Akinori Otsuka

Akinori Otsuka
Chunichi Dragons – No. 74
Pitcher / Coach
Born: (1972-01-13) January 13, 1972 Chiba, Japan
Batted: Right Threw: Right
Professional debut
MLB: April 6, 2004, for the San Diego Padres
NPB: May 13, 1987, for the Kintetsu Buffaloes
Last appearance
MLB: July 1, 2007, for the Texas Rangers
NPB: 2003, for the Chunichi Dragons
MLB statistics (through 2007)
Win–loss record	13–15
Earned run average	2.44
Strikeouts	217
Saves	39
NPB statistics (through 2003)
Win–loss record	14–23
Earned run average	2.39
Strikeouts	474
Saves	137
Teams
As player Kintetsu Buffaloes/Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes (1997–2002) Chunichi Dragons (2003) San Diego Padres (2004–2005) Texas Rangers (2006–2007) Shinano Grandserows (2012–2014) As manager Shinano Grandserows (2012–2014) As coach Chunichi Dragons (2015–present)

Akinori Otsuka

Medal record
Representing  Japan
Men's Baseball
World Baseball Classic
	2006 San Diego	Team

Akinori Otsuka (大塚 晶則, Ōtsuka Akinori) (born January 13, 1972 in Chiba, Japan) is a retired Japanese baseball pitcher who coaches for the Chunichi Dragons in Nippon Professional Baseball. He was formerly the set-up man for the San Diego Padres and the Texas Rangers. He was also the closer for Japan's 2006 World Baseball Classic winning team.

Otsuka threw a low-90's 4-seam fastball (tops out at about 94 mph) that is very straight, along with a hard, late-breaking slider. He employed an unorthodox pitching delivery wherein he lifted his lead leg up very slowly, tapped his glove, then fired to home plate, making his pitches look faster coming out of his hand and thus harder to pick up.

MLB Career

San Diego Padres

Otsuka came to the United States after several years of pitching in the Japanese League when his former team, the Chunichi Dragons, used the posting system to solicit bids from MLB clubs for the right to negotiate with him. The Padres offered the top bid, and signed him to a three-year contract on December 9, 2003.

On January 6, 2006, Otsuka was traded to the Rangers, along with pitcher Adam Eaton and minor league catcher Billy Killian, in exchange for pitcher Chris Young, first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, and outfielder Terrmel Sledge.

Texas Rangers

Otsuka took over the role as the closer for the Rangers during the 2006 season, replacing Francisco Cordero, and recorded 32 saves while posting a 2.11 ERA. However, on December 19, 2006, the Rangers announced that newly signed Éric Gagné would take over the closer role in 2007, with Otsuka moving back into a set-up role. On January 13, 2007, T. R. Sullivan reported that, in an interview in Japan, Otsuka said "If there is the team which needs me as a closer, I am going to think about (the trade)".^[1] Due to Gagné starting the season on the DL, Otsuka began the 2007 season as the closer. With the trade of Gagne to the Boston Red Sox, Otsuka assumed the closer's role again. However, Otsuka went on the DL after experiencing tighntess in his throwing shoulder. His stand-in was C. J. Wilson. Otsuka was not offered a new contract by the Rangers and became a free agent on December 12, 2007.

Post MLB and Retirement

On January 10, 2008, Otsuka announced that he would undergo elbow surgery.

Shinano Grandserows

Otsuka was the player-manager of the Shinano Grandserows of the Japanese Baseball Challenge League from 2012–2014. The team held his retirement ceremony on September 15, 2014.^[2]

Coaching Career

Chunichi Dragons

Otsuka was brought back to his old stomping ground with the Chunichi Dragons on the 3rd of October 2015 as one of the second team pitching coaches.^[3]

In 2016, with first team pitching coach Shinichi Kondoh on leave to have hernia surgery, Otsuka helped lead the first team pitchers in spring camp.^[4] He however returned to working with the second team following Kondoh's return. On 26 September, Otsuka was unveiled as the pitching coach for the U-23 Japanese national team for the 2016 WBSC U-23 World Cup.^[5]

Personal life

Otsuka and his wife, Akemi, have one son, Toranosuke, and one daughter, Hikaru.^[6]

Statistics

Major Leagues (Total as of July 26, 2008)

• 236 Games
• 232 Innings pitched
• 13 Wins
• 15 Losses
• 39 Saves
• 217 Strikeouts
• 2.44 ERA

Japanese Professional Leagues

• 305 Games
• 350.2 Innings pitched
• 14 Wins
• 23 Losses
• 137 Saves
• 474 Strikeouts
• 2.39 ERA

Season by Season
Last update: 26 July 2008

Year	Team	Age	GP	W	L	S	IP	ER	K	ERA
1997	Kintetsu Buffaloes	25	52	4	5	7	82.2	19	127	2.07
1998	Kintetsu Buffaloes	26	49	3	2	35	55.1	13	32	2.11
1999	Kintetsu Buffaloes	27	25	1	4	6	29.2	9	32	3.95
2000	Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes	28	39	1	3	24	41.2	11	97	2.38
2001	Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes	29	48	2	5	26	56	25	82	4.02
2002	Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes	30	41	2	1	22	42.1	6	54	1.82
2003	Chunichi Dragons	31	51	1	3	17	43	10	56	2.09
2004	San Diego Padres	32	73	7	2	0	77.3	15	87	1.75
2005	San Diego Padres	33	66	2	8	0	62.7	25	60	3.59
2006	Texas Rangers	34	63	2	4	32	59.7	14	47	2.11
2007	Texas Rangers	35	34	2	1	4	32.1	9	23	2.51

*Bold = led league

References

External links

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or Baseball-Reference, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)
• Official blog (Japanese)
• Japanese league stats and info of Akinori Otsuka
• Japan Baseball Daily