Kazuhisa Ishii facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kazuhisa Ishii |
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Ishii as manager of the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles
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| Pitcher / Manager | |||
| Born: September 9, 1973 Chiba, Chiba, Japan |
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| Professional debut | |||
| NPB: June 9, 1992, for the Yakult Swallows | |||
| MLB: April 6, 2002, for the Los Angeles Dodgers | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| MLB: September 28, 2005, for the New York Mets | |||
| NPB: August 14, 2013, for the Saitama Seibu Lions | |||
| NPB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 143–103 | ||
| Earned run average | 3.63 | ||
| Strikeouts | 2,115 | ||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 39–34 | ||
| Earned run average | 4.44 | ||
| Strikeouts | 435 | ||
| Teams | |||
As player
As manager
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Kazuhisa Ishii, born on September 9, 1973, is a famous Japanese baseball player. He used to be a professional pitcher, which is a player who throws the ball to the batter. After playing, he became a manager and a general manager for baseball teams. He played in Japan's top league, Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), for teams like the Yakult Swallows and Saitama Seibu Lions. He also played in Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States for the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets.
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Playing Career
Starting in Japan
Kazuhisa Ishii started his baseball journey in Japan. In 1991, the Yakult Swallows picked him in the first round of the amateur draft. He made his professional debut in 1992 when he was just 18 years old.
During his time with the Swallows, his team won the Japan Series five times! This is a big championship in Japanese baseball. He played for ten years in Japan, showing off his pitching skills.
No-Hitter and Big Move
One amazing moment for Ishii was on September 2, 1997. He pitched a "no-hitter" against the Yokohama BayStars. This means he played an entire game without any opposing player getting a hit. It's a very rare and exciting achievement for a pitcher!
In 2002, Ishii decided to try playing in the United States. The Los Angeles Dodgers in Major League Baseball (MLB) signed him. This was a big step for his career.
Playing in Major League Baseball
Ishii made his MLB debut on April 6, 2002. He had a fantastic start, striking out ten batters. He also allowed no runs in almost six innings. He won his first six games and was named the National League Rookie of the Month for April.
Later that season, on September 8, 2002, Ishii was hit in the face by a baseball. He needed surgery for a broken nose. Even with this injury, he finished the season with a good record of 14 wins and 10 losses. He also placed fourth in the Rookie of the Year voting.
Ishii was known for throwing a lot of "walks." A walk happens when a pitcher throws four balls outside the strike zone to a batter. This allows the batter to go to first base for free. Even with these control issues, he was a strong pitcher.
In 2005, Ishii joined the New York Mets. He played for them for one season before returning to Japan.
Back to Japan
After his time in MLB, Ishii went back to play in Japan. He rejoined the Tokyo Yakult Swallows in 2006. In 2008, he moved to the Saitama Seibu Lions.
Kazuhisa Ishii announced that he was retiring from playing baseball on September 24, 2013. He had a long and successful career as a pitcher.
Coaching Career
Becoming a General Manager
After retiring as a player, Ishii stayed involved in baseball. In September 2018, he became the general manager for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles in Japan. A general manager helps manage the team's players and overall strategy.
Manager and Senior Director
In November 2020, Ishii took on even more responsibility. He became both the manager and the general manager for the Golden Eagles for the 2021 season. A manager is like the head coach of the team.
His contract as manager ended on October 12, 2023. After that, he was appointed to a new role as a senior director for the team.
Personal Life
Kazuhisa Ishii is married to Ayako Kisa, who is a television presenter. They have one child named Kanta. The family lives in Chiba, Japan.
Images for kids
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Ishii as manager of the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles
