Shigetoshi Hasegawa

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Full Name: Shigetoshi Hasegawa Primary Position: P Height/Weight: 5' 11"/160 First Game: April 5, 1997 Birthdate: August 1, 1968 Final Game: September 28, 2005 Birthplace: Kobe, Japan MLB Experience: 9 years Bat/Throw: Right/Right

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[edit] Biography

Shigetoshi Hasegawa (born August 1, 1968 in Hyogo, Japan) was a relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Seattle Mariners from 2002 through 2005. Previously, Hasegawa played with the Anaheim Angels (1997-2001), and before that spent six years with the Orix Blue Wave. He bats and throws right handed.

In 2003, Hasegawa was named to the All Star Team as a middle reliever and ended up converting 16 of 17 saves at the end of the year when Mariners closer Kazuhiro Sasaki was injured. He concluded the season with a 1.48 ERA in 63 relief appearances. Hasegawa holds the record for most appearances by an Asian pitcher in Major League Baseball ahead of Hideo Nomo.

In his nine-season MLB career, Hasegawa compiled a 45-44 record with 33 saves and a 3.71 ERA in 517 games. On January 23, 2006, Hasegawa announced his retirement.[1]

He currently works as a color commentator for NHK.

[edit] Career

Hasegawa was drafted in the first round by the Orix Blue Wave in 1990. He won 12 games in his rookie year, and received the Japanese rookie of the year award in 1991. He was a teammate of Ichiro Suzuki in Japan, and won two championships with the Orix Blue Wave. Hasegawa was traded to the Anaheim Angels in January, 1997, and pitched well as a setup man. He signed with the Seattle Mariners in 2001, and became the team's closer in 2003, when Kazuhiro Sasaki sustained an injury. He played in the all-star game that year as well. He was not offered a contract by the Mariners in 2005, and announced his retirement, despite receiving several offers from major league and Japanese league teams.

Hasegawa was known for releasing the ball very quickly, throwing off the batter's timing. He was injured very few times throughout his career, entering the disabled list only once in his nine years in the majors. He was never demoted to the minor leagues during his career.

Hasegawa explains that he did not move to the U.S. to play in the majors, he entered the majors because he wanted to live in the U.S. (He has obtained permanent residence in the U.S.) He speaks fluent English, even interviewing teammates on an American television show, and introduced himself in english at his first press conference in the U.S. He has also published a book in Japan with tips on improving English language skills. He is rumored to have been the only major league player ever to read the Wall Street Journal in the locker room. Teammate Ichiro Suzuki commented jokingly that Hasegawa tried to talk with teammates about stocks and business during practice sessions. Though not a star player like Ichiro Suzuki or Hideki Matsui, Hasegawa built up a solid reputation as a reliever. He frequently appears on baseball-related television shows in Japan, and is a commentator for major league games shown in Japan.

Most people believe that Shigetoshi Hasegawa's best season was 2003, when he posted a 1.48 ERA and notched 16 saves.

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• Sold by Orix (Japan Pacific) to Anaheim Angels (January 24, 1997).
• Granted free agency (November 21, 2001).
• Signed by Seattle Mariners (January 14, 2002).
• Granted free agency (October 29, 2003).
• Signed by Seattle Mariners (December 7, 2003).
• Granted free agency (November 1, 2005).

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