Tamotsu Nagai

Tamotsu Nagai (永射 保)

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 5' 8", Weight 162 lb.

• High School Ibusuki Shogyo High School

• Born October 3, 1953 in Kawabe-gun, Kagoshima Japan
• Died June 24, 2017 in Kurume, Fukuoka Japan

BR register page

Biographical Information

Tamotsu Nagai pitched for 18 seasons in Nippon Pro Baseball, making two All-Star teams.

A third-round pick of the Hiroshima Carp in 1971, he allowed one hit and one run while retiring none as a rookie in 1972. He had a 5.40 ERA in 20 appearances in 1973 while allowing a .378 average. Moving to the Taiheiyo Club Lions, he allowed ten runs in eleven innings in 1974 and did not pitch with the big club in 1975. He got a regular role in the bullpen in 1974 and showed big strides at 3-4, 4.12 with a .222 opponent average.

A swingman in 1977, the lefty made a career-high 15 starts and relieved 34 times. He was 9-10 with 6 saves, a 3.34 ERA, .223 opponent average and .99 WHIP. He made the Pacific League All-Star team. He missed the league's top 10 in ERA by .11. He was back in a relief role in 1978, going 0-3 with a save and a 3.31 ERA. He pitched 63 games for the 1979 Lions with a 5-3, 4.13 record and one save. He led the PL in games pitched.

Nagai pitched 56 games to again lead the PL during 1980, with a record of 6-3, 4.44 and one save. Far from a LOOGY, he totaled 128 2/3 innings. He led in appearances for a third straight season in 1981 and also made his second All-Star team. The Kagoshima native went 6-3 with four saves, a 3.13 ERA and 1.09 WHIP in 61 outings.

Nagai was down to 42 games pitched in a rocky 1982 (3-4, 4 Sv, 5.93). The Lions (now the Seibu Lions) had made major strides, though, and appeared in their first Japan Series of many over the remainder of the century. In the 1982 Japan Series, Tamotsu struggled, walking two of the three batters he faced; Seibu still beat the Chunichi Dragons for their first title.

In 1983, the 29-year-old was 2-1 with a 2.41 ERA. He was a LOOGY in the 1983 Japan Series, appearing in five of the seven contests as Seibu beat the Yomiuri Giants; he got the win in game six. He only faced six batters in his five games, allowing two walks but retiring the other four (three by strikeout). He was charged with one run.

Nagai pitched 48 games in 1984 but it was still enough to tie Yukihiko Yamaoki for the PL lead. He was 6-4 with a save and a 4.11 ERA. He did not fare well in 1985, allowing 24 runs in 30 innings and going 0-1. In the 1985 Japan Series, he allowed hits to four of the eight batters he faced and allowed one run. He pitched four of the six games in the Series. He won game four, Seibu's last victory of the year, as the Hanshin Tigers took the next two games from them.

After only five outings (in which he allowed five hits, two home runs, two walks and four runs in 3 1/3 IP) in the regular season in 1986, he was still called upon twice in the 1986 Japan Series. In the Series, he retired all four batters he faced, including an appearance in the deciding game against the Carp. After 13 seasons with the Lions, Nagai joined the Taiyo Whales in 1987 but posted a 5.88 ERA and .284 opponent average in 39 games. Down to 27 contests in 1988, he allowed 10 runs (6 earned) in 12 2/3 innings and was 2-0 despite a .339 opponent average.

The veteran ended his career with the Daiei Hawks, pitching 14 2/3 innings over 39 outings in 1989 (2-0, Sv, 3.07, .208 opponent average) and allowing two runs in 4 2/3 IP in 1990.

Overall, Nagai was 44-37 with 22 saves, a 4.11 ERA and 1.19 WHIP in 606 games in NPB. He later was a Daiei scout.

Nagai was noted for his work against Leron Lee, who retired as the career NPB leader in average. Lee said "[Nagai] struck me out and made me look bad for eleven years." Lee once purchased a gift for Nagai as a psychological ploy, but that didn't help him out. When Nagai reached 500 career appearances, he invited Lee to the party, which surprised the star hitter from an opposing club. At the party, Nagai explained that the invitation came due to their frequent battles - "Out of my 500 appearances, I had 220 of them against him." Nagai then returned Lee's present; Lee later recalled it as "probably the greatest thing that ever happened to me in Japan."

Sources

• Japan Baseball Daily
• Remembering Japanese Baseball by Robert Fitts