He hit his 200th career home run against Chiba Lotte Marines submariner Shunsuke Watanabe on April 17 and finished the year with a .315 batting average, 46 home runs and 121 RBI, leading the league in home runs and RBI for the second straight season and becoming the first hitter in NPB history to record more than 120 RBI in three straight seasons.
This blast by "Big Papi" has been recorded as the longest home run ever hit at the Tokyo Dome.
•
Watanabe's curve is very slow, clocking around 60 mph, somewhat similar to the curveball of Washington Nationals pitcher Liván Hernández (which actually is more like an eephus pitch).
Sadao Watanabe | Watanabe Entertainment | Sadao Watanabe (musician) | Shunsuke Nakamura | Shinichi Watanabe | Kazumi Watanabe | Ken Watanabe | Takeo Watanabe | Hiroshi Watanabe | Akio Watanabe | Yuuya Watanabe | Watanabe Tokutarō | Watanabe Productions | Shunsuke Watanabe | Shunsuke Tsurumi | Shunsuke Mutai | Shunsuke Daito | Osamu Watanabe | Mamoru Watanabe | Makoto Sei Watanabe | Kazumi Watanabe (sport shooter) | Katsuaki Watanabe | 29986 Shunsuke |