Yoshihiro Doi

Yoshihiro Doi (Gachi, Creamy) (土肥 義弘)

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 5' 10", Weight 180 lb.
• High School Kasukabe Kyoei High School

• Born September 1, 1976 in Hatogaya, Saitama Japan

BR register page

Biographical Information

Yoshihiro Doi pitched for over a decade in Nippon Pro Baseball.

Doi pitched for Prince Hotels in the industrial leagues after high school. The Seibu Lions took him in the 4th round of the 1997 NPB draft. He was rocked for four hits, two walks and four runs in 1 1/3 IP in his only outing for the big club in 1998. He was a very productive as a lefty reliever in 1999 (1-1, 2.36, .202 opponent average). Only Denny Tomori had a lower ERA for Seibu, which also featured Daisuke Matsuzaka, Takashi Ishii, Fumiya Nishiguchi, Tetsuya Shiozaki, Kiyoshi Toyoda and Yukihiro Nishizaki on a fine pitching staff.

Doi saw action in 55 games in 2000 (49 2/3 innings as a LOOGY), going 3-1 with a 2.90 ERA. He only worked 25 innings in 39 games in 2001 but was effective still (0-1, 3.60, .202 average allowed, 1.00 WHIP). In 2002, he allowed a .191 average, 1.01 WHIP and 2.68 ERA, going 1-4 in 50 games (43 2/3 IP). In the 2002 Japan Series, which Seibu dropped to the Yomiuri Giants, he allowed one run in 1 1/3 IP over two appearances. Doi went 1-2 with a save, 4.19 ERA and .295 opponent average in an off-year in 2003 (40 G, 34 1/3 IP).

Doi was then traded to the Yokohama BayStars for Masahiro Tasaki and Kazumasa Azuma. The left-hander was used more as a starter his first year for Yokohama, going 5-5 with a 4.15 ERA in 13 starts and 5 relief outings in 2004. He turned in a 10-11, 3.83 record in 2005, walking only 30 in 164 2/3 innings. He allowed a Central League-worst 30 dingers (4 more than Kimiyasu Kudoh, the runner-up). He also was 9th in ERA (between Kenshin Kawakami and Kei Igawa), tied for 7th in losses (with Yasuhiro Oyamada), 9th in innings (164 2/3, between Shinobu Fukuhara and Hisanori Takahashi), tied for 4th in complete games (4, tied with Takahashi, Oyamada and Ken Kadokura), tied for 5th in runs allowed (80, even with Kadokura) and 9th in earned runs allowed (70, between Kudoh and Koji Uehara). Doing his time with Yokohama, he once beat Yomiuri eight straight games, earning the monicker Giant Killer.

The Saitama native fell to 3-7, 6.02 with a .331 opponent average in a rough 2006. He rebounded to 7-8, 4.47 in 2007 but was hindered by back problems. His 7 hit batsmen tied Jeremy Powell and Daisuke Miura for 7th in the CL. He was 0-4 with a 7.48 ERA and .347 average allowed in 2008, winding up back in the minors.

Let go by Yokohama, he was picked back up by his hometown Lions club. He saw limited action (0-1, 5.06 in 12 G, 10 2/3 IP) in 2009 and 2010 (6.50, .333 opponent average, 1.94 WHIP in 25 G, 18 IP). That left him with a career NPB record of 31-45, 4.30 in 335 games (73 starts).

Doi signed with the Lancaster Barnstormers for 2011 but couldn't leave Japan due to visa issues. For 2012, he signed a minor league deal with the Baltimore Orioles. He did not make them either, signing with Maui Na Koa Ikaika of the independent North American League, going 1-1 with a 3.72 ERA in 17 games.

Doi's repertoire includes a fastball (peak high 80s), slider, shuuto and changeup.

Sources

• www.japanbaseballdaily.com Japan Baseball Daily
• Yakyubaka