No More Nomo

In 1995, I was a 10-year old sprout who loved the game but failed to truly grasp the rammifications of baseball’s labor strike. It constituted the major news story leading into the season, but not the only one. The other big news that year involved a Japanese pitcher named Hideo Nomo, who was in the process of becoming the first such player to permanently relocate to the major leagues. He would not be the first Japanese-born player in the major leagues, but rather the first to permanently leave Japan for streets paved in gold.

Nomo utilized a contractual loophole after his 1994 season in Japan that stipulated players who retired were free to play wherever. This loophole paved the way for Nomo playing in America, which is largely considered to have further paved the way for future Japanese-born major league players.

That 1995 season would be an incredible one for Nomo, as he baffled hitters en route to a Rookie of the Year win. Adding to the circus surrounding each of his starts was his funky windup. Not only had many fans never seen a foreign player of this magnitude, his pitching motion looked borderline insane when stacked up next to the vanilla “hands over head” delivery thought of as the industry standard. Nomo finished 4th in WPA/LI that year, behind just Greg Maddux, Randy Johnson, and Mike Mussina, and kept hitters at bay to the tune of a 2.54 ERA/2.88 FIP and 1.06 WHIP.

In 1996 and 1997 he still posted quality numbers, including a no-hitter in ’96 at Coors Field, but as hitters began to figure him out, his windup became less puzzling and he lost some effectiveness. His ERA and FIP had increased in each of those first three seasons; his WHIP shot up from 1.06 to 1.37; he gave up more home runs on average each year; and his ability to strand baserunners lessened in each subsequent season.

It then came as little surprise that 1998 turned out to be his worst season to date, stranding just 69.5% of baserunners and getting off to such a poor start that the Dodgers shipped him to the Mets for the not necessarily exciting package of Greg McMichael and Dave Mlicki. Following below average production from June 4 until season’s end, the Mets released Nomo in spring training of the 1999 season. The Cubs picked him up, but following a few minor league starts they had a clash of opinion: Hideo wanted to pitch in the majors and the Cubs felt he wasn’t ready. After refusing to make another minor league start the Cubs released him towards the end of April. The Brewers signed him for the remainder of the season, which incidentally involved his lowest K/9 and highest HR/9. His WHIP stayed stagnant at 1.42, but luckily he was able to strand 73.1% of runners, a significant increase from the year prior.

He and the Brewers clashed in contract negotiations following the season and the Phillies soon claimed him off waivers. The Nomo in Philadelphia experiment lasted 24 hours, when they could do no better in negotiations than the Brewers. All told, Nomo eventually signed with the Tigers for the 2000 season. His 4.74 ERA, 4.79 FIP, 4.22 BB/9, and career highs 1.47 WHIP and 1.47 HR/9 did very little to make the move look worthwhile and, at season’s close, Nomo again found himself without a job. He had played in the major leagues for six seasons now and had been a member of six different franchises.

He tossed another no-hitter as a member of the Red Sox in 2001 and posted his best numbers in the last couple of seasons—including a 10.0 K/9—but nowhere near his 1995-1996 seasons. Following his tenure in Beantown he returned “home” to Los Angeles, where his 2002 and 2003 seasons seemed very reminiscent of those initial years. In 67 starts over those two seasons, Nomo posted a 3.24 ERA, 4.17 FIP, 1.29 WHIP, and 79% strand rate. His ability to strike hitters out had diminished (7.59 K/9) but he proved to be effective enough to limit any threats pointed in his direction. In 2004, however, Nomo was officially done, regardless of whether or not he realized it.

His strand rate dropped from 79% to 59%, which looks even worse given that he accrued a 1.75 WHIP. Allowing over two home runs per nine innings with a K/BB ratio below 1.30, Nomo had lost all semblances of effectiveness at the major league level. The Rays, Yankees, White Sox, and Royals all took flyers on the former Rookie of the Year from 2005-2008, but an inability to get hitters out is not one that should be on the resume of any pitcher.

Nomo’s story is exactly the kind that will leave a sour taste in the mouths of some fans due to his poor performance in recent years. However, in my eyes, his is a success story, even if from a relative standpoint. No matter how old I get, when looking back upon a childhood built largely on baseball, I will always remember attempting to emulate his funky windup on the playground and the excitement that hinged upon every pitch thrown in those first few seasons.