Tazawa Named Sea Dogs Opening Day Starter
Published on April 8, 2009 under Eastern League (EL1)
Portland Sea Dogs News Release
Portland, Maine- Portland Sea Dogs' right-handed pitcher Junichi Tazawa has been named the Sea Dogs' Opening Day starter. The Sea Dogs open the 2009 season on Thursday, April 9th at 6:00 PM at Hadlock Field against the Connecticut Defenders (Giants)
The 22 year-old Tazawa will be making his professional debut. Tazawa was signed by the Boston Red Sox as an amateur free agent on December 11, 2008. He joins the Red Sox organization after a four-year amateur career with the Nippon Oil ENEOS of the Japan Industrial League. Tazawa posted a 13-1 record with five saves and 0.80 ERA (10 ER/ 113 IP) in 21 games (11 starts) in 2008. He recorded 114 strikeouts and walked 15 over 113.0 innings pitched, an average of 9.1 strikeouts per nine innings. He established amateur career highs in nearly every category in 2008 including games (210, starts (11), complete games (6), shutouts (4), innings (113.0), and strikeouts (114).
In Tazawa's four year amateur career with Nippon, he appeared in 53 games (13 starts) and posted a 14-3 record with 11 saves and a 1.99 ERA. The Yokohama, Japan native is rated by Baseball America as the seventh ranked prospect in the Red Sox organization. Tazawa is a member of the Red Sox 40-man roster.
Tazawa will be opposed by Connecticut right-handed pitcher Daryl Maday. Maday combined to post a 13-5 record with a 2.48 ERA in 2008 with stops at Single-A Augusta, Single-A San Jose, and Double-A Connecticut.
The 2009 season is the Sea Dogs' 16th season in Portland and the Sea Dogs are looking to make their fifth straight playoff appearance. "The Drive for Five" is sponsored by Northeast Delta Dental. Tickets for opening day and all Sea Dogs home games are available and can be purchased by calling the Sea Dogs Ticket Office at 207-879-9500 or on-line at www.seadogs.com.
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