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Junichi Tazawa

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Junichi Tazawa (田澤純一)

Bats Right, Throws Right
Height 5' 11", Weight 180 lb.

Debut August 7, 2009

Born June 6, 1986 in Yokohama, Kanagawa Japan

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[edit] Biographical Information

Junichi Tazawa made history in 2008 when he opted to bypass the Nippon Pro Baseball draft and bargain with MLB teams to start his pro career overseas. Only two prior high-quality Japanese players had signed with US teams before the NPB draft and each had other issues - Mac Suzuki was a high school drop-out who developed his career in the US and Kazuhito Tadano was plagued by a gay porn video which led to most NPB teams turning their backs on him.

Tazawa throws a fastball (which has peaked at 95 mph), forkball and curveball.

Tazawa pitched for Japan in the 2007 Baseball World Cup. He was roughed up for 8 hits and 3 runs in 5 innings in a loss to the host Taiwan national team, which finished well behind Japan in the standings. In the semifinals, he tossed two perfect innings of relief in a 5-3 loss to the Cuban national team. Japan finished with a Bronze Medal despite having the lone all-amateur team (outside of Cuba, where the top players do not turn pro). Tazawa struck out 9 in 8 innings in the World Cup overall and was 0-1 with a 3.38 ERA.

In 2008, Tazawa led his Nippon Oil team to their first Intercity industrial league national title in 13 years, winning four games in the tournament (saving one, losing none and having a 1.27 ERA) and being named MVP. After this, he wrote to all 12 Nippon Pro Baseball teams, requesting that they not draft him, as he wanted to try his chances in the USA. Tazawa had been projected as a first-round pick. No team selected him in the draft, honoring his wishes.

In his final amateur tournament, Tazawa did not allow an earned run in 20 2/3 IP in the national corporate baseball championships. After two straight shutouts, he allowed the losing run (unearned) in the semifinals as Nippon Oil was eliminated. Tazawa went 13-1 with 5 saves and a 0.80 ERA for Nippon Oil in 2008, striking out 114 and walking 15 in 113 innings.

Tazawa signed with the Boston Red Sox on December 4, inking a 3-year, $3.3 million deal. He expressed interest in learning from Daisuke Matsuzaka while in the Red Sox chain. Tazawa started 2009 in AA with the Portland Sea Dogs. He struck out 7 in five innings in his professional debut, allowing four hits and one run in a loss to the Connecticut Defenders, losing a duel to Mike Musgrave. He went 9-5 with a 2.57 ERA for Portland then was promoted to the AAA Pawtucket Red Sox. He had a 2.38 ERA in two starts for Pawtucket, but lost both of his decisions in the International League.

He was brought up to the big club on August 7, 2009 after veteran John Smoltz was released. In an unexpected turn of events, he was used that very night as the Red Sox were locked in an extra-inning scoreless duel with the New York Yankees. He pitched a scoreless 14th inning, but in the 15th, he gave up a single and a two-out home run by Alex Rodriguez to be saddled with the loss. He made his starting debut at home on August 11 against the Detroit Tigers. In a wild game marked by an early bench-clearing brawl and two ejections, he gave up a single earned run in 5 innings to earn his first major league victory.