Tomoyuki Sugano

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Tomoyuki Sugano
250px
Sugano with the Yomiuri Giants
Yomiuri Giants – No. 19
Pitcher
Born: (1989-10-11) October 11, 1989 (age 35)
Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan
Bats: Right Throws: Right
NPB debut
2013, for the Yomiuri Giants
NPB statistics
(through 2014)
Win-Loss 25-11
Earned run average 2.74
Strikeouts 277
WHIP 1.126
Teams
Medal record
Men's baseball
Representing  Japan
2015 WBSC Premier12
Bronze medal – third place 2015 Tokyo Team

Tomoyuki Sugano (菅野 智之 Sugano Tomoyuki?, born October 11, 1989 in Kanagawa Prefecture) is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher for the Yomiuri Giants in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball.[1]

College career

In 2010, he recorded the fastest pitch by a Japanese college pitcher at 157 km/h (98 mph).[2]

2011 NPB draft

Due to his performance as pitcher for Tokai University (37-4, 0.57 ERA), Sugano was a top pitching prospect for the October 2011 draft. Prior to the draft selection, he declared his desire to join the Yomiuri Giants and play under the guidance of his uncle, the present Giants manager Tatsunori Hara. It therefore came as a shock[to whom?] when the Fighters also decided to select him as their first pick.[3] The two teams fought it out via lottery, but the Fighters drew the lucky straw in the end, to the surprise and disappointment of Manager Hara and the Giants for they had assumed no other team would dare pick Sugano.[4]

Both Sugano's father and grandfather were disappointed because they were not notified of the Fighters' intention to draft him, the latter even quoted saying it was a violation of human rights.[5] The Fighters did admit to having intentionally kept their intention to draft Sugano unannounced, and apologized for the surprise and the commotion they caused.[6]

After long consideration and deliberation with his family, Sugano finally announced on November 21 his decision to turn down the Fighters' offer and instead take the year off and re-enter the 2012 draft. "I may be taking a longer route (to becoming a professional ballplayer), but my childhood dream (of playing for the Giants) was stronger," he said, hinting at his intention to wait until the Giants win the rights to negotiate with him.[7] He also mentioned that he wasn't as upset about not being informed by the Fighters ahead of time that they might select him, but rather because they promised they wouldn't select him.[8] Only two players in NPB history have turned down the Fighters: Shinji Kuroda in 1976 and Ikuo Takayama in 1980.[9][10]

Having no team to play for, he then stayed with Tokai University for another year using the "graduation postponement system" established for students who are unable to land post-graduation jobs while they are still in college. He was not allowed to play in Tokai's official games, but this did not sway him enough to join the Industrial League for it will take at least two years before he can be drafted again.[7]

Nippon Professional Baseball career

His wish to join the Giants was finally realized when he was selected as their first pick in 2012.[11]

Playing style

His fastball velocity was down since the beginning of his professional career. His fastball topped out at 153 km/h (95 mph) in his first two NPB seasons (2013 to 2014).[12] The Giants confirmed that he had ligament damage in his right elbow during the 2014 season.[13]

References

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External links

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