Yasuhiko Yabuta
Yasuhiko Yabuta is a Japanese former baseball pitcher. He competed in the 2006 World Baseball Classic and struck out Alex Rodriguez, Johnny Damon, and Derrek Lee.
Yabuta made his professional debut with the Marines in 1996, and spent 12 years with the organization. He served as a setup man for the Marines in 2007 recording a 4–6 record with a 2.73 ERA in 58 games. After the season, he declared his free agency and came to America to pursue a Major League Baseball career. On November 22, 2007, the Kansas City Star reported that the Kansas City Royals agreed with Yabuta on a two-year contract with a club option for 2010.
Yabuta officially signed with the Royals on November 28, 2007. He signed a two-year, $6,000,000 deal with the Kansas City Royals. The deal included a $4m club option for a third year. Yabuta was sent down to Triple-A Omaha Royals on June 25, 2008. He was designated for assignment on August 2 and was eventually sent outright to the minors. He was brought back to the Royals when the rosters expanded on September 1.
His teammates on the Royals have given him the nickname "Shake."
On November 24, 2009, he signed a one-year deal with his old team Chiba Lotte, and he has remained with the team since.
