Akinori Iwamura is a former Japanese baseball infielder, who currently is a manager for the Fukushima Red Hopes in Japan's Baseball Challenge League.
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20 Facts About Akinori Iwamura
2.
Akinori Iwamura made his Major League debut with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 2007.
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3.
Akinori Iwamura played in the Philippines on the Japan National high school baseball team.
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4.
Akinori Iwamura's older brother, Takashi Iwamura, was a professional baseball player who spent two seasons in the Kintetsu Buffaloes' farm system.
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5.
Akinori Iwamura was a third baseman for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows in the Japanese Central League.
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6.
Akinori Iwamura played in the Central League from 1998 to 2006 and won six Golden Glove awards at third base.
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7.
Akinori 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.
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8.
Akinori Iwamura did not hit well in spring training but seemed to adjust quickly to major league pitching once the 2007 season began, hitting.
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9.
Akinori Iwamura's glove is made out of crocodile skin, a rarity in the major leagues.
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10.
In Game 7 of the American League Championship Series, Akinori Iwamura fielded Jed Lowrie's ground ball and stepped on second base himself, making the last out and allowing the Rays to advance to their first World Series in franchise history.
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11.
Midway through the 2008 season, Akinori Iwamura got a mohawk haircut, a style which soon spread to many of his teammates and then Rays' manager Joe Maddon.
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12.
Akinori Iwamura made an immediate impact, scoring two runs in his first game back and hitting his first home run of the season the following day.
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13.
Akinori Iwamura was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for Jesse Chavez following the 2009 season.
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14.
Akinori Iwamura was designated for assignment by the Pirates on June 16,2010 after hitting only.
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15.
Akinori Iwamura signed with the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles on November 16,2010.
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16.
Akinori Iwamura was expected to bat in the cleanup position for his new team; however, he experienced injuries and had a bad slump during his 2 years with the Golden Eagles.
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17.
Akinori Iwamura was released from the Eagles during the 2012 off-season.
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18.
Akinori Iwamura signed with the Tokyo Yakult Swallows on December 10,2012.
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19.
Akinori Iwamura signed with the Fukushima Hopes of the Route Inn BC League for the 2016 season.
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