Akinori Iwamura (岩村 明憲, b. February 9, 1979 in Uwajima, Ehime, Japan) is a member of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays from December 15, 2006. He is a former Japanese baseball player. Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... The position of the third baseman A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in the sport of baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base, the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in a counterclockwise succession in order to score a run. ... April 2 is the 92nd day of the year (93rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... Look up AB in Wiktionary, the free dictionary A and B are the first 2 letters of the Latin alphabet. ... Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball measuring the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters, respectively. ... In baseball, a home run is a base hit in which the batter is able to circle all the bases, ending at home plate and scoring a run, with no errors on the play that result in the batter achieving extra bases. ... RBI is a three-letter abbreviation with multiple meanings, including Reserve Bank of India Run batted in, in baseball Radio Berlin International This page concerning a three-letter acronym or abbreviation is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Runs or running is a music slang term for ad libbing and expanding on a musical note with ones voice. ... SB may mean: Idiot,from the Chinese word Sha Bi Aircalin IATA code Bachelor of Science, from the Latin Scientiae baccalaureus National Science Bowl, a national competition for the advancement of science in schools Stanley Beebop Saint Pierre and Miquelon: FIPS PUB 10-4 territory code Santa Barbara, California Shadowbane... The Tokyo Yakult Swallows (Japanese: , Tōkyō Yakuruto Suwarōzu) are a professional baseball team in Japans Central League. ... The following are the events of the year 1997 that happened world-wide throughout the sport of baseball. ... The following are the baseball events of the year 2006 throughout the world. ... Major league affiliations American League (1998–present) East Division (1998–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 12, 42 Name Tampa Bay Devil Rays (1998–present) Other nicknames The D-Rays, The Rays Ballpark Tropicana Field (1998–present) Major league titles World Series titles (0) none AL Pennants (0) none Division titles... The following are the baseball events of the year 2007 throughout the world. ... is the 40th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins. ... Uwajima (宇和島市; -shi) is a city located in Ehime, Japan. ... Major league affiliations American League (1998–present) East Division (1998–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 12, 42 Name Tampa Bay Devil Rays (1998–present) Other nicknames The D-Rays, The Rays Ballpark Tropicana Field (1998–present) Major league titles World Series titles (0) none AL Pennants (0) none Division titles... is the 349th day of the year (350th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... A view of the playing field at Busch Memorial Stadium, St. ...

His nickname is "Aki" now, while his nickname in Japan was "Gan-chan".

Japanese Career

He was a former third baseman for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows in the Japanese Central League. He represented Japan in the 2006 World Baseball Classic, and is nicknamed "Japanese Lightning". The position of the third baseman Third base redirects here. ... The Tokyo Yakult Swallows (Japanese: , Tōkyō Yakuruto Suwarōzu) are a professional baseball team in Japans Central League. ... See also: Central League (football) The Central League (セントラル・リーグ Sentoraru Riigu) is one of Japans two major professional baseball leagues (the other is the Pacific League). ... The 2006 World Baseball Classic was the inaugural tournament between national baseball teams that included players from Major League Baseball. ...

Iwamura, who played in the Central League from 1998 to 2006, has won six Central League golden glove awards at third base. He also hit 106 home runs in his last three seasons in the Central League, including 32 (with a .311 batting average) in 2006. He played his best season in Japan in 2004, hitting 44 home runs with 103 RBIs and a .300 batting average. Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball measuring the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters, respectively. ... shelby was here 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Through Posting System

During the 2006 offseason, Iwamura opted to be posted for Major League Baseball. The posts were due to the Major League Baseball Commissioner on November 10, 2006; the highest bidder would be rewarded with negotiations with Iwamura to sign a contract. He is close friends with another Japanese All-Star player, Daisuke Matsuzaka who signed a 6 year-$52 million contract with the Boston Red Sox. The posting system is a transfer system for baseball players moving from a Japanese baseball team to a Major League Baseball team. ... Major League Baseball (MLB) is the highest level of play in North American professional baseball. ... The Commissioner of Baseball is the chief executive of Major League Baseball. ... is the 314th day of the year (315th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... Daisuke Matsuzaka , born September 13, 1980, nicknamed Dice-K) is a Japanese starting pitcher for the Boston Red Sox. ...

