Satoshi Komatsu

Orix Buffalo pitcher Satoshi Komatsu is another retiring player who, like Yudai Kawai, had pretty much only one good season in their career.  Komatsu played for JR Kyushu in the industrial leagues after graduating from Kokushikan University.  He was taken by Orix in the fall 2006 College & Industrial League draft - he apparently was a "pre-signed kibouwaki player" which I'm not quite sure I understand what is.

He made 8 appearances for Orix in the 2007 season, then had a breakout season in 2008 - going 15-3 with a 2.51 ERA for the 2nd place Buffaloes.  He made the All Star team that season and was a unanimous pick for Pacific League Rookie Of The Year.  He started Game Two of the 1st Round of the Climax Series, losing to the Fighters in the game that knocked the Buffaloes out of the playoffs.  He made the Japanese team for the World Baseball Classic the following spring, pitching 2 2/3 scoreless innings while striking out five against Korea in the Pool 1 finale, a game which Japan won to be the Pool 1 top seed going into the final round.

Unfortunately for Komatsu, that was probably the high point of his career.  He went 1-9 with a 7.09 ERA in 2009 and followed that with a 5-8 record and a 4.77 ERA in 2010.  He spent most of his time after that working out of the bullpen or pitching with the farm team.  I don't think he had an injury - it just looks like he suddenly lost effectiveness.  He ended his career with a 25-26 win/loss record, which means that other than his 2008 season he went 10-23.

His BBM rookie card was #179 from the 2007 1st Version set (along with #38 from that year's Rookie Edition set) and his first Calbee card (which I don't have) is #286 from the 2008 set.  Here's some cards from his career:

2007 BBM 1st Version #179

2007 BBM Rookie Edition #38

2008 BBM All Stars #A45

2009 BBM 1st Version #435

2009 Konami WBC Heroes #W09R094

2011 Orix BsClub #5

2016 BBM Buffaloes #Bs16