The (Likely) End of an Era

Hideo Nomo, the first Japanese player to attain “superstar” status in American baseball, was designated for assignment (a fancy baseball term for “released”) by the Kansas City Royals last week. Nomo, who hadn’t pitched in the Major Leagues since 2005, worked hard to make a comeback and pitched well for the Royals in spring training, earning a job in the bullpen. However, after being shelled in three consecutive outings, the Royals decided to cut him loose.

It isn’t yet clear that Nomo will retire from baseball, but it’s unlikely that a Major League team is going to sign Nomo to a contract. The 39-year-old is pretty clearly over the hill and this was probably the last hurrah for “The Tornado.”

Nomo made a splash in 1995 when he joined the Los Angeles Dodgers as a 26-year-old rookie. “Nomomania” consumed Dodger fans as the new-found talent dominated all comers for a team that won its division and reached the postseason for the first time since 1988. He won the Rookie of the Year award (narrowly defeating Chipper Jones) and used his unorthodox windup to tally a National League-leading 236 strikeouts. For the season, he went 13-6, tossed three shutouts, and compiled a sparkling ERA of 2.54.*

Nomo never matched his 1995 performance, but continued to pitch well for the Dodgers in 1996 and 1997. As American hitters began to grow more accustomed to Nomo’s delivery, his performance slipped, and Nomo bounced between several teams before returning to the Dodgers in 2002. For a couple of years, Nomo regained his excellent form, winning 32 games for the Dodgers from 2002-2003.

However, in 2004, Nomo’s performance plummeted. He posted an ERA of 8.25 in 18 starts for the Dodgers, going 4-11. This has remained the worst single-season ERA in baseball history for any pitcher accruing at least 15 decisions. In 2005, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays took a flyer on Nomo, but he continued to struggle, compiling an ERA of 7.24 before being released mid-season.

If this is indeed the end of the line for Nomo, his career statistics won’t be remembered as excellent. He put together several remarkably good seasons, but also had several campaigns that were mediocre or worse. Although his on-field performance won’t get him into the Hall of Fame, Nomo will be remembered for more than just his achievements between the lines. Nomo was the first in a line of Japanese players who have earned mega-stardom in the Major Leagues, including Ichiro Suzuki, Hideki Matsui, and most recently, Daisuke Matsuzaka. As such, it’s impossible to estimate the impact Nomo had on the popularity of American baseball in Japan, where baseball was already hugely popular.

Nomo’s career statistics:

123 wins, 109 losses. 4.24 ERA – including 81 wins as a Dodger.

*This translated to an ERA+ of 150. ERA+ measures a pitcher’s ERA compared to an index where the average ERA is 100.

**Photo credit: NYTimes.com