Shunsuke Watanabe

From BR Bullpen

Shunsuke Watanabe (Shun-chan, Pokki, Hone, Sub-Marine)

Bats Right, Throws Right
Height 5' 10", Weight 154 lb.

School Kokugakuin University
High School Kokugakuin Tochigi High School
Born August 27, 1976 in Shimotsuga-gun, Tochigi Japan

Shunsuke Watanabe is known as "Sub-Marine" among English-language fans of Nippon Pro Baseball due to his submarine delivery and his playing for the Chiba Lotte Marines. Watanabe first appeared on a prominent stage in the 2000 Olympics, where he beat Italy but then lost to Cuba. Drafted in the 4th round in 2000 by Chiba Lotte, Watanabe was 2-2, 2.66 in 13 games for the Marines in 2001. In 2002, Shunsuke was 0-3 and his ERA rose to 6.35. He apparently spent most of the year in ni-gun (the minors). The next year, at age 26, he improved to 9-4, 3.66 but struggled when he aimed for more heat. Advised by Kimiyasu Kudoh and Tomohiro Kuroki to develop an alternate approach, Watanabe relied mostly on sinkers, slow curve balls and sliders. Watanabe was 12-6 in 2004 with a 3.59 ERA. He was fifth in the Pacific League in ERA, third in wins behind Hisashi Iwakuma and Satoru Kanemura and made his first All-Star team. Shun-chan improved in 2005 to 15-4 with a 2.17 ERA as he again was an All-Star. His ERA was second to Toshiya Sugiuchi, he was fourth in the PL in wins and part of a 3-way tie for the league lead in shutouts (3), including a one-hitter on March 27. He pitched a 4-hit shutout in his only start in the 2005 Japan Series. In an exhibition against a Major League Baseball All-Star team, Watanabe allowed three runs in five innings on six hits. Picked to play in the 2006 World Baseball Classic, Shunsuke was 0-0 with a 1.98 ERA in two starts for the champion Japanese club.