HIDEO NOMO WITH THE MILWAUKEE BREWERS IN 1999

POST 1999 SEASON NEWS
Brewers give up
It was disclosed on Oct. 26, that the Brewers have given up signing another year with Nomo. The contract the team has suggested did not come close enough to what Nomo's agent Dan Nomura was requesting.

WITH THE MILWAUKEE BREWERS IN 1999

Sept. 30
Nomo was showing his stuff by striking out one after another. In all, he struck out 10 in 7 innings. But in the 7th inning, Nomo lost his 3rd run to the Pittsuburgh Pirates. He finished the season with 12 wins 8 losses. It's to be seen if Nomo will leave the team for another during the off season.

Sept. 24
Nomo hurled 7 innings and lost only 2 runs to the Houston Astros. He left the mound waiting to take the win. But it didn't turn out that way. The Astros turned the game around for a 9 to 4 victory.

Sept. 19
Sammy Sosa blasted his 61st homer off Nomo in the 1st inning with runner on base. Nomo lost another base hit to Sosa. He hurled 7 innings giving up 5 runs. At that point though, the Brewers were leading the Chicago Cubs 7 to 5. However in the game was ended in favor of the Cubs in the 12th inning 8 to 5.

Sept. 13
In the 2nd inning, Nomo lost a 2 run homer to the Cardinals. Then the following inning the Brewers caught up. And in the 5th, Brewers was ahead. Nomo was not in the best of shape, but clinched his 12th win. He hurled 5 2/3 innings, and gave up 3 runs.

Sept. 8
Nomo took his 1000th strike out against the Arizona Diamondbacks. This feat was announced to the spectators. He did it in 147 games, making him the 3rd fastest Major League pitcher to achieve the record. He follows Roger Clemens and Dwight Gooden. But he was knocked out in the 7th inning. He hurled 6 2/3 innings and gave up 7 runs. The Brewers lost 1 to 9.

Sept. 2
Again until the 5th inning, Nomo pitched well. But in the 6th, he lost 2 runs to the St. Louis Cardinals. In the 7th, the Cardinals caught up with the Brewers 3 to 3. And Nomo was out after that inning. The focus of the day was on how Nomo would do against Mark McGwire. Nomo kept Big Mac from scoring at all 3 times they faced eachother. It was a no decision game for Nomo.

Aug. 28
Nomo was walking and striking out a number of San Diego Padres from the beginning. His teammates supported him with the bat and out in the field. But in the 5th inning, he gave up a 2 run homer to Phil Nevin with which the Brewers were caught up. In the 6th, he was replaced by a pinch hitter. However, the Brewers succeeded in scoring the following inning. In the end the Brewers won 6 to 4 and Nomo, surprisingly picked up his 11th win.

Aug. 22
Although Nomo lost a run in the first inning, he was gradually pitching better each inning. However, after a teammates' fielding error in the 5th, he walked one Dodger after another. He in the end held responsible for 6 runs and took on the loss. The game resulted in a 8 to 4 victory for the Dodgers.

Aug. 18
Nomo held on until the 7th inning losing only a run to the Houston Astros. But in the 8th, he suddenly lost control. He left with runners on base. The Astros caught up with the Brewers that inning. In the end the Astros won 6 to 4 over the Brewers. It was a no decision game for Nomo.

Aug. 13
In the first inning,Nomo already gave up a run. But that was all during the 6 2/3 innings he hurled against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Nomo at last, collected his 10th win in the 3 to 1 game.

Aug. 8
Nomo is having a difficult time winning for the past 2 games, it was no exception this time. He gave up 7 runs in 4 innings to the Cincinnatti Reds.

Aug. 2
Nomo faced the team that released him earlier in the year. The New York Mets was tough on him. His two time teammate Mike Piazza homered off him. Nomo pitched 5 innings and succumbed to 6 runs. The Brewers lost 7 to 2 in the end and Nomo had to take the loss--his 4th of the season.

July 27
The Brewers were at one point leading the Atlanta Braves, but Nomo succumbed to 3 homers thereafter. In 6 innings he lost 6 runs. The Braves won 10 to 2. Nomo was given his 3rd loss.

July 22
Nomo's only tough time was when the basese were full in the 3rd inning. In the 6th, Nomo himself contributed a run. He had a shut out 7 innings against the Philadelphia Phillies. Nomo collected his 9th win.

July 17
The first one at bat of the Kansas City Royals homered off Nomo. That didn't give Nomo a hard blow. Nomo with his bunt contributed to the Brewers scoring in the 4th inning. He hurled 7 innings during which he gave up 3 runs. Since his team supported him with 11 runs, Nomo was given his 8th win of the season.

July 11
In the 3rd inning, the Detroit Tigers caught up with the Brewers. But Nomo was able to withstand, and the Brewers responded by adding in a run. Nomo lost only 2 runs in 7 innings and clinched his 7th win. He's already won more games than the previous season.

July 6
It was 34 degress C in the evening Nomo pitched. Although Nomo lost a run early in the game to the Philadelphia Phillies. He didn't give up any more than that though. Nomo pitched 6 innings and struck out 9. But without team support, he had to take the loss for the 0 to 1 game.

