1. Overview
Ryo Kawashima (川島 亮Kawashima RyoJapanese) is a former Japanese professional baseball pitcher who played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). Born on September 9, 1981, in Inage-ku, Chiba, Chiba Prefecture, Japan, Kawashima played for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows in the Central League and later for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles in the Pacific League. Known for his overhand throw and a fastball that reached speeds of 93 mph (150 km/h), he was recognized as the Central League Rookie of the Year in 2004 during his debut season with the Swallows. His professional career, marked by periods of strong performance and challenges due to shoulder injuries, spanned from 2004 to 2012. Following his retirement from playing, Kawashima transitioned into various roles within the Tokyo Yakult Swallows organization, including a scout and batting practice pitcher, and currently serves as the team's manager for the first team.
2. Personal Background
Ryo Kawashima's journey into professional baseball began in his hometown, where he developed his skills from a young age, eventually leading him to collegiate success before his entry into NPB.
2.1. Early Life and Education
Ryo Kawashima was born on September 9, 1981, in Inage-ku, Chiba, Chiba Prefecture, Japan. He began playing baseball during his time at Chiba Municipal Inage Junior High School (千葉市立稲毛中学校Chiba Shiritsu Inage ChūgakkōJapanese), where he was part of the "Kita Chiba Pony" team. After junior high, he attended Chiba Keizai University Affiliated High School (千葉経済大学附属高等学校Chiba Keizai Daigaku Fuzoku Kōtō GakkōJapanese). Following his high school graduation, Kawashima enrolled at Hachinohe University (八戸大学Hachinohe DaigakuJapanese) and joined its hardball baseball club.
2.2. Amateur Career
Kawashima made his debut as a pitcher for Hachinohe University in his first year. By his second year, he helped the team achieve its first appearance in the All Japan University Baseball Championship Tournament. In his third year, he secured a starting victory in the second round, contributing to the team's advancement to the best eight. He also participated in the Japan-US University Baseball Championship Series. However, in his fourth year, Kawashima suffered a right shoulder injury, which impacted his performance. During his time at Hachinohe University, his teammate was pitcher Ken Ishikawa.
3. Professional Career
Ryo Kawashima's professional baseball career began with a highly anticipated draft selection and saw him play for two different teams in Nippon Professional Baseball before his retirement.
3.1. Draft and Entry
In the 2003 NPB Draft, Ryo Kawashima was selected by the Tokyo Yakult Swallows through the Free Acquisition Frame system, a special draft category that allowed teams to sign top amateur players directly. Upon joining the Swallows, he was assigned jersey number "17," a significant number previously worn by prominent Swallows aces such as Hiroshi Matsuoka and Kenjiro Kawasaki.
3.2. Tokyo Yakult Swallows Era
Kawashima's tenure with the Tokyo Yakult Swallows was marked by an impressive debut, followed by periods of injury and fluctuating performance, ultimately leading to a trade.
3.2.1. Rookie Season and Rookie of the Year
In 2004, his rookie season, Ryo Kawashima emerged as a key pitcher for the Swallows. He steadily improved his ERA from mid-season onwards and became a cornerstone of the starting rotation. Towards the end of the season, he achieved a remarkable five consecutive wins, culminating in a total of 10 victories. His final ERA for the season was 3.17, ranking third in the Central League. His outstanding performance earned him the prestigious Rookie of the Year honor.
3.2.2. Injuries and Performance
The 2005 season saw a setback for Kawashima as he was delayed in his return due to a recurrence of right shoulder pain. Despite the initial delay, upon his return, he showcased strong pitching, including a notable streak of 29 consecutive scoreless innings. He recorded a career-best ERA of 2.81 and significantly reduced the number of home runs he conceded. As a pitcher, he also demonstrated surprising prowess at the plate, achieving a batting average of .300 or higher. However, his season was cut short when he re-injured his right shoulder late in the year, forcing him to withdraw from play. From 2006 to 2007, Kawashima's performance was limited, with him securing only 6 wins across both seasons. In the offseason of 2007, he underwent surgery to clean his right shoulder.
