Mac Suzuki

Makoto Suzuki...attended Takigawa Daini High School in Japan...earned a second-degree black belt in Karate at the age of 14...become the first Japanese-born player to play in the Major Leagues without starting his career in the Japanese Leagues...was the third Japanese-born player to appear in the Majors after Masanori Murakami and Hideo Nomo.

2005

Returned to Orix for the third consecutive year but never pitched for the top team...spent the entire season in the minor leagues and was released on September 30.

2004

Pitched for the Orix Blue Wave of the Japanese Leagues for the second consecutive season and was 1-6 with an 8.57 ERA in 24 games, five starts.

2003

After 11 professional seasons in the United States, the native of Japan returned home and pitched for the Orix Blue Wave...was 4-9 with one save and a 7.06 ERA in 29 games, 19 starts.

2002

Began the season at Triple-A Omaha but had a one month stint with Kansas City...was selected by the Royals on May 20 and went 0-2 with a 9.00 ERA in seven games, one start...opponents hit .296 and he walked 17 in 21.0 innings for a .414 opponents on-base percentage...yielded four or more runs in four of his seven outings...made one start and took the loss on June 19 at Montreal (5.0 ip, 5 h, 4 r, 4 er, 2 bb, 5 so)...pitched in relief on June 28 against San Diego (3.2 ip, 6 h, 4 r, 4 er, 3 bb, 2 so) and was designated for assignment the next day...was sent outright to Omaha on July 3 and finished the season there...was 0-4 with a 4.53 ERA in 29 games, one start, with the Royals Triple-A club...opponents hit .301, including .358 (29 for 81) by left-handed hitters and .266 (34 for 128) by right-handers...did not allow a run over an eight-game stretch from April 17 to May 13 (18.0 ip)...was 0-3 with a 2.63 ERA over his first 13 games when he was sent to Double-A Wichita on May 16...made one start on May 17 at Tulsa and tossed five no-hit innings (2 bb, 3 so) but ended up with a no decision...was sent back to Omaha on May 18 but did not pitch before the Royals called on May 20...following his return to Omaha in July, he went 0-1 with a 6.49 ERA in 16 relief appearances.

2001

Started the season with Kansas City but was traded to Colorado on June 24 along with catcher Sal Fasano in exchange for catcher Brent Mayne...pitched in three games for the Rockies before joining the Brewers...went 2-5 with a 5.30 ERA in 15 games, nine starts, for Kansas City...registered a 4.53 ERA in his nine starts while recording an 8.03 ERA in six outings out of the bullpen for the Royals...pitched 8.0 scoreless innings on April 26 at Tampa Bay for his second win of the year...lost four of his last five starts, posting a 7.72 ERA over those outings...his last four appearances with the Royals came in relief (9.82 ERA)...pitched in three games for the Rockies, going 0-2 with a 15.63 ERA...made one start on July 4 at San Diego and took a no-hitter in the fifth inning (4.1 ip, 3 h, 3 er)...claimed on waivers by Milwaukee on July 12...went 3-5 with a 5.30 ERA in 15 games, nine starts, for the Brewers...snapped a seven- game losing streak, the longest of his career, with a 6-0 win at Montreal on August 11...diagnosed with posterior right elbow pain following his final appearance.

2000

Posted career bests in wins (8), ERA (4.34), innings pitched (188.2) and strikeouts (135) for Kansas City...received the lowest run support on the staff as the Royals scored just 139 runs in his 29 starts for an average of 4.8 runs per start...got the call as the starter for the Royals home opener and went 0-0 with a 5.40 ERA in three starts before being sent to the bullpen...posted a 1.64 ERA in three relief appearances before moving back to the rotation...matched his career high with eight strikeouts on May 14 at Cleveland for his first win of the season...added three more eight strikeout games later in the season...dropped six of eight starts in a stretch from June 21 to July 29...the Kansas City offense gave him a total of three runs in five of those losses...named Royals Pitcher of the Month for July after logging a 2-4 mark with a 3.24 ERA in six starts...was winless in his first 10 starts at Kauffman Stadium before defeating Baltimore on August 13...went 2-7 with a 4.80 ERA in 20 games at home...notched his first career complete game shutout with a 7-0 win at Baltimore on August 19...allowed just four hits...did not make his last start of the season because of a tender shoulder...Dr. Lewis Yocum performed arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder on October 11.

