Softbank’s Tadashi Settsu wins Sawamura Award
by Gen on Oct.29, 2012 @ 5:53 pm, under NPB
The NPB selection committee met in Tokyo today and selected Tadashi Settsu as this year's Sawamura Award winner.
The committee also considered Hiroshima's Kenta Maeda and going without a winner this year, but four of the five members voted for Settsu.
In order to be eligible for the Sawamura Award, pitchers need to attain as many of the following as possible:
- Games - 25 or more
- Complete Games - 10 or more
- Win - 15 or more
- Winning Percentage - .600 or better
- Innings Pitchers - 200.0 or more
- Strikeouts - 150 or more
- ERA - 2.50 or better
Settsu fulfilled five of the seven categories (games, wins, winning percentage, strikeouts, and ERA), as did Maeda (games, winning percentage, innings, strikeouts, ERA). The committee placed more emphasis on wins and chose Settsu because the Hawks may not have been able to finish in third place without his seventeen victories.
Settus is the first Softbank player to win the award since Kazumi Saito in 2006.
Source: Sports Hochi 10/29/2012
See also:
Past Sawamura Award Winners / 歴代受賞者
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Candidates
| Player JPN | Player ENG | Team | G | CG | W | WPCT | IP | SO | ERA |
| 摂津 正 | Settsu, Tadashi | Softbank | 27 | 3 | 17 | .773 | 193.1 | 153 | 1.91 |
| 前田 健太 | Maeda, Kenta | Hiroshima | 29 | 5 | 14 | .667 | 206.1 | 171 | 1.53 |
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UPDATE @ 6:31pm -
Sports Hochi posted a portion of Settsu's press conference:
Your thoughts on winning the award.
I honestly did not think I would be selected. This is the ultimate pitching award so I am really happy.
You fulfilled five of the categories.
I just found out about making the five categories. But award aside, I am disappointed I could not record more complete games and accumulate at least 200 innings.
This is the first time a Top Reliever Award winner also won a Sawamura Award.
I started off as a reliever and used that experience to help me [as a starter]. It allowed me to learn everything about how to overcome tough innings.
On being a candidate for the WBC.
I do not know if I will be selected, but if I am, I will do my absolute best.
Source: Sports Hochi 10/29/2012
UPDATE 10/30/2012 @ 6:23pm -
The Sawamura Award selection committee: Manabu Kitabeppu, Choji Murata, Tsuneo Horiuchi, Masaji Hiramatsu, and Masayuki Dobashi.
There were some that felt no one should be selected for the award because pitchers were lacking in complete games and innings pitched.
Said Dobashi, "It may have become more difficult to clear all seven categories with the way things have become specialized, but the level was low in general. I hope next season there will be a pitcher that manages to get all seven categories."
Source: Nikkan Sports 10/30/2012
UPDATE 10/30/2012 @ 10:30pm -
Kitabeppu originally did not think a pitcher should be selected, but later changed his mind and went with Settsu. Murata did not think a player should be selected until the very end. Source: Sports Hochi Osaka 10/30/2012
I know Settsu won it because of his wins, but imagine if MaeKen actually received runs support some other teams have, he would be a 20 game winner no doubt! I know the object of the game is to win, but I think ERA and innings pitched is more reflective of a pitcher than wins