So Taguchi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids So Taguchi田口 壮 |
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Taguchi with the Orix Buffaloes
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| Orix Buffaloes – No. 81 | |||
| Outfielder / Coach | |||
| Born: July 2, 1969 Nishinomiya, Japan |
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| Professional debut | |||
| NPB: April 4, 1992, for the Orix BlueWave | |||
| MLB: June 10, 2002, for the St. Louis Cardinals | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| MLB: October 4, 2009, for the Chicago Cubs | |||
| NPB: 2011, for the Orix Buffaloes | |||
| NPB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .276 | ||
| Home runs | 70 | ||
| Runs batted in | 429 | ||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .279 | ||
| Home runs | 19 | ||
| Runs batted in | 163 | ||
| Teams | |||
As player
As coach
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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So Taguchi (田口 壮, Taguchi Sō, born July 2, 1969) is a Japanese former outfielder in professional baseball. He played for ten seasons with the Orix BlueWave in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) in Japan. Later, he spent eight years playing in Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States. He played for the St. Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia Phillies, and Chicago Cubs. After his time in MLB, he returned to Japan for two more years with the Orix Buffaloes.
Taguchi made history as the third Japanese-born player to win a World Series. He is also the first Japanese player to win two World Series championships with different teams. He won with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2006 and the Philadelphia Phillies in 2008.
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Early Life and Baseball Beginnings
So Taguchi was born and grew up in Nishinomiya, Hyōgo, Japan. He went to Kwansei Gakuin University in his hometown. There, he earned a degree in Business Administration. During his time with the Orix BlueWave in Japan, he was teammates with the famous player Ichiro Suzuki. Taguchi was first drafted as an infielder, but he later became an outfielder.
So Taguchi's Professional Baseball Career
Playing for the St. Louis Cardinals (2002–2007)
In 2002, when Taguchi was 32, the St. Louis Cardinals signed him as a free agent. He quickly moved up through their minor league teams. He played for the New Haven Ravens and the Memphis Redbirds. He had a .262 batting average with 6 home runs and 51 RBI. On September 7, he was called up to the major leagues. He got his first major league hit against the Chicago Cubs. Taguchi became the first Japanese-born player to play for the Cardinals.
Taguchi wanted to wear number 6, but it was retired for Stan Musial. He also couldn't wear number 9 or 1. He finally chose to wear number 99.
Taguchi played more often with the Cardinals in 2004, appearing in 109 games. He was part of the team that played in the 2004 World Series. The Cardinals lost to the Boston Red Sox. In 2005, injuries to other players gave Taguchi more chances to play every day. He had his best season, batting .288 with eight home runs and 53 RBI. He was also a great defender in all three outfield positions. The Cardinals won 100 games that year.
Fans in St. Louis loved Taguchi for his hard work and kind personality. He would even give a small bow to the umpire before batting. His friendly nature and shyness made him a fan favorite.
In 2006, Taguchi played a bit less, but he had a memorable moment in the playoffs. On October 13, 2006, he hit a go-ahead home run in Game 2 of the NLCS. This helped the Cardinals win the game. Taguchi played in the 2006 World Series and helped the Cardinals win the championship. He earned his first World Series ring. For the 2007 season, Taguchi signed a one-year deal with the Cardinals.
Taguchi had another good season in 2007, batting .290 as a player who often came off the bench. He was very good as a pinch-hitter. He played in the outfield, helping the team in different positions.
Playing for the Philadelphia Phillies (2008)
After the 2007 season, the Cardinals decided to let Taguchi become a free agent. On December 23, 2007, the Philadelphia Phillies signed him to a one-year deal. Taguchi's batting average dropped to .220 in 2008. However, he was on the Phillies' playoff team. He won his second championship ring when the Phillies won the 2008 World Series. After the World Series, the Phillies also decided to let Taguchi become a free agent.
Playing for the Chicago Cubs (2009)
In 2009, Taguchi signed a minor league contract with the Chicago Cubs. He was invited to their spring training. The Cubs hoped he could help their Japanese outfielder Kosuke Fukudome. Taguchi spent most of the season in the minor leagues. He was called up to the Cubs on September 16, 2009. He played in 12 games and got three hits.
Returning to Japan (2010–2011)
In January 2010, Taguchi's old team, the Orix BlueWave (now the Orix Buffaloes), announced that he would return to play for them. On July 31, 2012, Taguchi announced his retirement from playing baseball on his official blog.
Life After Playing: Baseball Commentator
In September 2012, Taguchi started a new job as a baseball commentator. By 2013, he was working for the Japanese broadcaster NHK. He would announce Major League Baseball games.
Personal Life
So Taguchi learned English from his wife, Emiko. She used to be a television reporter and speaks English very well. He also practiced by watching movies like Finding Nemo and Monsters, Inc. The Taguchi family still has a home in St. Louis.
So and Emiko have one son named Kan. He was born on December 24, 2003. Kan is also a baseball player. He plays for the baseball team at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona.
