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]]