Kunikazu Ogawa

Kunikazu Ogawa (小川 邦和) (Kuni)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 8", Weight 165 lb.

• School Waseda University
• High School Onomichi Shogyo High School

• Born February 1, 1947 in Fukuyama, Hiroshima Japan

BR register page

Kunikazu Ogawa has been a player, coach, broadcaster and scout.

Yomiuri

Ogawa went to Japan's industrial leagues after college. He was picked in the 7th round of the 1972 NPB draft by the Yomiuri Giants. He was 3-0 with a 3.26 ERA in 32 games for them in 1973; he did not pitch in the 1973 Japan Series, won by Yomiuri, as their starters were stellar.

Ogawa had a 12-4, 3.79 record in 1974 and 8-10 with four saves and a 3.74 ERA in 1975. Kunikazu went 3-2 with a save and a 3.26 ERA in 36 games in 1976 and did not pitch in the 1976 Japan Series, which the Giants lost. Ogawa struggled in 1977 (0-1, 6.43 in 9 games) to end his time with Yomiuri.

USA

Kunikazu then came to the US, playing semipro baseball in 1978. In 1979, he was 1-7 with four saves and a 5.37 ERA with the Vancouver Canadians of the Milwaukee Brewers chain. He was demoted to the Holyoke Millers in 1980 and had his best season statistically, going 6-2 with 16 saves and a 1.96 ERA, with a WHIP under 1.

Hiroshima

Ogawa returned to Japan and signed with the Hiroshima Carp. He went 3-3 with four saves and a 3.63 ERA in 1981. He had no decisions and a 5.19 ERA in 27 contests in 1982 and no decisions and a 5.56 ERA in 12 games in 1983.

Mexico

The right-hander came back to North America in 1984 to go 10-11 with a 5.84 ERA for the Rieleros de Aguascalientes.

Career Statistics

Ogawa was 29-20 with nine saves and a 3.83 ERA in 248 games in Nippon Pro Baseball, 7-9 with 20 saves and a 3.64 ERA in 75 games in the US and Canada's AA and AAA levels and 10-11 with a 5.84 ERA in the Mexican League, also AAA.

Continued life in baseball

Done as a player, Ogawa was a baseball commentator in Japan. He coached for the Korea Baseball Organization's Samsung Lions then coached for the Chiba Lotte Marines in his homeland. He later was the Far East scout for the Pittsburgh Pirates and coached youth baseball in Japan.

Sources

• 1980, 1981 and 1985 Baseball Guides
• 2006 Pirates Media Guide
• Japanbaseballdaily.com