Keisaku Itokazu
From BR Bullpen
Keisaku Itokazu (糸数 敬作)
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 5' 11", Weight 190 lb.
- School Asia University
- High School Chubu Shogyo High School
- Born November 7, 1984 in Okinawa, Okinawa Japan
Keisaku Itokazu debuted in Nippon Pro Baseball in 2009.
Itokazu was MVP of the Tokyo Metropolitan University League one season while in college. He was a third-round pick of the Nippon Ham Fighters in 2006. He was a good minor league pitcher in 2007 and 2008, then switched to a sidearm motion in spring training of 2009.
Itokazu made it to NPB in 2009, going 4-5 with a 4.56 ERA but allowing only a .211 average. He allowed a homer to the first batter he faced in his debut, Jose Fernandez. On July 7, he forgot his uniform and wore Brian Sweeney's instead. One of his rotation mates, Tomoya Yagi, was born on the same date but a year earlier.
Itokazu throws a slider, forkball, changeup and fastball (peak 92 mph).
Source: Japanbaseballdaily.com