On November 14th, information leaked that the highest bidder that won the right to negotiate with Iwamura was the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Major League Baseball announced the next day that the Devil Rays had made the winning bid; Newsday reported that the Devil Rays had bid $4.5 million. Iwamura was the second player that the Devil Rays had been able to obtain through the posting system; in 2005, they won the rights to negotiate with pitcher Shinji Mori. MLB.com reported that Iwamura's future role with the Devil Rays is currently unclear, since the Devil Rays already have third base prospects B. J. Upton and Evan Longoria in their organization, as well as shortstop Ben Zobrist. At the end of the 2006 season, Zobrist and Upton were the team's regular starters at shortstop and third base, respectively; Longoria, who was drafted in 2006, ended the season with the Class AA Montgomery Biscuits. Major league affiliations American League (1998–present) East Division (1998–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 12, 42 Name Tampa Bay Devil Rays (1998–present) Other nicknames The D-Rays, The Rays Ballpark Tropicana Field (1998–present) Major league titles World Series titles (0) none AL Pennants (0) none Division titles... Newsday is a daily tabloid-size newspaper that primarily serves Long Island and the New York City borough of Queens, although it is sold throughout the New York City metropolitan area. ... Shinji Mori (born September 12, 1974, in Yamaguchi, Japan) is a pitcher on the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. ... Melvin Emanuel B.J. Upton, (born August 21, 1984 in Norfolk, Virginia) (The B.J. is short for Bossman Junior, his fathers nickname was Bossman). ... Evan Longoria (born October 5, 1985 in Downey, California) is a prospect in the Tampa Bay Devil Rays organization. ... Benjamin T. Zobrist (born May 26, 1981 in Eureka, Illinois) is an American baseball player and currently plays in Major League Baseball for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. ... Tampa Bay Devil Rays American League AAA Durham Bulls AA Montgomery Biscuits A Visalia Oaks Southwest Michigan Devil Rays Hudson Valley Renegades R Princeton Devil Rays The Montgomery Biscuits are a minor league baseball team based in Montgomery, Alabama. ...

On December 15, 2006 Iwamura signed a three-year contract with the Devil Rays worth $7.7 million, with a club option for a fourth year at $4.25 million^[1]. is the 349th day of the year (350th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ...

MLB Career

2007 Season

Iwamura started his career as the Devil Rays' starting third basemen. Everyone believed he would not be able to work well in MLB. However, it was just a process of the adjustment to MLB.

After the start of 2007 season, at the first game in the home opener, Iwamura went 4 for 4 including a homerun. And in the following games, his performance made a great contribution to the team to lift it.

Trivia

• His brother, Takashi Iwamura, was also a professional baseball player who spent two seasons with the Kintetsu Buffaloes. Coincidentally, the two were drafted in the same year (1997).
• He holds the season record for strikeouts among Japanese players, with 173 strikeouts in 2004. He still managed to record a .300 batting average that year.
• His starting position was still undecided when he signed with the Devil Rays, and he brought gloves for five different positions to spring training.

The Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes (ja: 大阪近鉄バファローズ) was a Nippon Professional Baseball team based in Osaka, Japan, which were in the Pacific League. ... Year 1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar). ... shelby was here 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Personal life

On July 10, 2007, Iwamura's wife Misaki gave birth to a son, Taiki Iwamura.^[2] is the 191st day of the year (192nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ...

References

External links

• (Japanese) Official site
• Iwamura's Central League statistics
• Frank's Field of Dreams - Akinori Iwamura