Masao Sato

Masao Sato (佐藤 政夫)

• Bats Right, Throws Left
• Height 5' 9", Weight 175 lbs.

• High School Tohoku High School

• Born December 8, 1950 in Sendai, Miyagi, Japan

BR register page

Biographical Information

Masao Sato pitched in Nippon Pro Baseball for 16 years.

Sato was drafted by the Yomiuri Giants in the fifth round of the 1969 NPB draft, but he stayed in the NPB Farm Leagues in his first season. The Lotte Orions then selected him in a special "Balance Draft" (like a Rule V draft) in 1970, and Sato pitched 13 games for the Orions in 1971. He was sent to the Lodi Orions of the California League in 1972, and he was 3-2 with a 3.23 there. The Orions then traded him to the Chunichi Dragons with Naoya Okuda for Hiroshi Tsuchiya and Norihiro Mizutani. Sato pitched 8 games with a 2.70 ERA for the Dragons in 1973, and he only got 3 appearances in 1974.

The Sendai native had a 3.67 ERA in 20 games in 1975, then he pitched 50 games with a 3.71 ERA in 1976. He was 7th in appearances in the Central League, tied with Hisao Niura. Sato the recorded a 4.43 ERA in 52 games in 1977, and he was 4th in appearances (between Shigeyuki Takahashi and Takeshi Yasuda). His ERA was 3.94 in 42 games in 1978, but he only pitched 12 games combined in the next two seasons due to a left elbow injury. The Dragons released him after the 1980 season, and the Taiyo Whales picked him up.

Sato came back in 1981, and he led the Pacific League with 57 appearances while having a 2.72 ERA. However, his ERA rose to 5.40 in 28 games in 1982, and his ERA was 5.62 in 20 appearances in 1983. The Whales released him after he had a 3.86 ERA in 13 games in 1984, and he went back to the Orions. Sato recorded a solid 1.90 ERA with 5 saves in 1985, then he pitched 36 games with a 3.41 ERA in 1986. After having a 2.87 ERA in 29 appearances in 1987, Sato announced his retirement and became a scout. He also coached the Orions in 1990.

Overall, Sato was 14-27 with a 3.96 ERA, struck out 308 and pitched 554 2/3 innings in 16 years in NPB.

Sources

• Wiki Japan
• NPB.com Bio