Takashi Shimizu (baseball)

Takashi Shimizu (清水 誉) is a professional baseball catcher for the Hanshin Tigers in Japan's Central League.

Early life
Shimizu was born in Miki, Hyogo, Japan on 23 April 1984. He started playing baseball when he was in the second grade at Hirata Elementary School in Miki, becoming the team's catcher due to his strong arm. After leading Miki Junior High School to third place in a regional tournament as the team's catcher and number four batter, he wanted to enroll in a high school known for its baseball program. However on his parents' advice that "only a handful can feed themselves playing baseball", he instead enrolled in the academically known Ono High School in Miki. He became the high school's main catcher in the summer of his first year, helping his team reach the quarter finals of the Hyogo Prefectural High School Tournament in his final year.

Heeding his parents advice further, Shimizu enrolled at Kwansei Gakuin University rather than trying to turn professional after high school. Due to an injury to the university club's main catcher, he was able to take the role immediately upon joining the club, remaining in the position for his four years of university. In his final year he was named in the Kansai University League's best nine in both the spring and autumn seasons. He had a total of 6 home runs while at university.

Shimizu was drafted by the Hanshin Tigers in the fourth round of the 2006 university/adult draft.

Professional career
In 2007 Shimizu was evaluated highly during practice matches and pre-season matches, earning a place on the first-team roster for the start of the season. However, he did not get an opportunity to play for the first team and was eventually sent to the Tigers' farm team in the Western League. He played 41 games for the farm team, with a batting average of .260 and 5 home runs. In 2008, he played in 54 Western League matches, including 47 as a catcher. His batting average fell and he hit only 3 home runs. During the year he was wearing contact lenses, but underwent laser corrective surgery at the end of the year.

In 2009, he again started the season in the first-team squad due to leading catcher Akihiro Yano being injured. He made his first appearance for the Tigers' first team in the second match of the season, on 4 April 2009 against the Tokyo Yakult Swallows. On 17 May he made his first start and recorded his first hit, also against the Swallows. He appeared in a total of 20 first-team games, as well as 23 games for the farm team in which he had a batting average of .278.

<!-- なお、2010年以降も、毎年一軍の公式戦に出場している.

2013年には、5月25日に出場選手登録を果たすも、6月19日に抹消. 7月4日には、再登録が予定されていたにもかかわらず、球団側の手違いから清原大貴（投手）が登録選手として公示される事態に見舞われた. しかし、翌5日に清原と入れ替わる格好で再登録を果たしている. スタメンマスクを任された8月4日の読売ジャイアンツ戦（東京ドーム）では、初めてバッテリーを組んだ新人投手の藤浪晋太郎を好リード. 先発投手として6回裏まで投げた藤浪を巨人戦初登板初勝利（阪神の高卒新人投手では1967年の江夏豊以来の記録）へ導くとともに、チームに完封勝ちをもたらした. その後も藤井彰人との併用策でスタメン出場の機会が増加. 9月中旬に藤井が故障で戦線を離脱している間には、ほぼ全ての試合でスタメンに起用された. 8月23日の中日ドラゴンズ戦（ナゴヤドーム）では、6回表1死2塁で迎えた第3打席で、ライト前に安打を放ってプロ初打点を挙げた. 最終的に39試合に出場し、打撃面では打率.233、3打点であった.

2014年10月21日に、「日本プロ野球80周年記念試合」の阪神・巨人連合チームに選出された事が発表された.

2015年は開幕一軍も含め数度一軍登録されるもチーム状態により公式戦出場することはなかった.

Hitting statistics by year

 * 2014年度シーズン終了時

Fielding statistics by year

 * 2014年度シーズン終了時

記録
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 * 初出場：2009年4月4日、対東京ヤクルトスワローズ2回戦（京セラドーム大阪）、8回裏に桧山進次郎の代走で出場
 * 初打席：2009年5月3日、対読売ジャイアンツ5回戦（阪神甲子園球場）、8回裏に豊田清の前に空振り三振
 * 初先発出場：2009年5月17日、対東京ヤクルトスワローズ7回戦（明治神宮野球場）、8番・捕手で先発出場
 * 初安打：同上、5回表無死に川島亮から左翼線二塁打
 * 初打点：2013年8月23日、対中日ドラゴンズ16回戦（ナゴヤドーム）、6回表に大野雄大から中前適時打

Personal life
At the end of the 2009 season Shimizu announced his intention to marry a classmate from his junior high school in December 2009.