Akinori Iwamura (born February 9, 1979 in Uwajima,
Ehime, Japan) is a Major League Baseball infielder
for the Tampa Bay Rays.
His nickname is "Aki" now, while his nickname in
Japan was "Gan-chan".
He was a former third baseman for the Tokyo Yakult
Swallows in the Japanese Central League. He
represented Japan in the 2006 World Baseball
Classic, and is nicknamed "Japanese Lightning".
Iwamura, who played in the Central League from 1998
to 2006, has won six Central League golden glove
awards at third base. He also hit 106 home runs in
his last three seasons in the Central League,
including 32 (with a .311 batting average) in 2006.
He played his best season in Japan in 2004, hitting
44 home runs with 103 RBIs and a .300 batting
average.
During the 2006 offseason, Iwamura opted to be
posted for Major League Baseball. The posts were due
to the Major League Baseball Commissioner on
November 10, 2006; the highest bidder would be
rewarded with negotiations with Iwamura to sign a
contract. He is close friends with another Japanese
All-Star player, Daisuke Matsuzaka who signed a 6
year-$52 million contract with the Boston Red Sox.
On November 14, information leaked that the highest
bidder that won the right to negotiate with Iwamura
was the Tampa Bay Rays. Major League Baseball
announced the next day that the Rays had made the
winning bid; Newsday reported that the Rays had bid
$4.5 million. Iwamura was the second player that the
Rays had been able to obtain through the posting
system; in 2005, they won the rights to negotiate
with pitcher Shinji Mori. MLB.com reported that
Iwamura's future role with the Rays is currently
unclear, since the Rays already have third base
prospects B. J. Upton and Evan Longoria in their
organization, as well as shortstop Ben Zobrist. By
the end of the 2006 season, Zobrist and Upton were
the team's regular starters at shortstop and third
base, respectively and Longoria hadn't yet reached
the majors. In 2007, Iwamura found a home at third
base, despite the competition. Upton settled in well
in centerfield and Zobrist did not meet expectations
resulting in an unsettled shortstop position.
Iwamura will begin to work out at second base in the
event that Longoria makes the big league club.
On December 15, 2006 Iwamura signed a three-year
contract with the Rays worth $7.7 million, with a
club option for a fourth year at $4.25 million.
On September 1, 2007, in a game against the New York
Yankees, Akinori Iwamura had his bat confiscated in
the second inning. With two outs in the second and
Iwamura was at-bat facing a 2-2 count, Yankees
manager Joe Torre stepped from the dugout to talk to
home-plate umpire Kerwin Danley, who called in the
rest of the crew for a conference. Maddon was then
summoned from the dugout. When all the talking
finished, Iwamura had to hand over his bat to the
umpiring crew. He then struck out swinging to end
the inning. Although he went 0-for-4 that day in the
Rays' 9-6 loss, he hit a home run the next day
against the Yankees in an 8-2 Rays win.
Thus Torre annoyed a rookie to stave off a crisis.
Iwamura told afterwards "I was very surprised."
According to Rays team spokeman Chris Costello, the
Yankees questioned the flatness of the end of
Iwamura's bat. The bat was sent to the
Commissioner's Office for inspection.
The bat, which was made by Nike, was later returned
to Iwamura with Joe Torre's signature.
