Makoto Imaoka


Makoto Imaoka, nicknamed "Makochan", is a former Japanese professional baseball player from Takarazuka, Hyōgo, Japan.

Career

Imaoka spent several uneventful seasons in the Japanese professional leagues before being chosen as the leadoff batter by Senichi Hoshino, who managed the Hanshin Tigers from 2002–2004. Imaoka won the batting title in 2003 with a.340 batting average, and his team won the Central League pennant the same year. He had previously played shortstop and second base, but was converted to third base in 2004. He continued his hitting prowess, and led the league with 147 RBIs in 2005. He fell into a huge slump in 2006, and missed half of the season due to injuries.
He won a silver medal playing for the Japanese national team in the 1996 Summer Olympics before entering the Japanese professional leagues.

Career statistics (through 2011)

SEASONTEAMSquad numberGABRH2B3BHRRBISBAVG
1997HT79825218631112201.250
1998HT7133471481382037446.293
1999HT7128457361151116394.252
2000HT74011382450120.212
2001HT7123400361071504403.268
2002HT71225054616040015560.317
2003HT71204856716535112721.340
2004HT71385728717529028830.306
2005HT714655971156262291471.279
2006HT7592041645327291.220
2007HT7853232390804240.279
2008HT7551691529307290.172
2009HT723300420020.133
2010CLM2264431020060.227
2011CLM213232310010.130
Total1309460747612842111012259417.279