With Tsuyoshi Wada‘s retirement, all the players of the so-called “Matsuzaka generation” have finished their professional titles in NPB. What kind of records and achievements have been made at NPB, led by Daisuke Matsuzaka? While dividing the list into pitchers and fielders, I also looked into the “generations” that have many great players.
Matsuzaka generation fielders…didn’t get 2000 hits, but
The Matsuzaka generation has a strong impression of being pitchers, but they have also produced players who have recorded records and left memorable marks as fielders. Below are the 15 greatest hits of the Matsuzaka generation in NPB.
Shuichi Murata (December 28, 1980) Higashi Fukuoka High School – Nihon University/Yokohama, Giants
1953 attempts, 6925 hits, 1865 safety, 360 points, 1123 points, 14 steals, .269
Teruhiro Higashide (born August 21, 1980) Tsuruga Kehi High School/Hiroshima
1,492 attempts, 5,094 hits, 1,366 hits, 12 hits, 262 points, 143 steals, .268
Eiichi Koyano (October 10, 1980) Soka High School-Soka University/Nippon Ham, Orix
1,394 attempts, 4,765 hits, 1,260 hits, 71 hits, 566 points, 31 steals, .264
Eishin Bon (October 11, 1980) Miyoshi High School-Komazawa University-Nissan Motors/Hiroshima
1096 attempts, 3754 hits, 990 hits, 74 losses, 357 points, 135 steals, .264
Kirito Morimoto (outside: January 31, 1981) Teikyo High School/Nippon Ham, Yokohama, Seibu
1272 attempts, 3497 hits, 904 hits, 33 hits, 267 points, 106 steals, .259
Naoto Watanabe (October 15, 1980) Ushiku High School – Josai University – Mitsubishi Fuso Kawasaki/Rakuten, Yokohama, Seibu, Rakuten
1135 attempts, 3301 hits, 855 hits, 7 losses, 229 points, 115 steals, .259
Shogo Akada (outside: September 1, 1980) Nichinan Gakuen High School -/Seibu, Orix, Nippon-Ham
913 attempts 2525 hits 643 security 30 books 211 points 75 theft rate .255
Masaaki Koike (outside: May 15, 1980) Yokohama High School/Yokohama, Chunichi, DeNA
810 attempts, 1708 hits, 415 hits, 55 hits, 189 points, 6 steals, .243
Kenji Yano (outside: September 21, 1980) Kokugakuin Kugayama High School – Kokugakuin University/Giants, Nippon Ham
759 attempts, 1428 hits, 374 hits, 29 hits, 153 points, 18 steals, .262
Hiroaki Onishi (outside: April 28, 1980) PL Gakuen High School – Kinki University/Kintetsu, Orix, Yokohama
554 attempts, 1254 hits, 319 hits, 27 hits, 131 points, 25 steals, .254
Katsuaki Furuki (outside: November 10, 1980) Toyota Otani High School-/Yokohama, Orix
537 attempts, 1263 hits, 312 hits, 58 hits, 150 points, 12 steals, .247
Taketoshi Goto (born June 5, 1980) Yokohama High School – Hosei University/Seibu, DeNA
618 attempts, 1226 hits, 312 hits, 52 hits, 184 points, 1 steal. .254
Shogo Kimura (born April 16, 1980) Jinsei Gakuen High School – Aichi Gakuin University/Yokohama, Hiroshima, Seibu
733 attempts, 1128 hits, 294 hits, 3 runs, 71 points, 34 steals, .261
Koji Yamazaki (born October 31, 1980) Daisan University High School/Kintetsu, Hiroshima, Orix, Seibu, Rakuten
518 attempts, 1039 hits, 231 hits, 8 assists, 79 points, 8 steals, .222
Takato Kudo (outside: March 30, 1981) Hirosaki Jitsugyo High School – Aomori University – JR East/Nichi-Ham, Giants, Lotte, Chunichi
635 attempts, 784 hits, 199 hits, 1 win, 49 points, 34 steals, .254
No player has ever surpassed the 2000 mark.
Koyano has had a relationship with Matsuzaka since before high school baseball.
Murata was the home run champion twice during his time in Yokohama. In 2017, the final year of his NPB career, he had 100 hits with the Giants, but was no longer available. During his time at Higashi Fukuoka High School, he was a pitcher representing Kyushu, but he had an episode in Koshien where he pitched against Daisuke Matsuzaka and was so shocked by Matsuzaka’s skill that he switched to being a fielder from university.
Higashide, who joined Hiroshima in the same draft in 1998 as Matsuzaka, was a pitcher in high school, but switched to an infielder. He became the league’s leading second baseman.
Koyano is a player who had a strong relationship with Matsuzaka even before high school baseball.
