Shigetoshi Hasegawa

Infobox MLB retired
name=Shigetoshi Hasegawa


width=170
position=Pitcher
bats=Right
throws=Right
birthdate=birth date and age|1968|8|1
Kakogawa, Hyōgo, Japan
debutdate=April 6
debutyear=by|1997
debutteam=Anaheim Angels
finaldate=September 28
finalyear=by|2005
finalteam=Seattle Mariners
stat1label=Win-Loss record
stat1value=45-44
stat2label=Earned run average
stat2value=3.71
stat3label=Strikeouts
stat3value=447
teams=
* Orix BlueWave (by|1990-by|1996)
* Anaheim Angels (by|1997-by|2001)
* Seattle Mariners (by|2002-by|2005)
highlights=
* All-Star selection (2003), 1.48 ERA (2003)nihongo|Shigetoshi Hasegawa|長谷川 滋利|Hasegawa Shigetoshi|extra=born August 1, 1968 in Kakogawa, Hyōgo, Japan is a retired relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Seattle Mariners from by|2002 through by|2005. Previously, Hasegawa played with the Anaheim Angels (by|1997-by|2001), and before that spent six years with the Orix Blue Wave. He bats and throws right-handed.

Career

Hasegawa was drafted in the first round by the Orix BlueWave in by|1990. He won 12 games in his rookie year, and received the Japanese Rookie of the Year Award in by|1991. He was a teammate of Ichiro Suzuki in Japan, and won two championships with the Orix BlueWave. Hasegawa was purchased by the Anaheim Angels in January 1997, and pitched well as a setup man. He signed with the Seattle Mariners on January 14, 2002, and became the team's closer in 2003, when Kazuhiro Sasaki sustained an injury. He played in the All-Star game that year. He was not offered a contract by the Mariners after the 2005 season, and announced his retirement, despite receiving several offers from Major League and Japanese league teams.

In by|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, by|2006, Hasegawa announced his retirement. [http://www.tsn.ca/mlb/news_story.asp?ID=152011]

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.SFact|date=June 2008. He has since 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 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 on NHK.

tatistics

Japanese Professional Leagues

* 142 Games
* 57 Wins
* 45 Losses
* 3.33 ERA
* Rookie of the Year (1991)

Major Leagues

* 517 Games
* 45 Wins
* 44 Losses
* 33 Saves
* 3.71 ERA
* All Star (2003)

External links

* [http://japaneseballplayers.com/en/player.php?id=hasegawa Japanese league stats and info of Shigetoshi Hasegawa]