Suguru Iwazaki

Suguru Iwazaki

Iwazaki with the Hanshin Tigers
Hanshin Tigers – No. 67
Pitcher
Born: (1991-06-19) June 19, 1991
Shimizu, Shizuoka
Bats: Left Throws: Left
debut
April 2, 2014, for the Hanshin Tigers
NPB statistics
(through 2014)
Win–loss record 5-4
Earned run average 3.60
Strikeouts 51
WHIP 1.333
Teams

Suguru Iwazaki (岩崎 優 Iwazaki Suguru, born June 19, 1991 in Shimizu, Shizuoka) is a Japanese Nippon Professional Baseball pitcher for the Hanshin Tigers in Japan's Central League.

Iwazaki is a 6-foot tall left-handed pitcher, and wears jersey No. 67. His surname is often misread as "Iwasaki" rather than "Iwazaki".[1]

Early baseball career

Playing for Kokushi University at Meiji Jingu Stadium, October 2013

Suguru is a native of Shimizu, Shizuoka.[2] During his younger years, his mother who was an active member of the local softball team, assigned him to assist in picking up balls during her teams' practices. This eventually led to his interest in baseball. His father wanted to prioritize the proper development of his shoulders, so he was made to join the swimming club during grade school. He practiced all types of swimming styles that enabled him to train his legs, and at the same time, improved the flexibility of his arms and shoulders. Breaststroke was his forte.[3]

He joined the school's softball team when he entered Shimizu Municipal Junior High School.[2] Even though he entered Shimizu Higashi High School afterwards, a school known for producing notable football players, he still declared his wish to join its baseball team.[3]

He entered Kokushi University and participated in the Tohto University Baseball League,[4] mostly as a relief pitcher up to his second year.[5][6] He recorded an overall ERA of 0.94 during his 3rd year, the League's second best. For his senior's thesis, he broke down the advantages and disadvantages of left and right-handed pitchers.[7]

Despite his coach's recommendations for him to play in the industrial leagues after graduation, he still opted to join the 2013 NPB draft.[8]。

Hanshin Tigers

Iwazaki was the Hanshin Tigers' sixth pick during the 2013 autumn draft.[9] The Tigers originally intended to pick only 5 players during the draft, but upon the advise of Takayoshi Nakao, a scout for the Tigers who has been following Iwazaki since his junior year in Kokushi, they proceeded to add him to their roster.[10]

2014

He started the March 9 exhibition game with the Yomiuri Giants at Koshien. He pitched in ni-gun games in the Western League afterwards. During the March 23 Western league game with the Orix Buffaloes, he pitched 6 scoreless innings, giving up only 1 hit, and earned his first victory.[11]

He debuted as a starting pitcher on April 2 against the Chunichi Dragons, where he pitched 5 scoreless innings, allowing only 3 hits and a walk, while striking out three batters. The Tigers scored 15-0 that day, giving Suguru his first win on his first official match as a starter,[12] the 8th rookie to do so in franchise history.[3] He joined Masahide Higasa (Chunichi, 7th round draft pick in 1995) as the only pitchers drafted in the 6th round or later to record a victory in their first outing on their first year.[13] Hanshin commemorated this feat by producing 99 serialized photo panels of Iwazaki that went on sale from April 8 for 16,200 yen (Hanshin rookie goods normally sell below 10,000 yen).[14] He was given the 100th panel with serial number 67 – his jersey number.

He again won another game against the Dragons on April 24.[15] He formed a battery with fellow rookie Ryutaro Umeno on May 7, the first time since both rookies Yuya Ando and Ryo Asai started an official game in 2002.[16] But he failed to get another win that day when he gave up 6 earned runs, and the Tigers lost 0-7 to the Dragons.[17] He went for five more starts without securing a win until July 5, where he pitched 131 throws with Umeno in 7 shutout innings against the Baystars.[18] This was the first time in 31 years that a Hanshin rookie battery won an official game since rookies Susumu Mikoshiba and Katsuhiko Kido did so in 1983.[19]

After a bad outing with Hiroshima, he was removed from the register on July 26 and spent about a month in the second squad.[20] He returned on September 4, and recorded his first home victory at Koshien against the Baystars.[21] He again won on his next outing against the Swallows at Meiji Jingu Stadium.[22]

He finished the season with 5 wins and 4 losses, with an ERA of 3.50. With this, he became the first Hanshin rookie drafted as 6th pick to record 5 wins in his first year and season.[22]

On November 21, he was given a raise of 8.4 million yen for an annual salary of 15 million yen for the 2015 season.[23]

