in international tournaments. They are currently the eighth ranked baseball team in the world.-Pan American Games:*1951 Bronze Medal *1963 Bronze Medal...
.)
2008 Beijing Olympics
Nishioka was named to the Japanese national team for the second time for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, playing in eight of Japan's nine games and recording the highest batting average (.455), on-base percentage (.556), and slugging percentage (.636) of any player on the team who logged more than 10 at-batsAt bat
In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
. However, despite being viewed as one of the favorites to win the gold
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
prior to the tournament, Japan lost to South Korea in the semi-finals on August 22, and to the United States in the bronze medal match held the following day, finishing fourth behind South Korea, Cuba
Cuba national baseball team
The Cuba national baseball team is the national team of Cuba. The team is made up of amateur players from the Cuban national baseball system, as there are no professional sports leagues in Cuba...
and the United States.
Hitting
Listed at 182 cm (71.7 in) and 80 kg (176.4 lb), Nishioka's frame is just slightly larger than average for a Japanese middle infielder. He is a somewhat unusual hitter in that he switched from hitting left-handed to hitting switch in the pros despite being naturally right-handed. Though he hit 42 home runs and was known as a slugger during his high school career, Nishioka's offensiveOffense (sports)
In sports, offense or offence , also known as attack, is the action of attacking or engaging an opposing team with the objective of scoring points or goals...
reputation has taken somewhat of a backseat to that of his defense in the pros. He has made strides in both plate discipline as well as power since first coming into the pros (slugging a career-high .463 in 2008), but remains largely a protoypical leadoff man and contact hitter
Contact hitter
In baseball, the term contact hitter is used to describe a hitter who does not strike out often. Thus, they are usually able to use their bats to make contact with the ball and put it in play...
, adept at beating out infielders' throws or bunting safely (particularly push-bunting) to get on base. Nishioka has said that one of his goals as a hitter is to win a batting title.
Baserunning
Nishioka has finished among the league leaders in stolen bases numerous times, but was clocked at an only moderately fast 6.1 seconds in the 50-meter dash50 metres
50 metres is a sprint event in track and field. It is a championship event for indoor championships, normally dominated by the best outdoor 100 metres runners. At outdoor athletics competitions it is a rare distance, at least for senior athletes...
in high school and does not have blazing speed. Though he has made a name for himself as a base stealer by becoming skilled at reading 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...
s' motions
Pitching position
In baseball, there are two legal pitching positions: the windup, and the set. Each type of pitching position has its strengths and weaknesses. Compared to the set, the windup takes a relatively slower execution, so therefore is better suited for situations in which there are no baserunners, or when...
and getting good jumps rather than relying on his outright speed, his career stolen base percentage remains a mediocre 71.6 percent (65.5 percent from 2006 to 2008), a success rate that pales in comparison to that of elite base stealers like 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...
outfielder Norihiro Akahoshi
Norihiro Akahoshi
is a retired Nippon Professional Baseball player from Kariya, Aichi, Japan. He played as an outfielder for the Hanshin Tigers.Akahoshi announced his retirement on December 9, 2009. During the 2009 season, he was first deactivated in early July after sustaining a neck injury...
and 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...
outfielder Takahiro Suzuki
Takahiro Suzuki
is a Japanese Nippon Professional Baseball player. He is currently with the Yomiuri Giants in Japan's Central League.-External links:...
. (Modern sabermetric
Sabermetrics
Sabermetrics is the specialized analysis of baseball through objective, empirical evidence, specifically baseball statistics that measure in-game activity. The term is derived from the acronym SABR, which stands for the Society for American Baseball Research...
theory
Theory
The English word theory was derived from a technical term in Ancient Greek philosophy. The word theoria, , meant "a looking at, viewing, beholding", and referring to contemplation or speculation, as opposed to action...
suggests that a team's run production is only positively affected by stolen bases when a player is successful at a rate of at least 70 to 75 percent.)
Fielding
Nishioka has many attributes that make him a skilled shortstop, including quick reflexReflex
A reflex action, also known as a reflex, is an involuntary and nearly instantaneous movement in response to a stimulus. A true reflex is a behavior which is mediated via the reflex arc; this does not apply to casual uses of the term 'reflex'.-See also:...
es, soft hands and an exceptional throwing arm (he clocked 142 km/h (88 mph) in his first pitch
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...
in an informal pre-game contest in 2006). He has some of the best range of any Japanese shortstop; though he logged time at second base earlier in his career and can man both middle infield positions quite proficiently, manager Bobby Valentine played him almost exclusively at shortstop since 2006 to lessen the stress placed on his lower body.
Career statistics
| Nippon Professional Baseball | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Age | Team | G Games played Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,... |
AB At bat In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance... |
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... |
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.... |
2B 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.... |
3B Triple (baseball) In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice.... |
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... |
TB Total bases In baseball statistics, total bases refers to the number of bases a player has gained with hits, i.e., the sum of his hits weighted by 1 for a single, 2 for a double, 3 for a triple and 4 for a home run.Only bases attained from hits count toward this total.... |
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... |
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... |
SB Stolen base In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate... |
AVG Batting average Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :... |
OBP | SLG | OPS On-base plus slugging On-base plus slugging is a sabermetric baseball statistic calculated as the sum of a player's on-base percentage and slugging percentage. The ability of a player to both get on base and to hit for power, two important hitting skills, are represented. An OPS of .900 or higher in Major League... |
| 2003 | 18 | Lotte Chiba Lotte Marines The are a professional baseball team in Japan's Pacific League based in Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture, in the Kantō region, and owned by the Lotte conglomerate.-History:... |
7 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | .333 | .455 | .556 | 1.010 |
| 2004 | 19 | 63 | 212 | 32 | 54 | 8 | 2 | 6 | 84 | 35 | 14 | 8 | .255 | .304 | .396 | .701 | |
| 2005 | 20 | 122 | 447 | 80 | 120 | 22 | 11 | 4 | 176 | 48 | 31 | 41 | .268 | .320 | .394 | .714 | |
| 2006 | 21 | 115 | 426 | 58 | 120 | 20 | 7 | 4 | 166 | 27 | 49 | 33 | .282 | .358 | .390 | .747 | |
| 2007 | 22 | 130 | 494 | 76 | 148 | 31 | 3 | 3 | 194 | 40 | 50 | 27 | .300 | .366 | .393 | .759 | |
| 2008 | 23 | 116 | 473 | 78 | 142 | 26 | 6 | 13 | 219 | 49 | 36 | 18 | .300 | .357 | .463 | .820 | |
| 2009 | 24 | 120 | 454 | 70 | 118 | 24 | 5 | 14 | 194 | 41 | 67 | 26 | .260 | .361 | .427 | .787 | |
| 2010 | 25 | 144 | 596 | 121 | 206 | 32 | 8 | 11 | 287 | 59 | 79 | 22 | .346 | .423 | .482 | .905 | |
| Career | 817 | 3111 | 518 | 911 | 165 | 42 | 55 | 1325 | 300 | 328 | 174 | .293 | .364 | .426 | .790 | ||
Bold indicates league leader; statistics current as of Oct 20, 2010