Kenshin Kawakami

Kenshin Kawakami was born in Tokushima, Japan, on June 22, 1975. He started playing baseball professionally in Japan in 1998 with the Chunichi Dragons. Kawakami is currently a pitcher with the Atlanta Braves. On January 10, 2009, news agencies reported that Kenshin Kawakami had reached an agreement with the Atlanta Braves. Kawakami joined a Braves rotation that included Tim Hudson and Jair Jurrjens. The Braves and Kawakami reached an agreement. In his first season with the Chunichi Dragons, Kawakami finished the season with a record of 14-6 with a 2.57 earned run average. He was also voted Rookie of the Year in 1998 and lead his team to their first title ever in their 53 year existence of the club. He arguably pitched his best season in the Japanese baseball league in 2006, when he finished the year with a record of 17-7 with a 2.51 earned run average in 215 innings. After the 2008 season with the Dragons, Kawakami announced his decision to join Major League Baseball. He signed with the Atlanta Braves in 2009. Several teams showed interest in Kawakami including the St. Louis Cardinals and Baltimore Orioles. Kawakami won his first major league game on April 11, 2009 against the Washington Nationals giving up three runs, striking out eight in six innings of work. In his first season with the Braves, Kawakami went 7-12 with a 3.86 ERA in 156 innings pitch. Kawakami’s record could have been better, but a lack of run support has hurt the pitcher and has brought his record down since he has pitched for the Brave. http://mlb.mlb.com/team/player.jsp?player_id=499877 He also pitched for Japan in the 1997 Intercontinental Cup, as they stunned Cuba in the Gold Medal game, marking Cuba's first Gold Medal-game loss in 15 years. http://mlb.mlb.com/team/player.jsp?player_id=499877 This season so far (2010), despite pitching well, Kawakami has yet to win a game for the Braves.

Before Kenshin Kawakami came to America and began his career in Major League Baseball, he was one of the most decorated players in Japanese baseball history. His list of accomplishments range from winning a gold medal in international play to helping the Chunichi Dragons win their first championship ever in its 53 year period. Here are just a list of other accomplishments and achievements you may not have known about Kawakmai.

• He Chunichi's top pick in the 1997 Japanese Amateur Draft
• Was twice (2004 and 2006) named to the prestigious Best Nine Team Which is Japan's postseason All-Star squad
• He pitched a no-hitter against the Tokyo Yomiuri Giants in 2002
• He has pitched in the post season three times in the Japanese League
• He had won 10 or more games six times in his career
• He suffered a lost to the United States in the Bronze Medal game
• Earned the Central League's Most Valuable Player Award and Sawamura Award (equivalent to MLB's Cy Young Award) in 2004

http://mlb.mlb.com/team/player.jsp?player_id=499877