Minoru Iwata

For the Japanese volleyball player, see Minoru Iwata (volleyball).

Minoru Iwata 岩田 稔
Hanshin Tigers — No. 21
Pitcher
Born: (1983-10-31) October 31, 1983 Moriguchi, Osaka, Japan
Bats: Left	Throws: Left
Professional debut
NPB: October 14, 2006 for the Hanshin Tigers
NPB statistics (through 2011 season)
Win-Loss	26-30
ERA	2.87
Strikeouts	344
Teams
Hanshin Tigers (2006 - )
Last update: January 28, 2012

Minoru Iwata

Medal record
Competitor for Japan
Men’s Baseball
World Baseball Classic
Gold	2009 Los Angeles	Team

Minoru Iwata (岩田 稔, born October 31, 1983) is a Japanese baseball pitcher from Moriguchi, Osaka, Japan and he currently plays for the Hanshin Tigers. He was a member of the Japan team in the 2009 World Baseball Classic.

Early years

Iwata entered Osaka Toin High School in 1998. He became the ace pitcher in autumn 1999 (his 2nd year of senior high school) and contributed to the school's winning the Osaka High School Baseball Autumn Tournament and advancing to the quarterfinal in the Kansai High School Baseball Autumn Tournament. However, he contracted type 1 diabetes because he caught a viral cold in winter. He could not play in his 3rd year of senior high school, then he entered Kansai University in 2001. He had 6 wins and 10 losses in the university league.

Nipon Professional Baseball

He was drafted by the Hanshin Tigers after 2005 season because of his various breaking balls. In his debut in 2006, Iwata allowed four runs in 3 innings of work and lost his only game in the season. In 2007, Iwata was 0-1 and a 5.40 ERA. In 2008, he was third in voting for the 2008 Central League Rookie of the Year Award, trailing Tetsuya Yamaguchi and Hayato Sakamoto after going 10-10 with a 3.28 ERA and 101 strikeouts.

2009 World Baseball Classic

He was selected to play for Japan in the 2009 World Baseball Classic replacing Hiroki Kuroda due to his shoulder problems.

External links

• Iwata Stats in Japanese Baseball.Com