Takashi Saito
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[edit] Biography
Born on February 14, 1970 in Miyagi, Japan, Takashi Saito (Takashi Saito) played for the Los Angeles Dodgers for his entire 1 year career. Saito broke into the bigs on April 9, 2006 with the Los Angeles Dodgers, and put up a 2.07 ERA in 78.1 innings pitched in 2006, his rookie year.
He is currently the team's closer, replacing Eric Gagne. Dodger teammates refer to Saito by the nickname "Sammy," which was first used by outfielder Andre Ethier.
Saito previously pitched for the Yokohama BayStars in the Japanese Central League, compiling a record of 87-80 over 13 seasons. Like former Mariners closer Kaz Sasaki, Saito attended Tohoku Fukushi University in Sendai. His success as a closer down the stretch in the 2006 season resulted in an 8th place finish in National League Rookie of the Year award, receiving two third place votes (Florida Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez won the award).
Saito finished 2006 with 24 saves in 26 chances, sported a 2.07 ERA and led all big-league relievers with 107 strikeouts. Lefties batted .229 off Saito, righties .129. Home opponents hit .201 off him, road opponents .152.
[edit] Scouting Report
Saito has three pitches, a tight fastball in the low to mid 90 mph range (tops out at about 97 mph) , a sharp slider that he uses as a strikeout pitch, and a slow curveball that he uses as a sort of changeup. While playing as a starter in Japan, Saito had a tendency to give up a lot of homeruns on pitches up in the strike zone. Hideki Matsui (currently on the New York Yankees), played especially well against Saito, hitting over 15 homeruns off Saito in Japan.
Much of Saito's current success comes from the relatively expanded strike zone of the major leagues. This makes it appear that he has exceptional control on all of his pitches. Saito is now able to throw his sharp slider off the outside part of the plate for stikes, and his deceptive pitching forms causes hitters to be late on his fastball. Saito has also experimented with a shuuto (shootball), which he developed while playing in Japan.
[edit] Statistics
[edit] Pitching Stats
| Year | Team | G | GS | W | L | ERA | K | R | ER | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | HR | BB | IB | WP | HBP | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | LA | N | 72 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 2.07 | 107 | 19 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 78.1 | 48 | 3 | 23 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
[edit] Fielding Stats
| Year | Team | POS | G | GS | INN | PO | A | ERR | DP | TP | PB | SB | CS | PkO | AVG | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | LA | N | P | 72 | 0 | 78.1 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
[edit] Batting Stats
| Year | Team | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG | OBP | SLG | 2B | 3B | BB | SO | HBP | SH | SB | IBB | GDP | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | LA | N | 72 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
[edit] Transactions
- Signed as a non-drafted free agent by the Los Angeles Dodgers on (February 7, 2006).
[edit] Trivia
- He was originally a position player. He became a pitcher in his second year in college.
- He was drafted in the first round by the Yokohama Taiyo Whales in 1991.
- He played in his first all-star game in 1994. He was an all-star a total of four times (1994, 1996, 1999, 2001).
- He led the Central League in strikeouts (206) in 1996.
- He was found to have a dislocated cartilage in his right elbow in the spring of 1997. He had to undergo surgery, and spent the rest of the season in rehab.
- He made a huge comeback in 1998, winning 13 games, and posting a 2.94 ERA. His team, the Yokohama BayStars, won the Japanese championship series for the first time in 38 years.
- He became a closer after Kazuhiro Sasaki left the Baystars to join the Seattle Mariners in 2000. His record was 7-1 with 27 saves, and a 1.67 ERA in 2001.
- Saito returned to his starting role in 2003, but did not win more than 6 games in a season from 2003 to 2005.
- He signed a minor league deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers as a 36 year old rookie in 2006, and surprised fans by making 24 saves, posting a 2.07 ERA, and striking out 107 batters (the most among relievers).
- Made first Major League Appearance on April 9 2006 against the Philadelphia Phillies. Pitched 2/3 of an inning without giving up any runs or hits.
- Recorded his first Major League Save on May 15 2006 against the Colorado Rockies.
- He is currently the closer for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
- Named to the National League All-Star team for the first time in 2007.
- He attended the same college as Kazuhiro Sasaki, and Saito's older brother was a classmate of Sasaki's.
- Fans have nicknamed him "The Mole."
- In the baseball short comic, "Sasaki-Sama Ni Negai Wo" (by Takayuki Mizushina, satirizes the Yokohama BayStars team as they make their way to their championship in 1998), Saito is bullied relentlessly by teammate (and former Seattle Mariners closer) Kazuhiro Sasaki.
