Tokinari Nishina

Tokinari Nishina (仁科 時成)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 9", Weight 170 lb.

• High School Okayama Sanyo High School

• Born June 2, 1951 in Asakuchi, Okayama Japan

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Biographical Information

Tokinari Nishina pitched for 12 years for the Lotte Orions.

Nishina was a third-round pick of Lotte in the 1976 NPB draft. He went 5-2 with a save and a 4.25 ERA in 26 games (8 starts) as a rookie in 1977. In 1978, he started 16 games and relieved in another 16, going 9-6 with a 4.26 ERA. He had a 9-11, 4.01 record in 1979, plunking a Pacific League-high 19 batters. In 1980, he had his best year, going 17-8 with a 3.19 ERA despite giving up 35 home runs. He made his only PL All-Star team. He was third in the circuit in ERA behind Isamu Kida and Hisashi Yamada and led in hit batsmen (18) and shutouts (5).

The submariner was 13-10 with a 4.06 ERA in 1981 while plunking a league-high 18 once again. In 1982, Nishina had a 9-14, 4.39 record. He fell to 5-13, 5.06 in 1983 and hit 13, most in the league. On August 20, he lost a no-hitter with two outs. In 1984, the veteran right-hander was 13-11 with a 3.71 ERA, placing 8th in the league in ERA. He lost another no-hit bid with two away, becoming the first Nippon Pro Baseball hurler so victimized.

Tokinari had a 12-13, 4.32 record with 35 homers allowed in 1985. In 1986, he was 10-12 with a 4.98 ERA and hit 13 batters, leading the league for the last time. It was obvious he was an aggressive inside pitcher, as control was not the issue, with only 29 walks in 142 2/3 IP. On September 18, he won his 100th game.

Nishina went 7-7 with a 3.20 ERA in 18 starts in 1987 then moved to the bullpen for his last year (1-1, 4.06 in 31 games), 1988. He was 110-108 with a 4.10 ERA in 334 career games (259 starts). Through 2010, his 142 hit batsmen rank 5th in NPB history.

After he ended as a player, Nishina coached for Lotte before and after he ran a snack bar.

Source: Japanbaseballdaily