Shane Komine | Today's AI Wiki

1. Overview

Shane Kenji Komine is a former American MLB right-handed pitcher who played for the Oakland Athletics. Born on October 18, 1980, in Honolulu, Hawaii, Komine is a third-generation Japanese American and holds the distinction of being the third American-born player of full Japanese ancestry to play in Major League Baseball. Throughout his career, he achieved notable distinctions, including forming the first all-Hawaiian battery in MLB history.

2. Early Life and Background

Shane Komine's early life was rooted in Hawaii, where he developed his foundational skills in baseball.

2.1. Birth and Ancestry

Shane Kenji Komine was born on October 18, 1980, in Honolulu, Hawaii. He is a third-generation Japanese American (日系三世_{Nikkei Sansei}^Japanese), reflecting his family's heritage. Komine earned the nickname "The Hawaiian Punch-Out" during his playing career.

3. Amateur Career

Komine distinguished himself as a baseball player throughout his high school and collegiate years, laying the groundwork for his professional career.

3.1. High School

Komine attended Kalani High School in Honolulu, from which he graduated in 1998. During his time there, he was a key player on the school's baseball team.

3.2. College

From 1999 to 2002, Komine attended the University of Nebraska, where he pursued a major in Physics. He became the ace pitcher for the Nebraska Cornhuskers. In his senior year of 2002, he achieved an impressive 10-0 record. His exceptional performance earned him both the Big 12 Conference Baseball Player of the Year and the Big 12 Conference Baseball Pitcher of the Year awards. During his collegiate career, Komine was a teammate of future A's first baseman Dan Johnson.

4. Professional Career

Shane Komine's professional journey spanned from his selection in the MLB Draft to his eventual retirement from the sport, including stints in both Major League Baseball and independent leagues.

4.1. MLB Draft and Minor Leagues

Following his successful college career, Komine was selected by the Oakland Athletics in the 9th round of the 2002 Major League Baseball Draft, specifically as the 278th overall pick. This draft is famously associated with the "Moneyball" strategy. He was first promoted to the Double-A Midland RockHounds in 2003, where he spent the majority of his initial professional years, achieving moderate success. In July 2006, an impressive performance with the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats led to his promotion to the Athletics' major league roster. He was called up on July 26, replacing his Sacramento teammate Jason Windsor.

4.2. Major League Baseball

Komine made his MLB debut on July 30, 2006, starting against the Toronto Blue Jays. In his debut game, he pitched 6 innings, allowing only 1 earned run while issuing 4 walks and recording 1 strikeout. That year, he made two starts but did not record a win. In 2007, he made two appearances for the Athletics. A significant moment occurred on July 17, 2007, when Komine entered a game in the 8th inning against the Texas Rangers. He formed a battery with fellow Hawaiian-born catcher Kurt Suzuki. This event marked the first time in Major League Baseball history that a battery (pitcher and catcher) consisted entirely of players from Hawaii. Komine wore jersey number 60 during his time with the Athletics from 2006 to 2007. He did not receive an opportunity to play in the major leagues during the 2008 season, becoming a free agent on November 3, 2008.

4.3. Independent League and Retirement

In 2009, Komine continued his baseball career in the independent leagues, playing for the Newark Bears in the Atlantic League. He officially retired from professional baseball after the conclusion of the 2009 season.

5. Post-Playing Career

After concluding his professional baseball career, Shane Komine transitioned into a new industry.

5.1. Career Transition

Following his retirement from baseball, Komine returned to his home state of Hawaii and began a new career in the hotel industry.

6. Legacy and Notable Achievements

Shane Komine's career is marked by several unique distinctions that highlight his place in baseball history.

6.1. Unique Distinctions

Komine is recognized as the third American-born player of full Japanese ancestry to play in Major League Baseball, following Ryan Kurosaki and Lenn Sakata. Furthermore, he participated in a historic moment on July 17, 2007, when he formed the first battery composed entirely of Hawaiian-born players alongside catcher Kurt Suzuki. Komine is also the 19th pitcher from Hawaii to have played in the major leagues and the third player from Hawaii to play for the A's, following Ron Darling and Lenn Sakata.

7. Career Statistics

The following table presents Shane Komine's professional pitching statistics from his Major League Baseball career.

Year	Team	G	GS	ERA	R	IP	H	ER	BB	SO	WP	HBP	BK	RA	ER_{_}	ERA_{_}	WHIP_{_}
2006	OAK	2	2	----	45	9.0	10	3	8	1	0	1	0	5	5	5.00	2.00
2007	OAK	2	0	----	31	7.2	6	2	1	0	1	1	0	4	4	4.70	0.91
MLB: 2 years		4	2	0	----	76	16.2	16	5	9	1	1	2	0	9	9	4.86	1.50

Jersey Number:** 60 (2006-2007)