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Third baseman Seizo Shinad received 93.1% in his debut and was the only inductee in 2000 into the East Asia Baseball Hall of Fame. SS U-Seong San very nearly joined him with a 65.3% debut, falling less than a point short of getting in. LF Jay-Hoon Cho narrowly missed the cut with 63.7% on his fifth try. Also above 50% was 2B Seong-Jae Kang with 58.4% for a fifth ballot and Closer Geon Byung at 54.6% for his second go.



The one player dropped after ten ballots was pitcher Tianlong Tang, who split his career between starting and relief. He had a 120-110 record, 184 saves, 2.97 ERA, 1833.2 innings, 2022 strikeouts, 120 ERA+, and 37.4 WAR in 13 years. Tang lacked the awards or dominance to get in, but he got a surprising among of early traction, finishing above 40% on his first four ballots. He dropped to a low of 8.4% at the end.

1B Naomichi Yamamoto was notable as well, getting dropped after nine ballots as he fell below 5%. He was as high as 52.0% on his second try, but got dismissed as a compiler. In 21 seasons, Yamamoto won two Silver Sluggers with 2194 hits, 1146 runs, 303 doubles, 132 triples, 416 home runs, 1168 RBI, a .316/.384/.578 slash, 176 wRC+, and 75.0 WAR. There were some others that had gotten in with similar or seemingly weaker resumes, but Yamamoto didn’t get the traction for whatever reason.



Seizo Shinad – Third Base – Kawasaki Killer Whales – 93.1% First Ballot

Seizo Shinad was a 5’11’’, 200 pound right-handed third baseman from Tagawa, a small city of 45,000 people in Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture. Shinad was an excellent slugger who hit 40+ home runs in nine different seasons. He was fairly effective at drawing walks, but he was merely an average at best contact hitter that struggled with strikeouts. Shinad had respectable gap power for doubles, but his baserunning speed and ability were abysmal. He made the majority of his starts at third base with the occasional stint at first. Shinad had a strong arm and graded out as a firmly average defender even with his weaker range. He was a fan favorite, becoming very popular for his tireless work ethic (and of course, the dingers).

Shinad’s potential as a top slugger was noticeable while he played at Takushoku Tokyo University. In the 1976 EAB Draft, Shinad was picked second overall by Kawasaki. He was mostly a full-time starter as a rookie, but struggled that first year. Shinad’s second year still had strikeout woes; he whiffed more than anyone in the Japan League; but he smacked 41 home runs with 105 RBI.

At the end of the 1978 season, he suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon, putting him out eight months. The Killer Whales were optimistic that he’d bounce back, signing him to a seven-year, $2,656,000 extension anyway. The investment paid off, as Shinad had 6+ WAR each year for the next eight seasons. He won Silver Sluggers in 1982, 83, and 85. Shinad posted league-bests with 56 home runs in both 1982 and 1985. He also led in slugging in 1984 and 1985 and was the 1985 WARlord at 10.6.

The 1985 season was his lone MVP, also featuring career bests in hits, average, and RBI. Shinad was third in 1982 MVP voting and second in 1984. He also became popular throughout the country for his work in the World Baseball Championship. He played on Japan’s national team from 1980-90 with 99 games, 71 hits, 48 runs, 14 doubles, 27 home runs, 47 RBI, and a .200/.257/.468 slash.

Shinad helped lead Kawasaki back to respectability. In his rookie year, the Killer Whales won only 59 games. They improved to 94 wins the next year. From 1979-85, Kawasaki made six playoff appearances. Shinad went on a tear in the 1982 postseason, helping the Killer Whales win the EAB Championship. Shinad was finals MVP and Japan League Championship MVP, posting 22 hits, 12 runs, 5 home runs, and 13 RBI in 16 playoff starts.

Kawasaki would get back to the JLCS in 1983, 84, and 85; although they were defeated each year. For his entire playoff career, Shinad had 59 starts, 60 hits, 33 runs, 8 doubles, 17 home runs, 40 RBI, a .261/.312/.535 slash and 2.3 WAR. After the 1984 season, the 30-year old Shinad signed an eight-year, $6,420,000 extension.

Shinad remained a solid starter for the next few years, although age and injuries started to cost him a few weeks each year. The competitive window ended for Kawasaki, who finished out the 1980s usually above .500 but outside of the playoffs. In 1988, Shinad suffered a broken bone in his elbow, putting him out for six months. In his last year with the Killer Whales in 1991, he did manage to reach the 600 home run and 2000 career hit thresholds.

After the 1991 season, the now 37-year old Shinad was a free agent for the first time. He had still put up solid hitting numbers and had suitors. Shinad stuck with the killer whale theme by signing with MLB’s Orlando Orcas on a two-year, $3,800,000 deal. He ended up mediocre at best in his two years in the United States, posting 1.8 WAR and a 98 wRC+ with 32 home runs in 227 games.

Shinad returned to Japan in 1994 on a two-year deal with Yokohama. A strained PCL cost him seven weeks to injury. The Yellow Jackets used him primarily as a pinch hitter with only 22 starts in 82 games. Shinad opted to retire that winter at age 39. Kawasaki would immediately invite him back to retire his #27 uniform. Shinad remained one of the franchise’s favorite icons for decades to come.

The career stats for Shinad in EAB saw 2077 hits, 1196 runs, 303 doubles, 640 home runs, 1481 RBI, a .272/.329/.571 slash, 164 wRC+, and 93.2 WAR. As of 2037, Shinad is 55^th all-time in WAR for an offensive player and 29^th in home runs. He is notably tenth all-time in WAR accrued at third base. Shinad was one of the finest home run hitters of his era and had a big role in a championship season for Kawasaki. Voters also love guys who spend all or most of their career with one team. Shinad stood out on a quiet 2000 ballot and was the lone inductee with a 93.1% first ballot addition.