Kazuya Sumitomo

Kazuya Sumitomo (住友 一哉)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 0", Weight 187 lb.

• School Hosei University
• High School Naruto High School

• Born February 14, 1958 in Naruto, Tokushima Japan

BR Register page

Biographical Information

Kazuya Sumitomo played in Nippon Pro Baseball for 10 years

Sumitomo was drafted by the Hankyu Braves in the first round of the 1975 NPB draft, but he refused to sign. He was 10-4 with a 1.65 ERA in college, and the Kintetsu Buffaloes picked him in the 6th round of the 1981 NPB draft. Sumitomo only pitched 4 games in 1982, and he was 8-2 with 3 saves and a 2.81 ERA in 33 games in 1983. His ERA was 6.93 in 19 games in 1984, then he notched 4 saves with a 4.86 ERA in 36 relief outings in 1985. Sumitomo had a4.39 ERA in 18 games in 1986, and he went 5-4 with a 3.90 ERA in 1987. He recorded a 4.50 ERA in 11 games in 1988, then the Braves traded him with Hidenori Minami to the Hanshin Tigers for Hideaki Sato and Masaaki Fukuya. Sumitomo notched 7 saves with a 3.41 in a career-high 44 appearances in 1989, and he was 6th in saves in the Central League (tied with Ron Davis and Makoto Kito). He had a 4.91 ERA in 19 games in 1990, but he only pitched one game in 1991 and he announced his retirement. Sumitomo later became the pitching coach for the minor league team of the Kintetsu Buffaloes from 1992 to 1996 and for the Orix Buffaloes in 2006.

Overall, Sumitomo was 18-11 with 17 saves a 4.18 ERA, struck out 170 and pitched 383 innings in 10 seasons in NPB.

Sources

• Wiki Japan