1999

Split his time between the starting rotation and the bullpen after joining the Royals, his third organization in 1999...began the season with the Seattle Mariners and was 0-2 with a 9.43 ERA in 16 games, four starts...traded to the New York Mets in exchange for pitcher Allen Watson on June 18...did not make an appearance for the Mets...placed on waivers by New York and claimed by the Royals on June 22...posted a 2-3 record and a 5.16 ERA in 22 games for Kansas City, including nine starts...his first outing with the Royals came in relief and he then made back-to-back starts...began the season's second half in the bullpen but moved back into the starting rotation for six starts from August 28 to September 25...posted his lone win as a starter on September 2 when he allowed just one run on three hits in 5.1 innings in a 4-2 win over the Sox...was 1-2 with a 5.53 ERA (26 er in 42.1 ip) as a starter with the Royals and 1-1 with a 4.56 ERA (13 er in 25.2 ip) when pitching in relief for Kansas City.

1998

Made 28 appearances with Tacoma and six for Seattle...was 9-10 with a 4.37 ERA at Tacoma...began the season as a reliever for the Rainiers, compiling a 1-2 record and an 8.59 ERA in seven appearances...made his first start against Albuquerque on May 7, posting a no decision...tossed back-to-back complete games on August 3 and 8, allowing just two earned runs...was 2-1 with a 1.55 ERA in August...recalled by Seattle on September 1...made his first Major League start on September 2 at Boston and had a no decision in a 6-3 loss, despite leaving with a 3-1 lead...notched his first ML win in a 10-3 victory at Minnesota on September 14...struck out a career high eight in 6.1 innings...was 1-0 with a 3.78 ERA on the road and 0-2 with a 13.04 ERA at home...held right-handers to a .240 average but lefties hit .355...pitched with Aragua in the Venezuelan League, making eight starts.

1997

Spent the entire season at Triple-A Tacoma where he was 4-9 with a 5.94 ERA in 32 games, 10 starts...began the season in the bullpen and got off to a quick start, posting a 1-1 record and a 2.70 ERA in April...made his first start on May 3 and did not allow a run in 4.0 innings...was 2-1 with a 2.67 ERA in 14 games, one start, when he moved into the starting rotation on May 25...was 1-5 in his first seven starts from May 25 to July 2...tossed 4.1 innings on shutout relief on July 22 vs. Tucson and finished the season in the bullpen...overall, was 3-3 with a 3.89 ERA in relief and 1-6 with a 8.24 ERA as a starter.

1996

Made appearances at three levels in the Mariners organization, including his Major League debut...began the season at Double-A Port City and was 3-6 with a 4.72 ERA in 16 starts...was recalled by Seattle on July 4 and made his ML debut on July 7 at Texas, coming on to start the sixth inning...struck out the first batter he faced (Dean Palmer) and worked a scoreless inning...retired the first batter in the seventh before allowing three runs...became just the third Japanese-born player to reach the Majors, the first in American League history...optioned to Tacoma on July 11, where he finished the season...pitched for Peoria in the Arizona Fall League.

1995

Was limited to just 10 appearances by tendinitis in his right elbow and shoulder...experienced tenderness in his elbow during spring training and stayed with Peoria for extended spring training...pitched in four games with Peoria on rehab beginning on August 3...was activated and sent to Single-A Riverside on August 18...made six appearances for the Pilots, totaling 7.2 innings...was recalled by Seattle on September 8...however, did not appear in a game for the Mariners...pitched for Peoria in the Arizona Fall League and was 2-2 with a 6.05 ERA in 14 games, two starts...walked 10 and struck out 32 in 38.2 innings pitched.

1994

Was limited to eight appearances at Jacksonville by tendinitis in his right shoulder and elbow...made his Double-A debut on April 11 vs. Huntsville, in front of a Japanese media contingent that numbered 25 people and included five television networks...made one more appearance before going on the Disabled List on April 19 with tendinitis in his right shoulder...was activated on July 15 and earned his lone win on June 27 at Knoxville with 2.2 shutout innings...posted a 1.35 ERA in six appearances after coming off the DL but went back on July 10 with tendinitis in his right elbow and missed the remainder of the season...underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder on October 26...the surgery was performed in Seattle by Dr. Larry Pedegana.

1993

Pitched for San Bernardino, an independent team in the California League...was just 17 years old when the season began...in June, posted a 2-0 record with two saves and a 2.05 ERA in 11 games...tossed a season high 4.2 innings in his only start on June 10 against Rancho Cucamonga...was moved into the closer role on July 2 and finished the game in 24 of his final 25 appearances...from July 2 on, he went 2-3 with 10 saves and a 3.68 ERA...for the season, held opponents to a .205 batting average...was named the number six prospect in the California League by Baseball America.

1992

Made his professional debut with Salinas, an independent team in the California League...pitched in the final game of the season on August 30 vs. San Jose, tossing one shutout inning.