Kensuke Tanaka (田中 賢介, born May 20, 1981) is a
Japanese former professional
baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...
second baseman
In baseball and softball, second baseman, abbreviated 2B, is a fielding position in the Infielder, infield, between Baseball field#Second base, second and Baseball field#First base, first base. The second baseman often possesses quick hands and f ...
and
left fielder
In baseball, a left fielder, abbreviated LF, is an outfielder who plays defense in left field. Left field is the area of the outfield to the left of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound. In the numbering system ...
. He played in
Nippon Professional Baseball
is a professional baseball league and the highest level of baseball in Japan. Locally, it is often called , meaning simply ''Professional Baseball''; outside of Japan, NPB is often referred to as "Japanese baseball".
The roots of the league ...
(NPB) for the
Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters
The are a Japanese professional Baseball in Japan, baseball team based in Kitahiroshima, Hokkaido, Kitahiroshima, Hokkaidō, in the Sapporo metropolitan area. They compete in the Pacific League of Nippon Professional Baseball, playing the major ...
, and in
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
(MLB) for the
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Div ...
.
Career
Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters
Tanaka played for the
Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters
The are a Japanese professional Baseball in Japan, baseball team based in Kitahiroshima, Hokkaido, Kitahiroshima, Hokkaidō, in the Sapporo metropolitan area. They compete in the Pacific League of Nippon Professional Baseball, playing the major ...
of
Nippon Professional Baseball
is a professional baseball league and the highest level of baseball in Japan. Locally, it is often called , meaning simply ''Professional Baseball''; outside of Japan, NPB is often referred to as "Japanese baseball".
The roots of the league ...
(NPB) from 2000 through 2012.
San Francisco Giants
Tanaka made his Major League debut with the
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Div ...
, in left field, on July 9, 2013, against the
New York Mets
The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National ...
despite playing almost exclusively second base with the
Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters
The are a Japanese professional Baseball in Japan, baseball team based in Kitahiroshima, Hokkaido, Kitahiroshima, Hokkaidō, in the Sapporo metropolitan area. They compete in the Pacific League of Nippon Professional Baseball, playing the major ...
and the Giants' Triple–A affiliate, the
Fresno Grizzlies. He was
designated for assignment by San Francisco on September 3, and released the next day.
Texas Rangers
Tanaka signed a minor league contract with the
Texas Rangers on December 20, 2013. He played in 62 games for the Triple–A
Round Rock Express
The Round Rock Express are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers (baseball), Texas Rangers. They are located in Round Rock, Texas, and play their home ...
in 2014, batting .258/.340/.371 with four home runs, 27 RBI, and 12 stolen bases. Tanaka was released by the Rangers organization on July 20, 2014.
Personal life
Tanaka is married to Japanese Sapporo TV reporter Chiho Nishimori (西森千芳).
References
External links
, o
Retrosheet o
Baseball Reference (Minor, Japan and Winter Leagues) o
o
Kensuke Tanaka - Yakyu Baka, o
Official Blog
1981 births
Bravos de Margarita players
Japanese expatriate baseball players in Venezuela
Fresno Grizzlies players
Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters players
Japanese expatriate baseball players in the United States
Living people
Major League Baseball players from Japan
21st-century Japanese sportsmen
Nippon Ham Fighters players
Nippon Professional Baseball infielders
Round Rock Express players
San Francisco Giants players
Baseball people from Fukuoka Prefecture
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