Shinichi Takeuchi

Shinichi Takeuchi (武内 晋一)

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 5' 9", Weight 187 lb.
• School Waseda University
• High School Chiben Wakayama High School

• Born December 10, 1983 in Kobe, Hyogo Japan

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Biographical Information

Shinichi Takeuchi had a long career in Japan, playing in Nippon Pro Baseball from 2006 to 2018. His entire career was spent with the Yakult Swallows of the Central League; however, in most seasons, he also played for part of the year with Yakult's ni-gun team in the minor league Eastern League, reflecting his position as a career back-up. For example, in his 13 professional seasons, his highest number of at-bats at the highest level was just 169, achieved in 116 games in his first full season, 2008. He never reached double figures in homers, and his career high for RBIs was just 22. His career batting average in the PL was .222, and .250 overall counting his playing time in the minors.

He was a member of the Chiben Wakayama High School team that won the 82nd Summer Koshien in 2000, then went on to attend prestigious Waseda University, where he was a standout player and a member of the Japanese team at the 2004 World University Championship. However, he hit .083 and .073 in the Pacific League in 36 games over his first two seasons, before sort of establishing himself in 2008. Still, he entered into team lore in his first season, when on April 1st, his first NPB hit was a three-run home run off Yuya Ando of the Hanshin Tigers on Opening Day. He also dropped a routine fly ball in that first game, and soon found himself in the minors. He shuffled between the two levels in every one of his pro seasons. He had a very good season in the Eastern League in 2007, batting .360, but was blocked at first base on the senior team by Adam Riggs.

There were two other major highlights in his career. On June 14, 2009, the Swallows set an NPB record with 11 straight hits in the 6th inning in a game against the Orix Buffaloes. He was the ninth straight batter to get a hit, a chopper down the first base line, off Masanobu Okubo, the third pitcher of the inning. After a walk, Aaron Guiel hit a grand slam for hit #10, and pinch-hitter Yasushi Iihara followed with a double for #11 before Yakult finally made an out. They needed all 10 runs (one of the baserunners was out on a rundown), as they won the game by a score of 14-10. The second highlight came on May 6, 2013 when he hit a grand slam as a pinch-hitter to give Yakult a 7-3 win over the Chunichi Dragons. That game was already memorable before his clutch hit, as earlier in the contest Motonobu Tanishige of Chunichi had reached the 2,000-hit mark at age 42, joining the meikyukai.

As a lefty thrower, his primary position was first base, although he also appeared at all three outfield positions.