Pitching style

With a three-quarters delivery, his fastest pitch was clocked at 144 km/h (89 mph).[24] With almost exactly the same form, he can throw fastballs, breaking balls such as sliders and curves, and forkballs for changeups.[25] His unique delivery makes it difficult for the batters to assess the origin of the pitch, and his balls to have a later release point.[10] Upon seeing him pitch for the first time, 2nd squad manager Takashi Yamaguchi and pitching coach Katsuo Hirata praised his abilities and compared him to fellow lefty Yoshihisa Naruse of the Chiba Lotte Marines who was also a 6th pick in the rookie draft.[26]

References

  1. ↑ "「いわさき」じゃないぞ！岩崎、新人一番乗りお立ち台宣言". Sports Nippon. 2013-12-24. Retrieved 2014-05-12.
  2. 1 2 "父の教えで小学校では水泳部　阪神ドラ６岩崎は遅咲き強心臓左腕". Sports Nippon. 2014-01-11. Retrieved 2014-05-12.
  3. 1 2 3 "阪神ドラフト6位ルーキー岩崎5回無失点の好投". Nikkan Sports. 2014-04-02. Retrieved 2014-04-02.
  4. ↑ "ドラ６岩崎、母校を"野球の清水東"に". Daily Sports. 2013-11-02. Retrieved 2013-11-02.
  5. ↑ 国士舘大学野球部 – 戦歴
  6. ↑ "〔プロ野球ドラフト〕岩崎、阪神６位指名". Shizuoka Shimbun. The Shizuoka Shimbun and Shizuoka Broadcasting System. 2013-10-25. Archived from the original on 2013-11-03. Retrieved 2014-05-12.
  7. ↑ "ドラ６岩崎は秀才左腕！卒論で投手分析". Daily Sports. 2014-01-15.
  8. ↑ "「いわさき」じゃないぞ！岩崎、新人一番乗りお立ち台宣言". Sports Nippon. 2013-12-24. Retrieved 2014-05-12.
  9. ↑ "虎・中尾スカウト独占激白!「他選手見るつもりが岩崎に驚いた」(1/3ページ)". Sankei Sports. 2014-07-06. Retrieved 2014-07-06.
  10. 1 2 "虎・中尾スカウト独占激白!「他選手見るつもりが岩崎に驚いた」(2/3ページ)". Sankei Sports. 2014-07-06. Retrieved 2014-07-06.
  11. ↑ "阪神・岩崎、公式戦初登板で初勝利も「全体的にボール高かった」". Sankei Sports. 2014-03-24. Retrieved 2014-03-30.
  12. ↑ "阪神、連敗ストッパーは初登板の岩崎". デイリースポーツ. 2014-04-02. Retrieved 2014-04-02.
  13. ↑ "岩崎、初登板１勝ドラ６新人ダメ虎変えた". Nikkan Sports. 2014-04-03.
  14. ↑ "阪神岩崎異例の新人高額グッズ発売に恐縮". Nikkan Sports. 2014-04-08. Retrieved 2014-04-08.
  15. ↑ "阪神岩崎ドラ斬り2勝、内角攻め7回0封". Nikkan Sports. 2014-04-25. Retrieved 2014-07-05.
  16. ↑ "阪神12年ぶり岩崎－梅野の新人バッテリー". Nikkan Sports. 2014-05-07. Retrieved 2014-05-07.
  17. ↑ "阪神岩崎5回途中6失点…2戦連続KO". Nikkan Sports. 2014-05-07. Retrieved 2014-05-07.
  18. ↑ "岩崎プロ最多131球熱投!「ホームだけは踏ませないと」". Sports Nippon. 2014-07-05. Retrieved 2014-07-05.
  19. ↑ "和田監督「俺入る前」新人バッテリー勝利". Nikkan Sports. 2014-07-05. Retrieved 2014-07-05.
  20. ↑ "阪神D6・岩崎、先発へ意気込み「低めを意識してがんばります」". Sankei Sports. 2014-09-04. Retrieved 2014-10-08.
  21. ↑ "甲子園初星や!阪神・岩崎、8奪Kで61日ぶり4勝!!". Sankei Sports. 2014-09-05. Retrieved 2014-10-08.
  22. 1 2 "岩崎、鬼門で踏ん張った!虎史上初のD6位男が5勝目!!". サンケイスポーツ. 2014-09-16. Retrieved 2014-10-08.
  23. ↑ "岩崎"下克上"今季虎新人最高アップ率". Daily Sports. 2014-11-21. Retrieved 2014-11-22.
  24. ↑ "阪神ドラ６岩崎　下克上ならず初黒星". Nikkan Sports. 2014-04-17. Retrieved 2014-10-13.
  25. ↑ "2013年ドラフト　岩崎　優". Sports Nippon. 2013-11-01. Retrieved 2013-11-01.
  26. ↑ "岩崎を首脳陣が称賛！「成瀬みたい」". Daily Sports. 2014-01-20. Retrieved 2014-02-02.

External links

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