Michihiro Ogasawara

Chunichi Dragons – No. 82

Infielder/Coach

Born: October 25, 1973 (age 43)
Mihama-ku, Chiba, Chiba Prefecture, Japan

Batted: Left

Threw: Right

debut

8 April, 1997, for the Nippon Ham Fighters

Last appearance

21 September, 2015, for the Chunichi Dragons

Career statistics
(through 2015)

Batting average

.310

Home runs

378

Run batted in

1169

Teams

As player

Nippon-Ham Fighters/Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters (1997–2006)
Yomiuri Giants (2007–2013)
Chunichi Dragons (2014–2015)

As coach

Chunichi Dragons (2016–present)

Career highlights and awards

2× Japan Series champion (2006, 2009)
2006 Pacific League MVP
2007 Central League MVP
2× Pacific League Batting Champion (2002, 2003)
2006 Pacific League Home Run Champion
2006 Pacific League RBI Leader
2× Pacific League Hit Leader (2000, 2001)
7× Best Nine Award (1B:1999, 2001, 2006; 3B: 2003, 2004, 2007, 2009)
6× Golden Glove Award (1B: 1999-2002, 2006; 3B: 2003)
11× NPB All-Star (1999-2007, 2009, 2010)
8× Monthly MVP
Hit for the cycle on September 3, 2008

Medals

Men's Baseball
	Athens 2004	Team Competition
World Baseball Classic
	2006 San Diego	Team Competition
	2009 Los Angeles	Team Competition

As player

As coach

Michihiro Ogasawara (小笠原道大, born October 25, 1973 in Mihama-ku, Chiba, Chiba Prefecture, Japan) was a Japanese professional baseball player. He is currently the second team coach for Chunichi Dragons in Japan's Central League.

He had an illustrious career spanning 18 years with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, Yomiuri Giants, and the Chunichi Dragons where he won two Japan Series, two MVP awards in both the Pacific and Central leagues; only one of two people to do so and the first to do it in consecutive seasons. He was an NPB All-Star 11 times. He was also a part of the 2006 and 2009 World Baseball Classic winning Japan sides.

Ogasawara started playing baseball at age 7 playing in the Chiba West Little League. From 1989 he studied at Gyosei International High School in Kisarazu, Chiba Prefecture. When he started at the team he was regarded as a complete no-name and his then coach mentioned that "we were asked to go after a junior middle schooler from the Chiba West Little League and we got the player that no one spoke of, Ogasawara." Up until that point he had been tried at a variety of fielding positions including shortstop, third base and outfield but during high school was converted to be a second baseman and the following year served as a catcher (however Ogasawara admits that catcher was his least favourite position) In his junior year, alongside fellow future pro Tetsuya Kitagawa he finished runner-up in the Chiba prefectural tournament. Although now widely regarded for his power and hitting prowess, Ogaswara failed to register a single home run in the tournament.

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Wikipedia