Derek Shizuo Tatsuno (born 1958) is a former

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding t ...

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...

College career

Tatsuno attended the

University of Hawaii at Manoa A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, th ...

from 1977 to 1979 where he awas a

. While in college he became the first 20-game winner in a season (in 22 starts) and threw 234 strikeouts (both national records).

Professional career

Tatsuno was selected in the 2nd round of the regular phase of the June 1979 draft by the

San Diego Padres The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1969, the club has won two NL penn ...

. However, he signed a reported one million dollar contract to play in Japan. He was selected in the 2nd round of the January 1980 secondary phase by the

Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and ...

, and in the 1st round of the January 1982 regular phase by the Milwaukee Brewers. Tatsuno never played in the majors. In he played for the Brewers' AA affiliate, the

El Paso Diablos "El Paso Diablos" refers to two different professional baseball teams based in El Paso, Texas, in the United States. The most recent Diablos were a member of the South Division of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, wh ...

of the

Texas League The Texas League is a Minor League Baseball league which has operated in the South Central United States since 1902. It is classified as a Double-A league. Despite the league's name, only its five South Division teams are actually based in the ...

, going 7–2 with a 6.42 ERA and walking more than a batter an inning. In he was demoted to the Single-A Stockton Ports of the California League, going 10–6, 3.24, but Milwaukee released him. After not pitching the two previous years, Tatsuno resurfaced briefly with the

Hawaii Islanders The Hawaii Islanders were a minor league baseball team based in Honolulu, Hawaii, that played in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League for 27 seasons from 1961 through 1987. Originally an affiliate of the Kansas City Athletics, the Islanders played ...

of the Pacific Coast League, the Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates and Triple-A affiliate of the

. In 1986 he posted a 5.52 era in 29.1 innings over 11 games. In 1987 his marks raised to a 6.60 era in 43.2 innings over 22 games.

Awards and honors

* Tatsuno was selected to the All-Time All-Star Team of Collegiate Baseball America. * UH Manoa Baseball retired his number, 16, in 1997. * On July 4, 2007, Tatsuno was inducted into the College Baseball Hall of Fame.

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Tatsuno, Derek 1958 births American baseball players of Japanese descent Baseball pitchers Baseball players from Hawaii National College Baseball Hall of Fame inductees El Paso Diablos players Hawaii Islanders players Hawaii Rainbow Warriors baseball players Living people Stockton Ports players All-American college baseball players