Kiyoshi Doi
From BR Bullpen
Kiyoshi Doi
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 5' 7", Weight 162 lb.
- School Meiji University
- High School Okayama Higashi Shogyo High School
- Born June 10, 1933 in Okayama, Okayama Japan
Kiyoshi Doi caught for the Taiyo Whales for 13 years, making 7 All-Star teams, and later managed the club for two seasons.
Doi debuted in 1956 and hit .190/.256/.267 in 85 games yet still made the Central League All-Star team. The next year, he batted .248/.329/.347 and again was an All-Star. He set career highs in runs (34), homers (7) and RBI (38) in 1958 when he hit .242/.319/.339 and was an All-Star.
Making his fourth All-Star team in a row in 1959, Doi again fell under the Mendoza Line at .190/.260/.246. His batting line improved to .212/.298/.271 in 1960, his 5th All-Star season. He made the Best Nine as the top overall catcher in the Central League; Masaaki Mori would begin a run of eight straight Best Nines the next year. He fell to .196/.243/.225 with just 18 runs produced in 115 games in 1961 but was an All-Star for the sixth straight time.
He ended his All-Star run in 1962 with his 7th appearance despite his fourth sub-.200 season at .199/.261/.241. Doi remained a starter in 1963 and had one of his better seasons offensively at .242/.307/.275.
Down to 69 plate appearances in 60 games in 1964, Doi hit .200/.258/.333. In a similar role in 1965, he was just 9 for 64 with 2 doubles and 4 walks. He hit .189/.222/.221 in 61 games in 1966 and .248/.301/.333 in 71 games in 1967. He ended up in 1968 by going 5 for 23 with 2 walks and a homer with 8 RBI.
Doi hit .215/.284/.281 overall in 1,138 games in Nippon Pro Baseball.
Kiyoshi coached for the Hanshin Tigers after his playing career ended. He managed Taiyo to a 59-62-9 record in 1980 and 38-71-7 in 1981 (when he was let go with a couple weeks left and the team mired in last).
