Junji Hoshino

Junji Hoshino (星野 順治)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 11", Weight 190 lbs.

• High School Niigata Commercial High School

• Born June 18, 1974 in Tsubame, Niigata Japan

BR register page

Biographical Information

Junji Hoshino pitched in Nippon Pro Baseball for 11 years.

Hoshino was drafted by the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks in the 4th round of the 1997 NPB draft, but he only pitched two games with the big club in his rookie year. He then entered the rotation in 1999, and he was 10-8 with a 3.98 ERA. Hoshino pitched 6 1/3 shutout innings to outduel Kazuhiro Takeda in 1999 Nippon Series Game 4, and the Hawks beat the Chunichi Dragons in 6 games. He then suffered from a right finger injury in 2000, so he only pitched 18 games (8 starts) with a 4.14 ERA and a Pacific League-leading 2 shutouts (tied with 6 pitchers). In the 2000 Nippon Series, he relieved Hidekazu Watanabe in the 4th inning of Game 3, and he pitched 2 2/3 innings while surrendering a 2-run homer to Hideki Matsui. Hoshino then pitched a shutout inning in Game 6, but the Hawks were beaten by the Yomiuri Giants.

The Niigata native was 13-9 with a 3.75 ERA in 2001, leading the league with 197 hits allowed and tying Keisaburo Tanoue for 3rd in wins. He then went 9-10 with a 3.76 ERA in 2002, but he suffered a right elbow injury and nearly missed the entire 2003 season. Hoshino came back in 2004, and he was 7-8 with a 4.64 ERA. He had a 4.30 ERA in 19 games (18 starts) with a 8-5 record in 2005, but that was his last productive season. Hoshino only pitched 9 games combined in the next three seasons due to a foot injury, and he announced his retirement in 2008. He then coached the Hawks from 2009 to 2010.

Overall, Hoshino was 50-48 with a 4.26 ERA, struck out 373 and pitched 732 2/3 innings in 11 years in NPB.

Sources

• Wiki Japan
• NPB.com Bio
• 1999 Nippon Series