3.2.3. Later Seasons and Trade
In 2008, with the transfer of Keizo Kawashima to the Swallows, Ryo Kawashima's name was announced in full on scoreboards and public address systems to distinguish between the two players. Due to his shoulder surgery and subsequent rehabilitation, he missed the opening day roster. Although he was promoted to the first team on May 4, his performance was inconsistent, leading to an immediate demotion back to the ni-gun. After being re-promoted on June 7, he began accumulating wins, but he struggled significantly against the Yomiuri Giants, recording a high ERA of 7.51 against them. Towards the end of the season, his performance deteriorated, as he gave up 8 home runs in 5 games.
In 2009, despite some instability, Kawashima maintained a spot in the starting rotation from the beginning of the season. However, he was demoted to the ni-gun due to a modified rotation schedule during the interleague play. After being re-promoted to the first team in July, he consistently conceded runs in his appearances, leading to another demotion on July 30. He was re-promoted on August 26 to start against the Hiroshima Toyo Carp at Meiji Jingu Stadium, but he struggled and was demoted again the following day, ending his season in the ni-gun.
On May 3, 2010, Kawashima was promoted to the first team. He spent approximately one month pitching in relief, which helped him regain his feel for competitive play. On June 1, he secured his first win of the season against the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks at Fukuoka Yahoo! Japan Dome. However, he had no further pitching opportunities and was demoted to the ni-gun on June 21, where he remained for the rest of the season. On December 24 of the same year, he married a woman who worked as a kindergarten teacher.
In 2011, Kawashima was promoted to the first team on August 14 and started against the Hanshin Tigers at Jingu Stadium, but he pitched only 3 innings, allowing 2 runs, and was demoted the next day. He finished the season with only one first-team appearance. On November 21, it was announced that he would be traded to the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles in a cash trade. His new jersey number with the Eagles was "61."
3.3. Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles Era
Kawashima's time with the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles was brief, marked by his inability to secure a spot on the first team roster and his eventual release.
3.3.1. Performance and Release
In 2012, his sole season with the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles, Ryo Kawashima made 12 appearances in the ni-gun. He recorded 1 win and 2 losses with an ERA of 6.60, having allowed 11 earned runs over 15 innings pitched. Despite his efforts in the farm league, he was never registered for the first team during the season. On October 2, the team announced that he would not be offered a contract for the following season, effectively releasing him. On November 9, he participated in the 12-team joint tryout, an event where released players showcase their skills to other teams, but he did not receive any offers.
4. Retirement
Following his unsuccessful attempt to secure a contract with another team after being released by the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles, Ryo Kawashima officially announced his retirement from professional baseball on March 17, 2013.
5. Playing Style
Ryo Kawashima was primarily an overhand pitcher. His arsenal included a fastball that could reach speeds of up to 93 mph (150 km/h). In addition to his fastball, his key pitches were a cut fastball, a slider, and a forkball.
6. Personal Life
Beyond his professional baseball career, Ryo Kawashima has distinct personal interests and a notable backstory regarding his entry into the sport.
6.1. Personality and Interests
A native of Chiba Prefecture, Ryo Kawashima has a particular fondness for "Max Coffee" (マックスコーヒーMakkusu KōhīJapanese), a popular coffee beverage in his home region. During his childhood, he was a fan of the Chiba Lotte Marines and held pitcher Tomohiro Kuroki in high regard. He also maintained a close friendship with pitcher Naoyuki Shimizu, from whom he once received a "Yaru shika nen" (やるしかないねんYou just gotta do itJapanese) T-shirt, a personal motto of Shimizu's.
Interestingly, during his third year of university, Kawashima and the Chiba Lotte Marines were in a mutually interested state regarding his professional future. However, after Kawashima sustained an injury, the Marines temporarily withdrew their interest. In contrast, the Tokyo Yakult Swallows continued to diligently follow and support Kawashima despite his injury. Kawashima deeply appreciated the Swallows' persistent dedication, which ultimately led him to choose the Swallows through the free acquisition frame in the draft.
7. Career Statistics and Records
Ryo Kawashima's professional career spanned eight seasons, primarily with the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, where he earned a significant award and set several career milestones.
