Takeshi Yasuda

Takeshi Yasuda (安田 猛)

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 5' 8", Weight 158 lb.

• School Waseda University
• High School Kokura High School

• Born April 25, 1947 in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Japan

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Biographical Information

Takeshi Yasuda pitched for the Yakult Swallows for one decade. He played for Dai Showa Seishi in the industrial leagues after college and Yakult picked him in the 6th round of the 1971 NPB draft. Yasuda had an amazing debut, going 7-5 with a 2.08 ERA in 1972 with a WHIP of .99. He won the Central League ERA title over Tomohiro Tanimura by .18 and also led in games pitched (50). He was named the CL Rookie of the Year for his fine work.

In 1973, Takeshi was even better, though he was just 10-12. His 2.02 ERA led the CL by .19 over Kazumi Takahashi. He only had a .96 WHIP, made his first CL All-Star team and again led in games pitched (53, tied with Yutaka Enatsu). From July 17 until September 9, he did not walk a batter, a stretch of 81 innings, setting a Nippon Pro Baseball record. The control specialist would pitch 23 walkless complete games in his career.

Yasuda went 9-5 with a 3.18 ERA in 1974 and 16-12 with 4 saves and a 2.73 ERA in 1975, walking only 36 in 243 2/3 IP; he did not hit a batter all year. He was 4th in the CL in ERA and made another All-Star selection. He tied four others for the league lead in shutouts (3).

In 1976, the southpaw was 14-13 with two saves and a 3.93 ERA, walking 32 in 229 1/3 innings; he managed to go the whole season without a wild pitch.

Yasuda posted a 17-16 record with six saves and a 3.74 ERA in 1977. He made his third and final All-Star team and was 9th in the circuit in ERA. In 1978, Takeshi went 15-10 with four saves and a 3.93 ERA. He was 0-1 with a 8.00 ERA in the 1978 Japan Series, losing game one to the Hankyu Braves, but Yakult came back to win it in seven behind the slugging of Katsuo Osugi and Charlie Manuel.

In 1979, the veteran fell to 1-4, 6.26 with 69 hits in 46 1/3 innings. He bounced back a bit in 1980, going 4-3 with a save and a 3.81 ERA. Yasuda gave up 7 runs in 7 innings in 1981 and retired.

Overall, Yasuda went 93-80 with 17 saves and a 3.26 ERA in 358 games in NPB. He walked 285 batters in 1,508 1/3 innings and threw only 5 wild pitches, a number many pitchers top in a single season.

After his playing career came to an end, Yasuda was a coach and scout for Yakult.

Source: Japan Baseball Daily by Gary Garland