So Taguchi

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So Taguchi

St. Louis Cardinals — No. 99
Left field
Bats: Right Throws: Right
Major League Baseball debut
June 10, 2002 for the St. Louis Cardinals
Selected MLB statistics
(through October 2, 2006)
Batting average     .281
Hits     270
Home runs     16
2006 Salary     $825,000
Former teams

    So Taguchi (田口壮 Taguchi Sō?, born July 2, 1969), is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the St. Louis Cardinals.

    Contents

    [edit] Early career

    Taguchi was born and raised in Nishinomiya, Hyogo, Japan. He graduated from Kwansei Gakuin University in his hometown, with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration. He was a teammate of Ichiro Suzuki when the two played for the Orix BlueWave in the Pacific League of NPB. Although he was drafted by the BlueWave as an infielder, he was moved to the outfield because he was diagnosed with yips, or throwing psychoneurosis, by a manager when he was a rookie.[citation needed] His transition to the outfield has made him an all-star. He also has a black belt in judo.

    [edit] Playing Years

    He was signed by the St. Louis Cardinals as a free agent in 2002 at the age of 33, a year in which he rose through the minor league system, playing for the New Haven Ravens and the Memphis Redbirds, compiling a .262 batting average, with 6 home runs and 51 runs batted in. He eventually earned his call-up on September 8, and recorded the first hit of his major league career in the second inning against the Chicago Cubs. Taguchi became the first Japanese-born player in Cardinal history.

    Taguchi got another brief call-up in 2003, then got more playing time with the 2004 Cardinals, appearing in 109 games. He was included on the '04 Cardinals postseason roster, and appeared in two games of the 2004 World Series, which the Cardinals lost to the Boston Red Sox in a four-game sweep. In 2005, injuries to outfielders Larry Walker and Reggie Sanders opened up manager Tony LaRussa's lineup card, and Taguchi became an everyday player. He responded with his best season, batting .288 in 396 at-bats with eight home runs and fifty-three RBI, and contributing with his stellar defense at all three outfield positions as the Cardinals won 100 games and had the best record in the National League.

    In 2006 Taguchi's playing time declined somewhat, his at-bat total falling to 316 from 396 the year before. However, So would make the playoff roster for the Cardinals for the third year in a row, and have a heroic postseason moment: On October 13, 2006, Taguchi hit a go-ahead home run off Billy Wagner in the top of the 9th inning of Game 2 of the NLCS. The home run gave the Cardinals a 7-6 lead in a game they would win 9-6. Taguchi played in four of five games of the 2006 World Series for the Cardinals, hitting .182, and won a championship ring as the Cardinals defeated the Detroit Tigers four games to one. Taguchi has agreed to a one year deal worth $925,000 with the St. Louis Cardinals for the 2007 season. The deal also includes a mutual option for 2008.

    [edit] Career Highlights

    • National League Champion (2004, 2006 St. Louis Cardinals)
    • World Series Champion (2006 St. Louis Cardinals)

    [edit] External links

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