7.1. Yearly Pitching Statistics
| Year | Team | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | W | L | HLD | WPCT | BF | IP | H | HR | BB | HBP | SO | BK | WP | R | ER | ERA | WHIP | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Yakult | 23 | 21 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 4 | 0 | -- | .714 | 574 | 139.1 | 115 | 26 | 39 | 1 | 3 | 128 | 6 | 1 | 52 | 49 | 3.17 | 1.11 |
| 2005 | Yakult | 20 | 20 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 10 | 0 | 0 | .474 | 516 | 128.1 | 120 | 13 | 35 | 0 | 2 | 78 | 4 | 0 | 41 | 40 | 2.81 | 1.21 |
| 2006 | Yakult | 9 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | .500 | 197 | 47.0 | 43 | 6 | 16 | 3 | 0 | 39 | 1 | 0 | 20 | 20 | 3.83 | 1.26 |
| 2007 | Yakult | 11 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | .571 | 265 | 65.2 | 58 | 9 | 15 | 1 | 2 | 35 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 25 | 3.43 | 1.11 |
| 2008 | Yakult | 20 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 0 | .438 | 497 | 115.0 | 115 | 19 | 44 | 0 | 2 | 83 | 2 | 0 | 67 | 60 | 4.70 | 1.38 |
| 2009 | Yakult | 14 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0 | .455 | 315 | 73.0 | 72 | 11 | 25 | 1 | 3 | 48 | 3 | 0 | 44 | 39 | 4.81 | 1.33 |
| 2010 | Yakult | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1.000 | 69 | 16.1 | 13 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 2.20 | 1.41 |
| 2011 | Yakult | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 15 | 3.0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6.00 | 2.00 |
| Total: 8 years | 105 | 97 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 38 | 35 | 0 | 1 | .521 | 2448 | 587.2 | 541 | 85 | 185 | 6 | 12 | 424 | 16 | 1 | 256 | 239 | 3.66 | 1.24 | |
- Bold indicates league leader in that category for the respective year.
7.2. Awards and Honors
- Rookie of the Year (2004)
7.3. Notable Records
; Pitching Records
- First Appearance & First Start:** April 4, 2004, against Yokohama BayStars (Game 3) at Meiji Jingu Stadium. Pitched 3 innings, allowed 5 earned runs, and was the losing pitcher.
- First Strikeout:** April 4, 2004, in the 1st inning against Tyrone Woods (looking strikeout).
- First Complete Game:** May 1, 2004, against Hanshin Tigers (Game 5) at Hanshin Koshien Stadium. Pitched 8 innings, allowed 2 earned runs, and was the losing pitcher.
- First Win & First Start Win:** May 8, 2004, against Yokohama BayStars (Game 6) at Iwaki Green Stadium. Pitched 8 innings, allowed 1 earned run.
- First Complete Game Win:** May 15, 2004, against Yomiuri Giants (Game 7) at Tokyo Dome. Pitched 9 innings, allowed 2 earned runs.
- First Shutout Win:** May 19, 2005, against Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles (Game 2) at Fullcast Stadium Miyagi (now Miyagi Baseball Stadium).
- First Hold:** May 27, 2010, against Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles (Game 2) at Meiji Jingu Stadium. Entered in the 10th inning as the fifth reliever, pitched 1 scoreless inning.
; Batting Records
- First Hit:** April 18, 2004, against Hanshin Tigers (Game 3) at Meiji Jingu Stadium. An infield single off Tsuyoshi Shimoyanagi in the 4th inning.
- First Run Batted In (RBI):** May 8, 2004, against Yokohama BayStars (Game 6) at Iwaki Green Stadium. A left-field RBI single off Takashi Saito in the 2nd inning.
7.4. Jersey Numbers
- 17 (2004-2011)
- 61 (2012)
- 117 (2013)
8. Post-Retirement Activities
After concluding his playing career, Ryo Kawashima remained active in the baseball world, taking on various roles within the Tokyo Yakult Swallows organization. Initially, he served as a ni-gun (farm team) scout and batting practice pitcher for the Swallows. Currently, he holds the position of manager for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows' first team.