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Ryokan Kobayashi

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Ryokan Kobayashi
Pitcher
Born: April 28, 1979 (1979-04-28) (age 45)
Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
CPBL debut
March 28, 2008, for the Brother Elephants
Last CPBL appearance
2009, for the Brother Elephants
CPBL statistics
(through 2009)
Record19-15
Saves1
Earned run average4.06
Strikeouts188
Teams
Career highlights and awards
CPBL:
  • Gold Glove Award (2008)

Ryokan Kobayashi (小林 亮寛, Kobayashi Ryōkan, born April 28, 1979) is a Japanese former professional baseball pitcher. Over his 16-year career, he played professional baseball in Japan, Canada, Taiwan, Mexico, and South Korea. He was used primarily as a starting pitcher.

Kobayashi graduated from famed baseball-focused PL Gakuen High School in Osaka, where he was a teammate of Kosuke Fukudome, who played for the Chicago Cubs in Major League Baseball.[citation needed]

Drafted in the fifth round of the 1997 draft by the Chiba Lotte Marines,[citation needed] Kobayashi played five seasons for their minor league "ni-gun" affiliate, from 1998 to 2002, but his 6.39 ERA prevented him from being promoted to the NPB club. Froom 2003 to 2005, he was on the "team staff" of the Chunichi Dragons,[citation needed] but never appeared in a game.[citation needed]

In 2006, Kobayashi left Japan for Canada to play for the Calgary Vipers of the independent North American League,[1] going 0–2 with a 5.32 ERA for the season.

Returning to Japan in 2007, Kobayashi played for the Kagawa Olive Guyners of the independent Shikoku Island League. Appearing mostly as a reliever, he had a 2.59 ERA in just over 31 innings pitched.

Kobayashi had his greatest success in 2008–2009, playing for the Brother Elephants of the Chinese Professional Baseball League.[2] In 2008 he compiled a 10–6 record, with a 2.66 ERA and 110 strikeouts. He was also the Player of the Month of October 2008. To top it off, he won the 2008 CPBL Gold Glove award.[citation needed]

Kobayashi moved on to Mexico in 2010–2010, first playing for the Chileros de Xalapa and Gallos de Santa Rosa in the Liga Invernal Veracruzana Mexican winter league, and then the Marineros de Ensenada of Liga Norte de México. He was selected to play in the 2011 LNM All-Star Game.

Kobayashi moved to South Korea in 2012 to pitch as a closer for the Goyang Wonders of the KBO Futures League. He played for the Wonders from 2012 to 2013, compiling an 8–5 record with a 2.95 ERA and 17 saves.

After his playing career was over, Kobayashi opened a baseball academy in Fukuoka.[2]

Career statistics

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NPB Eastern League (Japan)

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Season Team G W L IP H BB HBP SO R ER ERA WHIP
1998 Chiba Lotte Marines (AAA) 11 3 2 35 37 14 2 16 16 15 3.86 1.46
1999 Chiba Lotte Marines (AAA) 13 1 1 37.2 39 -- -- 22 20 20 4.77 1.03
2000 Chiba Lotte Marines (AAA) 12 1 0 18.1 20 16 2 8 19 17 8.35 1.97
2001 Chiba Lotte Marines (AAA) 24 2 2 55.2 74 30 3 45 48 43 6.95 1.87
2002 Chiba Lotte Marines (AAA) 18 1 2 33.2 41 19 1 11 34 33 8.81 1.78
Total 5 year 78 8 7 180.1 211 79 8 102 137 128 6.39 1.61

North American League (Ind. Canadian)

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Season Team G GS W L IP H HR BB IBB HBP SO R ER ERA WHIP
2006 Calgary Vipers 40 2 0 2 69.1 76 6 27 3 2 47 47 41 5.32 1.48
Total 1 year 40 2 0 2 69.1 76 6 27 3 2 47 47 41 5.32 1.48
Season Team G GS W L SV IP H HR BB IBB HBP SO R ER ERA WHIP
2007 Kagawa Olive Guyners 15 3 1 2 1 31.1 28 0 3 0 0 -- 9 9 2.59 0.99
Total 1 year 15 3 1 2 1 31.1 28 0 3 0 0 -- 9 9 2.59 0.99

CPBL (Taiwan)

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Season Team G GS W L IP SV CG SHO H HR BB IBB SO R ER ERA WHIP
2008 Brother Elephants 27 23 10 6 169.0 1 3 1 156 11 42 1 110 61 50 2.66 1.18
2009 Brother Elephants 23 23 9 9 127.2 0 0 0 160 15 45 0 78 101 84 5.92 1.61
Total 2 years 50 46 19 15 296.2 1 3 1 316 26 87 1 188 162 134 4.06 1.36

Liga Invernal Veracruzana (Mex. Winter Baseball)

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Season Team DATE
2010 Chileros de Xalapa NO DATE
2010 Gallos de Santa Rosa NO DATE
Season Team G GS W L IP SV CG CGL SHO H HR BB IBB SO R ER ERA WHIP
2011 Marineros de Ensenada 14 14 6 4 87.2 0 3 1 0 93 6 15 1 69 43 30 3.08 1.23
Total 1 years 14 14 6 4 87.2 0 3 1 0 93 6 15 1 69 43 30 3.08 1.23

KBO Futures League (Freedom Division)

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Season Team G GS W L SV IP H HR BB IBB HBP SO R ER ERA WHIP
2012 Goyang Wonders 28 0 4 1 7 81.0 82 7 20 2 4 65 34 33 3.67 1.33
2013 Goyang Wonders 29 0 4 4 10 48.2 42 2 4 3 3 40 16 10 1.85 1.006
Total 2 seasons 57 0 8 5 17 129.2 124 9 24 5 7 105 50 43 2.98 1.141

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Calgary Vipers News Release. "Vipers Roster Set," Our Sports Central (May 17, 2006).
  2. ^ a b TOKUNAGA, TARO. "Coronavirus puts global spotlight on Taiwanese baseball," Japan Times (May 24, 2020).
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