Shigeo Tamaki

Henrique Shigeo Tamaki (玉木 重雄)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 10", Weight 171 lb.

• Born February 25, 1971 in Sao Paolo Brazil

BR register Page

Biographical Information

A third-generation Japanese-Brazilian, Shigeo Tamaki was a reliever for a decade in Nippon Pro Baseball.

He pitched for Mitsubishi Motors and Kawasaki in the Japanese industrial leagues. He was the top pitcher for the Brazilian national team in the 1995 Intercontinental Cup, allowing five hits and four runs (one earned) in ten innings. He was then picked in the fifth round of the 1995 NPB draft by the Hiroshima Carp. He debuted with Hiroshima in 1996, going 3-1 with one save and a 4.11 ERA in 30 appearances.

In 1997, Tamaki was 0-3 with a 4.84 ERA in 25 games pitched. He doubled his appearances total in 1998, finishing second to Kanei Kobayashi among Carp pitchers. He had a 6-4, 2 Sv, 4.99 record that year.

At age 28, the reliever had a 3-3, 4.08 season in 39 games, including two starts; he made the most appearances of any Hiroshima hurler. In reduced action in 2000, the Brazilian native had a fine 2.61 ERA and allowed 35 hits in 48 1/3 innings. In 2001, Shigeo had his busiest year (62 games, 75 innings) and his best (9-3, 3 Sv, 2.76, 65 K). He was the 4th most-used pitcher in the Central League (in terms of games) and tied for the most relief wins with Atsushi Kizuka.

Tamaki remained effective in 2002 (6-1, 2 Sv, 3.34) and he tied Kobayashi for the team lead with 52 games pitched. In 2003, Shigeo slipped to 3-5, 5.26, allowing 45 hits in 37 2/3 innings after allowing under a hit per inning in all but one previous campaign. In his 9th year with Hiroshima, the veteran was 0-2 with a 3.61 ERA in 37 games thrown, cutting his hit total to 30 in 42 1/3 innings.

Tamaki signed with the expansion Rakuten Golden Eagles and had a 2-0, 3.52 record for the 2005 team; on a bad expansion outfit, he had the best margin of wins over losses. He did not pitch for them in 2006 and retired at the end of the season. Rakuten then hired him as a coach and scout.

Principal Source: Japanbaseballdaily.com by Gary Garland