Daisuke Araki

Daisuke Araki (荒木 大輔)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 11", Weight 173 lb.

• High School Waseda Jitsugyo High School

• Born May 6, 1964 in Chofu, Tokyo Japan

BR register page

Biographical Information

Daisuke Araki was 39-49 in 10 years in Nippon Pro Baseball. He will be noted more in history for Daisuke Matsuzaka being named after him.

Araki pitched in five Koshien Tournaments, with a 12-5 record. Despite an injury in the qualifying tournaments, Araki appeared in the 1980 summer Koshien. Due to his performance as a sophomore star, Daisuke Matsuzaka's mother decided to use his name for her son, who would become even more famous than his namesake. Araki pitched in both Koshien tournaments in 1981 and 1982. The Yakult Swallows took him in the first round of the 1982 NPB draft.

In 1983, Araki debuted with Yakult, going 1-0 in 15 games. He walked 19 and allowed 32 hits in 28 2/3 IP, resulting in a 5.97 ERA. The next year, the right-hander was 0-5 with a 7.18 ERA. In 52 2/3 innings, he allowed 22 walks and 64 hits, but 14 of those were homers. In 1985, Araki entered the rotation and had a 6-7, 4.31 record. He went 8-13 in 1986 with two saves and a 4.57 ERA. He was named to the Central League All-Star team, presumably in part due to his lingering Koshien fame. It would be his only All-Star stint.

In 1987, Araki had a 10-9 record despite a 5.07 ERA and 29 home runs allowed, the most in the Central League that year. He only pitched 12 games in 1988 and had a 3-3, 4.37 record. In 55 2/3 innings, he gave up 13 homers. He was injured and missed the next four years.

In 1989, Araki had wrist tendon replacement surgery performed in the United States. Two years later, his comeback was hampered by a herniated disk in his back.

Araki returned to NPB in 1992, winning two decisions and having a 0.69 ERA in 4 games. He started game two in the 1992 Japan Series and pitched five shutout innings before allowing two runs in the sixth, thanks to a Kazuhiro Kiyohara home run. It earned him the loss in a 2-0 decision as Taigen Kaku was dazzling for the Seibu Lions. Araki started game six, getting a no-decision in a 8-7 Yakult victory. He was 0-1 with a 4.50 ERA in the Series.

He went 8-4 with a 3.92 ERA in 1993, arguably his best campaign. His control had improved significantly as he walked only 22 in 101 IP. In the 1993 Japan Series, the Swallows again showed faith in Araki as he got the game one start against the Lions, who were bidding for their fourth title in a row. He won a 8-5 decision over Kimiyasu Kudoh, allowing 4 runs (2 earned) in six frames. He did not appear again in the Series, which Yakult won in 7 games.

In 1994, Araki slipped to 1-6, 5.09. He joined the Yokohama BayStars in 1996 but had a 0-2, 7.82 record for them in five games to end his career.

In 180 games in NPB, Araki had allowed 818 hits in 755 1/3 innings, including 130 home runs. He saved two games, walked 204 batters and struck out 359. His career ERA was 4.80.

After retiring, Araki became a commentator for Asahi YV and later had the same role with NHK.

He coached for Japan in the 2001 Baseball World Cup and 2002 Asian Games.

Araki later was hired as pitching coach of the Seibu Lions.

In 2007, it was rumored that Araki would replace Atsuya Furuta at the helm of the Yakult Swallows for the next season. Shigeru Takada got the job instead.

Source: Japan Baseball Daily by Gary Garland