Jim Heuser
| Jim Heuser | |
|---|---|
 Heuser with the Rakuten Eagles in 2013 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: March 30, 1984 Spring Valley, Illinois, U.S. | |
Bats: Left Throws: Left | |
| NPB: April 4, 2012, for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles | |
| NPB: October 30, 2013, for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles | |
| NPB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 3–4 |
| Earned run average | 4.41 |
| Strikeouts | 61 |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
James Adam Heuser (born March 30, 1984) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles. He started Game 4 of the 2013 Japan Series against the Yomiuri Giants, ultimately helping the Eagles to win their first and only championship.
Professional career
[edit]Major League Baseball
[edit]Heuser was selected in the 27th round (812th overall) by the Oakland Athletics in the 2003 MLB Draft.[1] He was released from the A's organization on July 10, 2009, after never having played in a Major League Baseball game.[2] After being released, Heuser played for the York Revolution and Lancaster Barnstormers of the independent Atlantic League in 2010.[1] During the offseason of 2010, he almost joined Nippon Professional Baseball's (NPB) Yokohama BayStars, but ultimately decided against it.[3] Instead, Heuser studied renewable energy at Georgia State University in 2011.[4]
Nippon Professional Baseball
[edit]After not pitching for a year and a half, Heuser again looked toward NPB and tried out for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles during their spring training camp in February 2012.[4] Rakuten signed him to developmental player contract later that month.[5] By the end of March, he was pitching in spring training exhibition games. With Hiroshi Katayama as the team's only other left-handed relief pitcher, Heuser was being considered to be added to first team's roster, [6] and he was registered to the first team on March 29.[7] Heuser pitched in 58 games for Rakuten in 2012.[3] He continued to pitch in 2013, and despite a relatively poor season,[3] Heuser was on the Eagles' 2013 Japan Series roster and started Game 4.[8]
After the team won the championship, Rakuten released Heuser and he was unable to find a new team for 2014 baseball season.[3] During that time, he underwent rehabilitation in Atlanta, Georgia, for injuries to his left shoulder and right arm.[9] In November of that year, it was announced that he would again participate in a test with Rakuten during their fall camp.[3] Heuser was again signed by Rakuten to a one-year, ¥12 million contract on January 26, 2015.[10] He did not play with the first team that season, however, and was removed from the roster on July 29, midseason, after being placed on waivers.[11]
Personal life
[edit]Heuser enjoys cycling and playing guitar.[3]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Jim Heuser Minor, Independent & Japanese Leagues Statistics". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved May 15, 2015.
- ^ "James Heuser Stats, Age, Position, Height, Weight, Fantasy & News". MLB.com. Retrieved May 15, 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f "楽天"二浪"ハウザー異例再入団テスト" [Rakuten's "second try" Heuser's unusual re-entry test]. Daily Sports (in Japanese). November 3, 2014. Retrieved May 15, 2015.
- ^ a b "驚異の158キロ 楽天の外国人テスト生は"エコ左腕"？" [An astonishing 158 km/h - is Rakuten's foreign, unpolished test pitcher an "eco left-hander"?]. Sports Nippon (in Japanese). February 15, 2012. Retrieved May 15, 2015.
- ^ "ジム・ハウザー選手との契約合意に関して" [Regarding contract agreement with Jim Heuser] (in Japanese). Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles. February 29, 2012. Retrieved May 15, 2015.
- ^ "楽天の育成左腕 開幕前に支配下登録の可能性も「左の中継ぎ必要」" [Rakuten's left-handed development pitcher may be registered as a regular player before the start of the season, "Left-handed reliever is needed"]. Sports Nippon (in Japanese). March 22, 2012. Retrieved May 15, 2015.
- ^ "楽天ハウザー支配下登録へ １回０封" [Rakuten Heuser to be registered as a controlled player, shut out the first inning]. Daily Sports. March 25, 2012. Archived from the original on March 25, 2012. Retrieved May 5, 2025.
- ^ "Rakuten Eagles take 2-1 lead in Japan Series". Associated Press. October 29, 2013. Retrieved February 21, 2025.
- ^ "ハウザー＆レイ、楽天秋季キャンプに合流" [Heuser and Ray join Rakuten's fall training camp]. Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). November 12, 2014. Retrieved May 15, 2015.
- ^ "【楽天】ハウザー＆レイ、日本一以来２年ぶり復帰！" [[Rakuten] Hauser & Ray return after two years since becoming Japan's No. 1!]. Sports Hochi. January 27, 2015. Archived from the original on January 28, 2015. Retrieved May 15, 2025.
- ^ "ジム・ハウザー選手ウエイバー公示について" [Jim Heuser Waiver Notice] (in Japanese). Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles. July 29, 2015. Retrieved May 15, 2015.
External links
[edit]- Career statistics from MLB · Fangraphs · Baseball Reference (Minors) · NPB (in Japanese)
