Hiroshi Ishige

Hiroshi Ishige (石毛 博史)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 2", Weight 205 lb.

• High School Choshi Municipal Choshi High School

• Born July 13, 1970 in Choshi, Chiba Japan

BR Register page

Biographical Information

Hiroshi Ishige pitched in Nippon Professional Baseball for 14 years and once led the league in saves.

Ishige was signed by the Yomiuri Giants in 1988, but he spent the first two seasons in the NPB Farm Leagues. He was promoted to the big club in 1991, and he had a 3.03 ERA in 23 appearances. Ishige broke out in 1992, as he recorded a 1.32 ERA in 53 relief outings. He had his career year in 1993, collecting a Central League-leading 30 saves with a solid 2.96 ERA, and also won his only Fireman of the Year award. Ishige pitched two innings in 1993 NPB All-Star Game 1, but allowed two runs because of Makoto Sasaki and Kazuhiro Kiyohara's solo shots.

The Chiba native was still productive in 1994 and led the league in saves again with 19. He lost the Fireman of the Year award to Shingo Takatsu because Takatsu had 3 more save points. In the 1994 Nippon Series, Ishige relieved Kiyoshi Hashimoto in Game 3, pitched 2 1/3 innings and got the win over Takehiro Ishii and the Seibu Lions. The Giants beat the Lions in 6 games, and Ishige won his first Nippon Series title.

The Yomiuri closer struggled as his ERA rose to 4.07 with 11 saves in 1995, and Mario Brito replaced him in 1996; Ishige was 4-1 with a 3.51 ERA in that season. The Giants then traded him with Yuji Yoshioka to the Kintetsu Buffaloes for Hiroo Ishii. Ishige was turned into a starter because Kintetsu already had solid closer Motoyuki Akahori, but he couldn't adapt to that role and had a 4.21 ERA in 18 games in 1997. His ERA rose to 7.23 in 1998, and the Buffaloes moved him back to the bullpen after that season. He had a 4.09 ERA in 28 games in in 1999, and improved to 3.61 ERA in 46 appearances in 2000.

However, Ishige struggled again in 2001 as his ERA was 5.04, and he only pitched 2 games in 2002 before Kintetsu released him. The Hanshin Tigers picked him up, and the veteran recorded a 3.26 ERA in 17 games in 2003. In the 2003 Nippon Series, he pitched 2 shutout innings in Game 2, but allowed a solo shot to Pedro Valdes in Game 6. The Tigers weres beaten by the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks in 7 games. Ishige only pitched 2 games in 2003, and he announced his retirement.

Overall, Ishige was 34-29, collected 83 saves with a 3.44 ERA, struck out 594 and pitched 580 1/3 innings in 14 seasons in NPB.

Sources

• Wiki Japan
• NPB.com Bio
• 1993 NPB All-Star Game 1 Box
• 2003 Nippon Series