Kenshin Kawakami

Infobox NPB player
bgcolor1=blue
bgcolor2=blue
textcolor1=white
textcolor2=white
name=Kenshin Kawakami

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position=Pitcher
team=Chunichi Dragons
number=11
bats=Right
throws=Right
debutdate=April 9
debutyear=1998
debutteam=Chunichi Dragons
statyear=2007
stat1label=Win-Loss
stat1value=103-67
stat2label=Innings pitched
stat2value=1525.0
stat3label=Strikeouts
stat3value=1216
teams=
*Chunichi Dragons (by|1998–present)

Kenshin Kawakami (川上 憲伸, born June 22, 1975 in Tokushima) is a Japanese baseball player. He pitches for the Chunichi Dragons of the Central League. Kawakami was Rookie of the Year in 1998 as he went 14-6 with a 2.57 ERA. He helped the Dragons to the Central League Title in 1999, but lose in the Japan Series in 5 games to the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks. He has pitched a no-hitter in his professional career. In 2004, Kawakami went 17-7 and led Chunichi to the Central League Title, though they fell to the Seibu Lions in 7 games in the Japan Series. That year, Kawakami was named Central League MVP and received the Sawamura as Japan's best pitcher. Kawakami again won 17 games in 2006 and led the Dragons to the Central League title again, winning Game 1 of the Japan Series against the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters and won his second Sawamura Award.

In 2007, Kawakami helped the Dragons end a 53 championship drought as they beat the Nippon Ham Fighters in 5 games.

External links

* [http://japanesebaseball.com/players/player.jsp?PlayerID=1026 Japanese Baseball]
* [http://japaneseballplayers.com/en/player.php?id=kkawakami Japanese league stats and info of Kenshin Kawakami]