Masahiro Araki
Encyclopedia
Masahiro Araki (born September 13, 1977 in Kumamoto, Japan
) is a Japanese
professional baseball
player. He currently is the second baseman for the Chunichi Dragons
. He is noted for his speed and defense.
, he made his NPB
debut and hit .179/.203/.209 in 74 plate appearances; he did steal 12 bases in 16 tries to lead his team. Araki was used as a defensive substitute in the outfield and at shortstop.
In 1998
, the 20-year-old played 7 games for Chunichi but had just one at-bat, appearing as a pinch-runner and defensive sub. The next year
, he went 1 for 4 in 16 games in a similar role; in four steal attempts, he was only successful once. In 2000
, Araki remained a substitute, playing 40 games but only getting 12 plate appearances (2 for 10, 2 sacrifice flies, 3 SB in 3 tries). He spent 34 games in the outfield.
and produced at a .338/.384/.438 clip with 13 steals and 9 times caught stealing. He backed up veteran Kazuyoshi Tatsunami
at second base. In 2002
, Tatsunami moved to third so Araki could take over at second. He batted .259/.279/.296 and stole 16 bases in 20 attempts. He fielded .986 and led Chunichi in steals. In 2003
, the speedster hit .237/.283/.314 with 15 steals in 24 attempts. He fielded .990 and again led the Dragons in swipes.
, batting .292/.322/.349, stealing 39 bases in 48 tries and scored 93 runs. He replaced Hirokazu Ibata
at the top of the Dragons batting order, Ibata dropping to second to form a swift 1-2 punch. He fielded .992 and won his first Gold Glove. He was second in the Central League
in steals behind Norihiro Akahoshi
and tied Toshihisa Nishi for third in hits (176). He made his first All-Star team. That year, Araki and Greg LaRocca
tied for the CL Best Nine at second base; it was the first tie ever in voting for a Best Nine in NPB history. He hit .267/.333/.433 in the 2004 Japan Series
as Chunichi fell in 7 games.
In 2005
, Araki's batting line was .291/.332/.345; he scored 88 runs and stole 42 bases in 53 tries. He set a CL record with 623 AB, tied Ibata for 5th in the league in hits (181), was 9th in runs (88) and second to Akahoshi in stolen bases. He made his second All-Star team and was named to the Best Nine. He also set NPB records for total chances
(913) and assists (496) by a second sacker. He won his second Gold Glove.
Araki hit .300/.338/.358 in 2006
and stole 30 bases in 37 tries. He was 10th in the league in average and third in steals, behind Norichika Aoki
and Akahoshi. He was again an All-Star and Best Nine. His 12 errors were a new career high but he won his third Gold Glove. In the 2006 Japan Series
, he was just 2 for 18 with two walks and a steal.
In 2007
, Masahiro batted .263/.296/.302 with 31 steals in 37 tries. He was dropped to second in the lineup, flipped with double-play partner Ibata in the lineup. He led the CL in steals and was second with 30 sacrifice hits. In the 2007 Japan Series
, Araki hit .350/.350/.381 with 4 steals and 5 runs in 5 games to help Chunichi to its first Japan Series
title in 53 years.
Araki joined the Japanese national team for the 2007 Asian Championship; appearing as a pinch-runner, he scored twice in three games and never batted, played the field or attempted to steal. In the second 2008 NPB All-Star Game, Araki won MVP honors, going 3 for 4 with 3 RBI in leading the CL to victory. In the 2008 Olympics, Araki hit .263/.364/.421 with 2 steals and 5 runs in 8 games, being used as Japan's main second baseman, playing flawless defense. Araki laid down 5 sacrifice bunts for traditionalist manager Senichi Hoshino
's squad. In the Bronze Medal Game, Araki hit a first-inning solo homer off of Brett Anderson
to put Japan ahead but the USA came back for a 8-4 win as Japan failed to get a Medal. Araki tied for the most steals in the preliminary rounds, as his 2 tied Giorvis Duvergel
, Hyun-soo Kim, Tsuyoshi Nishioka
, Eduardo Paret
, Jong-wook Lee and Lingfeng Sun.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
) is a Japanese
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
professional baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player. He currently is the second baseman for the Chunichi Dragons
Chunichi Dragons
The are a professional baseball team based in Nagoya, the chief city in the Chubu region of Japan. The team is in the Central League. They won the 2007 Japan Series and 2007 Asia Series.-History:...
. He is noted for his speed and defense.
Early career
Araki was a first-round draft pick by Chunichi in 1995, out of high school. In 19971997 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Florida Marlins over Cleveland Indians ; Liván Hernández, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: Marquis Grissom**American League Division Series*National League Championship Series MVP: Liván Hernández...
