Nobuhiko Watanabe

Nobuhiko Watanabe (渡辺 伸彦)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 9", Weight 140 lb.

• High School Masuda Higashi High School

• Born March 22, 1966 in Ochi-gun, Shimane Japan

BR register page

Biographical Information

Nobuhiko Watanabe played in Nippon Pro Baseball for 10 years.

Watanabe was drafted by the Hanshin Tigers in the 5th round of the 1988 NPB draft, and he had a 3.70 ERA in 30 games in 1989. He plunked Larry Parrish in the head on May 31, 1989, and Watanabe was ejected because of dangerous pitching. He was the first Central League pitcher to be ejected on this rule. He then went 2-1 with 2 saves and a 5.10 ERA in 41 games in 1990, and he only got 8 appearances in 1991. Watanabe's ERA was 2.31 in 11 games in 1992, and he went 0-2 with a 3.82 ERA in 1993. The Tigers then traded him to the Orix BlueWave for Katsuyuki Furumizo, and he was named their new closer.

Watanabe notched 11 saves with a 1.96 ERA in 37 appearances in 1994, and he was 5th in saves in the Pacific League (between Bobby Thigpen and Hiroshi Shintani). He recorded a 2.97 ERA in 32 games in 1995, and he ‎completed 1 1/3 shutout innings in the 1995 Nippon Series Game 1; Orix lost to the Yakult Swallows in 5 games. Watanabe was 3-1 with a 2.84 ERA in 1996, and his ERA was 3.29 ERA in 23 games in 1997. The BlueWave then released him, and he signed with the Yokohama BayStars. However, Watanabe only pitched 2 more games for the BayStars before he announced his retirement in 2000.

Overall, Watanabe was 9-10 with 15 saves and a 3.83 ERA, struck out 303 and pitched 333 1/3 innings in 10 seasons in NPB.

Sources

• Wiki Japan