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Tadahito Iguchi

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Tadahito Iguchi
Iguchi with the Chiba Lotte Marines
Second baseman / First baseman / Manager
Born: (1974-12-04) December 4, 1974 (age 49)
Nishitōkyō, Tokyo Japan
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
Professional debut
NPB: May 3, 1997, for the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks
MLB: April 4, 2005, for the Chicago White Sox
Last appearance
MLB: September 28, 2008, for the Philadelphia Phillies
NPB: September 24, 2017, for the Chiba Lotte Marines
NPB statistics
Batting average.270
Home runs251
Runs batted in1,017
MLB statistics
Batting average.268
Home runs44
Runs batted in205
Teams
As player

As manager

Career highlights and awards
NPB
MLB
Medals
Men's Baseball
Representing  Japan
Olympic Games
Silver medal – second place 1996 Atlanta Team competition

Tadahito Iguchi (井口 資仁, Iguchi Tadahito, born December 4, 1974), nicknamed "Gucci",[1] is a Japanese served professional baseball second baseman and former manager of the Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).

As a member of the Chicago White Sox in 2005, Iguchi became the first Japanese-born position player to win the World Series.

Early life and amateur career

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Iguchi playing second base for the White Sox in 2006.

Born in Tanashi, Tokyo, Japan as Tadahito (忠仁), Iguchi began playing in high school and after graduating in 1993, went to Aoyama Gakuin University where he distinguished himself by hitting the Tohto University Baseball League record of eight home runs in a season and winning the triple crown. He was a member of Japanese National Team in 1996 Summer Olympics that won the silver medal.

Professional career

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Fukuoka Daiei Hawks

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He was the first pick in the 1996 draft by Fukuoka Daiei Hawks.

In his debut year of 1997, he hit a grand slam in the first game of his professional career. He suffered a shoulder injury in the 2000 season and had a surgery which ended his season. After the season ended, he changed the Kanji of his first name to the current one (資仁).[2] He recovered fully in 2001 hitting 30 home runs and leading the league with a personal best 44 stolen bases. In 2003, he hit over .300, had over 100 RBI and led the league in steals.

Chicago White Sox

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He left Fukuoka Daiei after the 2004 season to play for the Chicago White Sox. During the 2005 MLB season, he had a .278 batting average with 15 home runs and 15 stolen bases. In the 2005 AL Division Series, he hit a go-ahead 3-run home run in Game 2[3] against the Boston Red Sox, helping the White Sox to a win on their way to a three-game ALDS sweep over Boston, and ultimately a World Series championship three weeks later.

In 2006, Iguchi had two multi-homer games, both times hitting a grand slam (during the May 20 game involving a bench-clearing brawl) and another home run.

Earlier that same year, on April 15, he made arguably the best defensive play of his career against the Toronto Blue Jays, falling after charging, and while fielding, a slow infield chopper hit by Bengie Molina.[4][5] Despite this, Iguchi would throw Molina out by plenty from his horizontal position.

Philadelphia Phillies

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On July 27, 2007, he was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies for pitcher Michael Dubee. He was the first Asian-born player to join the Phillies.[6]

San Diego Padres

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Iguchi with the San Diego Padres

On December 18, 2007, Iguchi signed a one-year deal with the San Diego Padres.[7] He was released on September 1, 2008.[8]

Second Phillies stint

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On September 5, 2008, Philadelphia signed Iguchi, making it the second time the team had acquired him, in less than 14 months.[9] Because Iguchi joined the Phillies after September 1, he was ineligible for the team's postseason roster; thus, Iguchi was not with the Phillies when they defeated the Tampa Bay Rays in the World Series (although he did receive a World Series ring).

Chiba Lotte Marines

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On January 19, 2009, he returned to Japan to play for the Chiba Lotte Marines.[10][11]

Iguchi with the Chiba Lotte Marines

Iguchi announced his retirement from baseball after the close of the 2017 season in Japan.[12]

Coaching career

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On October 12, 2017, Iguchi was hired as the manager of the Chiba Lotte Marines, filling the role that was left vacant after Tsutomu Itō stepped down from the position.

On October 2, 2022, he announced his resignation as the manager of the team.

References

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  1. ^ "Nikkunēmu" ニックネーム [Nickname]. 千葉ロッテマリーンズ オフィシャルサイト 「マリンフェスタ」特設サイト (in Japanese). Retrieved April 23, 2019.
  2. ^ "YuYu Interview: Tadahito Iguchi". San Diego YuYu. June 16, 2008.
  3. ^ "Iguchi's three-run homer lifts White Sox". ESPN. Associated Press. October 5, 2005. Archived from the original on January 5, 2022.
  4. ^ MLB (April 28, 2013) [Originally broadcast April 15, 2006]. Iguchi Makes an Incredible Throw While Falling (Television production) – via YouTube.
  5. ^ Harrigan, Thomas (May 12, 2019). "These classic infield throws will astonish you". MLB.com. Retrieved October 10, 2024.
  6. ^ "Phillies acquire Iguchi". MLB.com. July 27, 2007. Archived from the original on October 7, 2012.
  7. ^ Krasovic, Tom (December 12, 2007). "Cubs get Fukudome as Padres get Iguchi". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Archived from the original on October 15, 2012.
  8. ^ "Padres releasing Tadahito Iguchi". ProTrade. August 31, 2008. Archived from the original on September 10, 2008.
  9. ^ "Tadahito Iguchi Stats". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 11, 2012.
  10. ^ Bowman, Mark (January 19, 2009). "Iguchi planning to return to Japan". MLB.com. Archived from the original on February 20, 2009.
  11. ^ "Lotte makes Iguchi 3-year, Y600 mil offer". Japan Today.[permanent dead link]
  12. ^ "White Sox honor Iguchi with retirement ceremony before home finale". The Japan Times. September 29, 2017. Archived from the original on October 6, 2017.
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