, he made his NPB
NPB
NPB can refer to:* NAS Parallel Benchmarks, a set of benchmarks developed by the NASA for measuring the performance of supercomputers* National Printing Bureau of Japan...
debut and hit .179/.203/.209 in 74 plate appearances; he did steal 12 bases in 16 tries to lead his team. Araki was used as a defensive substitute in the outfield and at shortstop.
In 1998
1998 in baseball
-Headline events of the year:*Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Ken Griffey, Jr., and Greg Vaughn all hit 30 home runs before the All-Star break and engage in a historic chase for Roger Maris's single-season record of 61 home runs...
, the 20-year-old played 7 games for Chunichi but had just one at-bat, appearing as a pinch-runner and defensive sub. The next year
1999 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: New York Yankees over Atlanta Braves ; Mariano Rivera, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: Orlando Hernández**American League Division Series:*National League Championship Series MVP: Eddie Pérez...
, he went 1 for 4 in 16 games in a similar role; in four steal attempts, he was only successful once. In 2000
2000 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*Regular Season Champions*World Series Champion - New York Yankees*Postseason - October 3 to October 26Click on any series score to link to that series' page....
, Araki remained a substitute, playing 40 games but only getting 12 plate appearances (2 for 10, 2 sacrifice flies, 3 SB in 3 tries). He spent 34 games in the outfield.
Increased Role
Araki became a semi-regular in 20012001 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*Regular Season Champions*World Series Champion - Arizona Diamondbacks*Postseason - October 9 to November 4Click on any series score to link to that series' page....
and produced at a .338/.384/.438 clip with 13 steals and 9 times caught stealing. He backed up veteran Kazuyoshi Tatsunami
Kazuyoshi Tatsunami
is a Japanese professional baseball player for the Nippon Professional Baseball Chunichi Dragons, having played his professional career for them since his debut in...
at second base. In 2002
2002 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*Regular Season Champions*World Series Champion - Anaheim Angels*Postseason - October 1 to October 27Click on any series score to link to that series' page....
, Tatsunami moved to third so Araki could take over at second. He batted .259/.279/.296 and stole 16 bases in 20 attempts. He fielded .986 and led Chunichi in steals. In 2003
2003 in baseball
-Headline event of the year:*The Florida Marlins become World Series champions, holding off a dynastic New York Yankees team, 4 games to 2.-Major League Baseball:*Regular Season Champions*World Series Champion - Florida Marlins...
, the speedster hit .237/.283/.314 with 15 steals in 24 attempts. He fielded .990 and again led the Dragons in swipes.
Star
Araki improved significantly in 20042004 in baseball
-Headline events of the year:*The Boston Red Sox win their first World Series since , ending the Curse of the Bambino.*With 262 hits, Ichiro Suzuki of the Mariners breaks George Sisler's record of 257. Suzuki also sets the record for most singles in a season, with 225.*2004 also marked the final...
, batting .292/.322/.349, stealing 39 bases in 48 tries and scored 93 runs. He replaced Hirokazu Ibata
Hirokazu Ibata
Hirokazu Ibata is a Japanese professional baseball player in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball. He plays second base for the Chunichi Dragons but is able to play at other positions. He has won 4 Gold gloves for shortstop, 2004-2007.-External links:...
at the top of the Dragons batting order, Ibata dropping to second to form a swift 1-2 punch. He fielded .992 and won his first Gold Glove. He was second in the Central League
Central League
The or is one the two professional baseball leagues that constitute Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. The winner of the league championship plays against the winner of the Pacific League in the annual Japan Series. It currently consists of six teams from around the country,The Central League...
in steals behind Norihiro Akahoshi
Norihiro Akahoshi
is a retired Nippon Professional Baseball player from Kariya, Aichi, Japan. He played as an outfielder for the Hanshin Tigers.Akahoshi announced his retirement on December 9, 2009. During the 2009 season, he was first deactivated in early July after sustaining a neck injury...
and tied Toshihisa Nishi for third in hits (176). He made his first All-Star team. That year, Araki and Greg LaRocca
Greg LaRocca
Gregory Mark LaRocca is a second baseman for the Orix Buffaloes in the Nippon Professional Baseball league Pacific League....
tied for the CL Best Nine at second base; it was the first tie ever in voting for a Best Nine in NPB history. He hit .267/.333/.433 in the 2004 Japan Series
2004 Japan Series
The Japan Series, the 55th edition of Nippon Professional Baseball's championship series, began on October 16 and ended on October 25, and matched the Pacific League playoffs winner Seibu Lions against the Central League Champion, Chunichi Dragons....
as Chunichi fell in 7 games.
In 2005
2005 in baseball
-Headline events of the year:*Chicago White Sox swept the Houston Astros to win the 2005 World Series.*2005 also marked the inaugural season of the Washington Nationals, who relocated from Montreal and were formerly known as the Expos....
