Masahiro Tanaka

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**Masahiro Tanaka**
Ma-kun finishing his delivery
Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles — No. 18
Pitcher

Bats: right	Throws: right
Nippon Professional Baseball debut
March 29, 2007 for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles
Selected NPB statistics (through 2007)
Win-Loss	11-7
Innings pitched	186.1
Strikeouts	196
Teams
Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles (2007–present)

Masahiro Tanaka (田中将大, Tanaka Masahiro^?, born November 1, 1988 in Hyōgo), sometimes known to his fans as "Ma-kun," is a starting pitcher for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles baseball team of Nippon Professional Baseball's Pacific League. The first overall pick in the 2006 draft (NPB drafts are held after the season is over), Tanaka is seen as the future ace for the expansion Eagles.

[edit] Biography

Tanaka entered Komadai Tomakomai High School in Hokkaido. Tanaka led Komadai Tomakomai to a National High School Baseball Championship victory in 2005 with a 150 km/h (93 mph) fastball. Komadai won two consecutive championships with 2004. At the final of 2006 Koshien tournament, Tanaka got into a legendary pitcher's dual between himself and Yuki Saito (known to fans as "Yu-chan") of Waseda High School. The 15-inning game ended in a tie, and the rematch was, while just as close, did not feature Tanaka as the starter. He did, however, come into the game after Waseda scored, and pitched brilliantly again. Komadai wasn't able to win three consecutive championships. In his Japanese high school career between 2004 and 2006, Tanaka set a new Japanese high school record for 458 strikeouts, breaking the record 423 strikeouts set by Daisuke Matsuzaka.

Tanaka, like many first overall picks before him, had a lot of hype surrounding him when he declared for the draft. Very easily the most sought-after pitcher in the draft, Tanaka had the spotlight all to himself when Saito decided to go on to Waseda University. The Golden Eagles were lucky enough to land the first overall pick, and, so far in 2007, Tanaka won the Rookie of the Year award. While the voting results were controversial, Tanaka is one of seven Golden Eagles who started for the Pacific League in the NPB All-Star Series in July. He closed out 2007 season with a record of 11-7 and he became the first pitcher winning over 10 games in Golden Eagles, which was the weakest team before his entering in NPB.