Norihiro Nakamura
5104355
224418908
2008-07-08T19:35:54Z
Kbdankbot
6505923
Robot - move category per [[WP:CFD|CFD]] [[Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/Log/2008 June 23|2008 June 23]]
{{Infobox MLB player|
| image = Replace this image male.svg <!-- only free-content images are allowed for depicting living people. Non-free and "fair use" images, promo photos, etc., will be deleted - see [[WP:NONFREE]] --> |
| width = 150 |
bgcolor1=|
bgcolor2=|
textcolor1=|
textcolor2=|
name=Norihiro Nakamura|
position=Third Baseman|
team=Free Agent|
number=|
bats=Right|
throws=Right|
birthdate={{birth date and age|1973|7|24}}|
debutdate=April 10|
debutyear=2005|
debutteam=Los Angeles Dodgers|
statyear=end of 2005|
stat1label=[[Batting average|Avg]]|
stat1value=.128|
stat2label=[[Runs batted in|RBI]]|
stat2value=3|
stat3label=[[Home run|HR]]|
stat3value=0|
teams=<nowiki></nowiki>
*[[Los Angeles Dodgers]] ([[2005 in baseball|2005]])
}}
{{MedalTop}}
{{MedalSport | Men's [[Baseball]]}}
{{MedalBronze| [[Baseball at the 2004 Summer Olympics|Athens 2004]] | Team Competition}}
{{MedalBottom}}
'''Norihiro Nakamura'''(中村 紀洋, born [[July 24]], [[1973]]) is a [[Japanese people|Japanese]] [[Nippon Professional Baseball|professional baseball]] [[third baseman]].
== Career ==
He was born in [[Osaka]], [[Japan]], and spent almost all of his professional career in Japan with the [[Kintetsu Buffaloes|Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes]]. Drafted in 1992, Nakamura began to emerge as one the leading power hitters in [[Nippon Professional Baseball]] in 1995. From 1998 to 2002, he had six consecutive 40-[[home run]], 100-[[Runs Batted In|RBI]] seasons, setting career highs in average (.320) homers (46) and RBIs (132) in 2001.
In 2002, he signed a two-year, $7 million contract with the [[New York Mets]], but, after word leaked out before he could formally notify the Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes management, Nakamura rejected the deal and re-signed with Kintetsu over considerable controversey. In 2003, he suffered a torn knee cartilage, and his offensive numbers began to decline. However, he hit well while participating in a spring training exchange program with the [[Los Angeles Dodgers]] in 2004.
In 2005, Nakamura walked away from a guaranteed $10 million two-year contract in Japan to sign a $500,000 non-guaranteed minor league deal with the Dodgers as a non-roster invitee to Spring Training. He made his [[MLB]] debut for the Dodgers on April 10, [[2005 in baseball|2005]]. Highly touted from his playing days in Japan, he received the opportunity to win the Dodgers starting [[third base]] role after the Dodgers lost their starting third baseman, [[Adrian Beltre]], to free agency in the offseason. However, Nakamura managed only a .128 [[batting average]] with no [[home runs]] and 3 [[runs batted in]]. He was optioned to the [[Las Vegas 51s]], the Dodgers Triple-A affiliate, by mid-May. He would remain with the 51s the remainder of the season, after which the Dodgers granted him his release.
In 2006, he resigned with the [[Orix Buffaloes]], playing primarily as a [[designated hitter]]. He finished 2006 with .232 average, 12 homers and 45 RBIs. He signed a one-year deal for just 4,000,000 yen (about $34,000) as a trainee with the [[Chunichi Dragons]] on February 25, 2007. He signed a one-year deal for 6,000,000 yen (about $50,000) as a player on March 22, 2007. His annual income declined due to many troubles, but he got over the shock and was crowned the MVP of the [[2007 Japan Series]]. The 2007 season became the first season for him to win the [[Japan Series]].
During his career in Japan, Nakamura has a .263 career batting average, 319 home runs and 962 RBIs, and has been an eight-time All-Star and four-time Gold Glove winner.
==External links==
*{{japanesebaseball|id=55}}
*[http://www.losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20050203&content_id=939118&vkey=news_la&fext=.jsp&c_id=la]
* {{baseball-reference|id=n/nakamno01}}
{{Chunichi Dragons roster}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nakamura, Norihiro}}
[[Category:1973 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Baseball players at the 2000 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Baseball players at the 2004 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Japanese baseball players]]
[[Category:Olympic bronze medalists for Japan]]
[[Category:Olympic baseball players of Japan]]
[[Category:Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes players]]
[[Category:Los Angeles Dodgers players]]
[[Category:Orix Buffaloes players]]
[[Category:Chunichi Dragons players]]
[[Category:Major league third basemen]]
[[Category:People from Osaka (city)]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball players from Japan]]
[[ja:中村紀洋]]
[[zh:中村紀洋]]