, Araki's batting line was .291/.332/.345; he scored 88 runs and stole 42 bases in 53 tries. He set a CL record with 623 AB, tied Ibata for 5th in the league in hits (181), was 9th in runs (88) and second to Akahoshi in stolen bases. He made his second All-Star team and was named to the Best Nine. He also set NPB records for total chances
Total chances
In baseball statistics, total chances , also called chances offered, represents the number of plays in which a defensive player has participated. It is calculated as follows: Total Chances = assists + putouts + errors. Chances accepted refers to the total of putouts and assists only. Fielding...
(913) and assists (496) by a second sacker. He won his second Gold Glove.
Araki hit .300/.338/.358 in 2006
2006 in baseball
-Headline Event of the Year:*The 2006 World Baseball Classic final 4 teams are Japan, Cuba, Korea and the Dominican Republic, with the United States at 3–3 failing to qualify for the semi-finals. Under the leadership of manager Sadaharu Oh and veterans Ichiro Suzuki and Daisuke Matsuzaka, Japan ...
and stole 30 bases in 37 tries. He was 10th in the league in average and third in steals, behind Norichika Aoki
Norichika Aoki
is a Japanese professional baseball player. He is currently an outfielder for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows.Aoki is one of only four players to amass 200 or more hits in a single season in Japanese professional baseball...
and Akahoshi. He was again an All-Star and Best Nine. His 12 errors were a new career high but he won his third Gold Glove. In the 2006 Japan Series
2006 Japan Series
The Japan Series, the 57th edition of Nippon Professional Baseball's championship series, began on October 21 and ended on October 26, and matched the Central League champion Chunichi Dragons against the Pacific League champion, Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters...
, he was just 2 for 18 with two walks and a steal.
In 2007
2007 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*Regular Season Champions*World Series Champion – [Boston Red Sox]*Postseason – October 2 to October 28Click on any series score to link to that series' page....
, Masahiro batted .263/.296/.302 with 31 steals in 37 tries. He was dropped to second in the lineup, flipped with double-play partner Ibata in the lineup. He led the CL in steals and was second with 30 sacrifice hits. In the 2007 Japan Series
2007 Japan Series
The Japan Series, the 58th edition of Nippon Professional Baseball's championship series, began Saturday, October 27, 2007, pitting the Pacific League Regular League and Climax Series' Champion, the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters, and the Chunichi Dragons, winners of the Central League's Climax...
, Araki hit .350/.350/.381 with 4 steals and 5 runs in 5 games to help Chunichi to its first Japan Series
Japan Series
, or is the annual championship series in Nippon Professional Baseball, the top baseball league in Japan. It is a seven-game series between the winning clubs of the league's two circuits, the Central League and the Pacific League....
title in 53 years.
Araki joined the Japanese national team for the 2007 Asian Championship; appearing as a pinch-runner, he scored twice in three games and never batted, played the field or attempted to steal. In the second 2008 NPB All-Star Game, Araki won MVP honors, going 3 for 4 with 3 RBI in leading the CL to victory. In the 2008 Olympics, Araki hit .263/.364/.421 with 2 steals and 5 runs in 8 games, being used as Japan's main second baseman, playing flawless defense. Araki laid down 5 sacrifice bunts for traditionalist manager Senichi Hoshino
Senichi Hoshino
, 22 January 1947, is a former Japanese professional baseball player and current manager.In 2003, he led the Tigers to their first Central League pennant in 18 years before retiring for health reasons. Since 2007, He had managed the Japanese national team for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.In October,...
's squad. In the Bronze Medal Game, Araki hit a first-inning solo homer off of Brett Anderson
Brett Anderson (baseball)
Brett Franklin Anderson is a left-handed pitcher for the Oakland Athletics.-Early life:He attended Stillwater High School in Stillwater, Oklahoma, where he was an all-state selection in 2006, his senior year....
to put Japan ahead but the USA came back for a 8-4 win as Japan failed to get a Medal. Araki tied for the most steals in the preliminary rounds, as his 2 tied Giorvis Duvergel
Giorvis Duvergel
Giorvis Duvergel, born September 8, 1979, is an olympic baseball player for Cuba. He was part of the Cuban team which won a silver medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics.-References:...
, Hyun-soo Kim, Tsuyoshi Nishioka
Tsuyoshi Nishioka
is a professional baseball infielder who currently plays for the Minnesota Twins of Major League Baseball. He also played in Nippon Professional Baseball for the Chiba Lotte Marines from 2003–10....
, Eduardo Paret
Eduardo Paret
Eduardo Paret Pérez is a Cuban baseball player. He is a shortstop for Villa Clara of the Cuban National Series, and for the Cuban national baseball team....
, Jong-wook Lee and Lingfeng Sun.