Takashi Saito
Encyclopedia
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
professional baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player.
Saito previously pitched for 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 Japanese Central League
Central League
The or is one the two professional baseball leagues that constitute Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. The winner of the league championship plays against the winner of the Pacific League in the annual Japan Series. It currently consists of six teams from around the country,The Central League...
, compiling a record of 87–80 over 13 seasons. A closer in his initial season of 2006, Saito finished 8th place in the National League Cy Young Award
Cy Young Award
The Cy Young Award is an honor given annually in baseball to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball , one each for the American League and National League . The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in 1955...
voting, receiving a single third place vote.
Japan
Saito played for Tohoku Fukushi UniversityTohoku Fukushi University
is a Japanese private university in Sendai.-Sports:*Baseball**Mamoru Kishida**Takashi Saito**Kazuhiro Sasaki**Kazuhiro Wada**Ken Kadokura**Tomoaki Kanemoto*Figure skating**Akiko Suzuki*Golf**Hidemasa Hoshino**Yūsaku Miyazato**Hideto Tanihara...
in Sendai during his college years alongside players such as former Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
closer Kazuhiro Sasaki
Kazuhiro Sasaki
Kazuhiro "Daimajin" Sasaki is a former Nippon Professional Baseball and Major League Baseball right-handed relief pitcher. He played his entire NPB career with the Yokohama Taiyo Whales / Yokohama BayStars...
and current 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
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
Tomoaki Kanemoto
Tomoaki Kanemoto
is a Japanese professional baseball outfielder with the Hanshin Tigers in Nippon Professional Baseball.The Tigers' current cleanup hitter, Kanemoto is regarded as one of the most accomplished hitters in Japanese professional baseball history and has hit more home runs in his career than any other...
. Saito was originally a position player, but he became a 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...
in his second year in college. He was drafted in the first round by the Yokohama Taiyo Whales
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 . He was an all-star a total of four times while in Japan , and he led the Central League
Central League
The or is one the two professional baseball leagues that constitute Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. The winner of the league championship plays against the winner of the Pacific League in the annual Japan Series. It currently consists of six teams from around the country,The Central League...
in strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
s with 206 in 1996. He was found to have a dislocated cartilage in his right elbow in the spring of and had to undergo surgery, subsequently spending the rest of the season rehabbing. He came back in , winning
Win (baseball)
In professional baseball, there are two types of decisions: a win and a loss . In each game, one pitcher on the winning team is awarded a win and one pitcher on the losing team is given a loss in their respective statistics. These pitchers are collectively known as the pitchers of record. Only...
13 games while posting a 2.94 ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
. His team, the BayStars, also won the Japanese championship series for the second time in 38 years that year. He became the teams closer after incumbent Kazuhiro Sasaki left the BayStars to join the Mariners in . His record was 7–1 with 27 saves, and a 1.67 ERA in 2001. Saito returned to his starting
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
role in , but did not win more than 6 games in a season between 2003 and .
Los Angeles Dodgers
Saito 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). He made his first Major League appearance on April 9, 2006, against the Philadelphia PhilliesPhiladelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
. He pitched 2/3 of an inning without giving up any 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...
or hits
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....
. After stepping into the closer role recently vacated by fan favorite Éric Gagné
Éric Gagné
Éric Serge Gagné is a former Major League Baseball pitcher.Signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers as a free agent in 1995, Gagné began his career as a starting pitcher...
, he recorded his first Major League save on May 15, 2006, against the Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...
.
Saito threw a 159 km/h (99 mph) fastball
Fastball
The fastball is the most common type of pitch in baseball. Some "power pitchers," such as Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, have thrown it at speeds of 95–106 mph and up to 108.1 mph , relying purely on speed to prevent the ball from being hit...
on June 26, , which is claimed to be the all-time record for a Japanese-born Major League pitcher. He was named to the National League All-Star team for the first time in 2007. He was also named closer of the month for August 2007.
On September 25, 2007, Saito was named one of 10 finalists for the DHL Delivery Man of the Year Award
DHL Delivery Man of the Year Award
Major League Baseball honors its best relief pitcher monthly with the Major League Baseball Delivery Man of the Month Award and annually with the Major League Baseball Delivery Man of the Year Award. The awards were initially part of a sponsorship agreement between MLB and package delivery company...
.
Saito had his first career major league at-bat on April 23, . On July 18, 2008, Saito was placed on the 15-day disabled list
Disabled list
In Major League Baseball, the disabled list is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players.-General guidelines:...
with a sprained ligament in his elbow. He was activated on September 13.
The Dodgers did not offer Saito a contract after the 2008 season and he became a free agent.
Boston Red Sox
On January 10, , Saito signed a one-year $1.5 (+6) million contract with the Boston Red SoxBoston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
with a team option for 2010. He was 3–3 with a 2.53 ERA in 56 games with the Red Sox, primarily as a setup man, in 2009 (final salary: $6 million).
Atlanta Braves
Saito signed a one-year $3.2 million contract with the Atlanta BravesAtlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
on December 3, 2009. Saito was released by the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
following the 2010 season, even though he did not have enough MLB experience to qualify for free agency, as stipulated by his contract. Saito signed a translator, Kosuke Inaji, for the 2009–2010 season.
Milwaukee Brewers
After the 2010 season, Saito signed a one-year contract with the Milwaukee BrewersMilwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
for about $3 million. Kosuke Inaji retains his position from last year as Saito's translator.
In 2011, he was 4-2 with a 2.03 ERA, and was the third-oldest player in the National League.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball all-time saves leaders
- Nippon Professional Baseball Comeback Player of the Year AwardNippon Professional Baseball Comeback Player of the Year AwardThe Nippon Professional Baseball Comeback Player of the Year Award is given to one player in each league of Central League and Pacific League.-NPB Comeback Player of the Year Award:-See also:*Nippon Professional Baseball#Awards*Baseball awards#Japan...