Takamasa Suzuki

Takamasa Suzuki (鈴木 孝政)

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

• High School Chiba Naruto High School

• Born July 3, 1954 in Sanbu-gun, Chiba Japan

BR register page

Biographical Information

Takamasa Suzuki pitched for 18 years for the Chunichi Dragons, making seven All-Star teams. His fastball peaked in the mid-90s.

Suzuki once struck out 13 in a row in high school; Chunichi took him in the first round of the 1972 NPB draft. He retired all three batters he faced in 1973, then was 4-2 with a 3.52 ERA and 1.05 WHIP in 1974. Despite being a reliever primarily that season, he started games 2 and 5 of the 1974 Japan Series in addition to saving game 3. He lost game 5, a 2-0 duel with Masaaki Kitaru of the Lotte Orions (who won the Series). He had a 1.64 ERA for the Series.

Suzuki improved to 9-8 with 21 saves, a 2.97 ERA and .210 opponent average in 1975. He walked only 25 in 148 1/3 IP to give him a .93 WHIP. He made his first Central League All-Star team and led all of Nippon Pro Baseball in appearances and saves. He won the CL Fireman of the Year award. He finished 9th in the league in ERA, between Yoshiro Sotokoba and Yutaka Enatsu. In 1976, the young right-hander was 7-8 with a career-high 26 saves. He had a 0.96 WHIP (27 BB, 116 H in 148 1/3 IP) and a 2.97 ERA. He made his second All-Star team, won his second Fireman of the Year Award and led the loop in saves, save points and ERA (by .01 over Shigeru Kobayashi).

In 1977, #29 was 18-9 with 9 saves and a 3.76 ERA in 57 games (8 starts). He led in saves (tied with Hisao Niura and Kazuyuki Yamamoto) and save points, was 10th in ERA and was two wins behind pacesetter Satoshi Takahashi. He made his third All-Star team and won his third Fireman of the Year - it would not be until the early 1990s when another pitcher took three straight Fireman of the Year honors, Motoyuki Akahori. He had another productive season in 1978 (10-3, 9 Sv, 2.09, 1.04 WHIP) to make his fourth All-Star team in a row.

Suzuki put up less impressive, but still solid, numbers for the next three years. He was 1-0 with 9 saves, a 3.02 ERA and 1.21 WHIP in 1979, 4-3 with 12 saves, a 2.75 ERA and 1.10 WHIP in 1980 and 6-8 with 8 saves, a 3.20 ERA and 1.33 WHIP in 1981. Despite an elbow injury, he became a starter in 1982, going 9-7 with 3 saves and a 3.11 ERA, 9th-best in the CL. He had a 1.65 ERA in the 1982 Japan Series but took the loss in game 6, the clincher for the Seibu Lions.

Takamasa had a 7-4, 3.65 record in 1983 and was 8th in the CL in ERA, between Suguru Egawa and Hiromi Makihara. He had his worst ERA yet (4.07) in 1984 but won NPB Comeback Player of the Year honors, presumably thanks to a 16-8 record and his first All-Star team selection in six years. He made his sixth All-Star team in 1985 but it would be his worst year yet (8-12, 4.15, .318 opponent average).

The Chiba native rebounded to 9-9, 3.15 in 1986, walking only 33 in 162 2/3 IP. On April 12, he became the 91st NPB hurler to reach 100 career wins. He finished 10th in ERA. In 1987, he was chosen as an All-Star for the last time but regressed to 9-6, 4.50. He was primarily a reliever in his last two years - 4-3, 3.13 in 1988; 3-4, 4.72 in 1989. On July 21, he whiffed Larry Parrish to become the 80th NPB pitcher to 1,000 Ks.

Suzuki was 124-94 with 96 saves and a 3.49 ERA in 586 NPB games (170 starts). He had 1,006 strikeouts to 364 walks in 1,788 1/3 IP and a .262 opponent average. As a batter, he was a typical pitcher - .128/.167/.150.

After his playing career ended, Suzuki coached for the Dragons and was a commentator for Fuji Television, Tokai Television, Tokai radio and Chunichi Sports.

Source: Japan Baseball Daily