July 1
The first Chicago Cubs slammed a homer off Nomo. He was homered again in the third inning. He was allowed to stay on for only 4 innings, the shortest for him with the Brewers. In all, he lost 6 runs. However, Nomo did not have to worsen his record. That's because the Brewers blasted 19 runs against the Cubs 12.

June 26
Another win for Nomo! It was in a game against the Pittsburg Pirates. He was homered and lost 3 runs in 6 2/3 innings. His team hit okay, and defeated the Pirates 7 to 4. Nomo's improved his record to 6 wins and a loss. He finished last season with a total 6 wins.

June 21
Nomo pitched against a team he's been familiar with since playing with the Dodgers. It's the San Francisco Giants. He pitched a wonderful game, losing just one run in 7 innings. He even smashed a double, improving his batting average to .316. Nomo clinched his 5th win.

June 16
Nomo took revenge on the team that refused to keep him. That's the Chicago Cubs. He did swell, hurling 7 0/3 innings, striking out 7 and giving up only 2 runs. He even drove in a run. The Brewers defeated the Cubs 11 to 4 and Nomo clinched his 4th win.

June 10
In the 3rd inning, Nomo succumbed to a 3 run homer by the Cleveland Indians. But in the 4th inning, his team mates blasted in a whooping 5 runs. However, Nomo was not having a good day. He walked 5 and lost a total of 5 runs in 7 innings. Nevertheless, Nomo was able to clinch his 3rd win with the Brewers winning 15 to 9. It's the first time Nomo received a substantial support from his teammates in terms of runs.

June 5
Nomo walked 5. He couldn't control his pitches. He also lost 2 homers--a total of 7 runs in just 4 innings to the Colorado Rockies. But Nomo did not have to take a loss. Still, the Brewers in the end lost 11 to 12.

May 31
Nomo started the game with a bad habit--walking batters. He lost 2 runs already in the 1st inning. He pulled himself together after that. The game was halted at one point because of rain, but Nomo controlled his pitched well. He hurled 6 1/3 innings. The Brewers defeated the Padres 8 to 2, and Nomo for the first time won at County Stadium as a Brewer--it's his 2nd victory this season.

May 26
The only tough inning for Nomo was in the 4th inning. That's win he lost base hits after another to the Atlanta Braves causing him to lose 2 runs. He hurled until the 7th inning, and struck out 9. However, the Brewers were defeated 2 to 3, so Nomo did not get to mark a win.

May 21
Nomo hit an RBI in the 4th inning and that helped the team go ahead of the Montreal Expos 3 to 1. He was pitching the longest number of innings ever in a game this season. In the 9th, a homerun pulled Nomo out of the game. But the Brewers were still in the lead. What was unlucky for Nomo was that closure Bob Wickman was scored. The game went into 11 innings and in the end, the Brewers lost 3 to 5.

May 16
The game opened tough for Nomo. He lost base hits and a run by the Florida Marlins. Then in the 4th inning. he succumbed to another run. His control was not bad. He did not walk anyone. However, in the 6th inning, as his turn to bat came, a pinch hitter was appointed. The Brewers failed to reverse the game and Nomo had to take the loss in the 2 to 3 game.

May 9
Nomo was the starting pitcher for the first time this season. He wore uniform number 11--as he did as a Kintetsu Buffaloes player in Japan. He was given the chance as Brewers promised him upon signing with the team. He faced the San Francisco Giants. In the beginning, he was almost homered, but luckily his teammate went for the ball and caught it. Nomo gradually improved. He pitched 6 1/3 innings, and lost only 2 runs. Best of all, he walked only 2. He earned his first win of the season in the 3 to 2 game.

Nomo joins the Brewers
On Apr. 29, Nomo signed a minor league contract with the Milwaukee Brewers. Before that, he pitched before the heads of Cleveland Indians but did not pursue them further. Nomo pitched in a double A game on May 2 in Alabama. He did not give up any runs in 7 innings and walked only 1. He also batted well showing that he is no ordinary player. He is schedule to start with the Brewers on May 7.

Nomo in the minors--Iowa Cubs
Nomo started the season with the Iowa Cubs on Apr. 11. He pitched against a triple A team in Salt Lake City. He lost 3 runs in 5 innings. The game finished 10 to 5 and a win was given to him. Then a light of hope on Apr. 17. In the game against Las Vegas, Nomo pitched 6 full innings and struck out 10. It's as if the tornadoe came back to life. He lost 2 runs. The Cubs have set the 3rd game as the final game to determine whether Nomo's ready to play again in the majors. What happened on Apr. 22 was that Nomo walked 6 in 6 innings.The next day, the Cubs' have requested Nomo to hurl another 2 games. But he refused. Nomo chose to become a free agent again.

PRE 1999 SEASON NEWS
Nomo is released by the Mets
At the end of March, the Mets decided to release Nomo and instead obtain Orel Hershizer. No Major League team came forward to acquire Nomo. He had no choice but to wait for a triple A team to get touch with him. Finally on Apr. 1, he decided to play for the team under the Chicago Cubs in triple A.

Nomo enters spring camp
On Feb. 20 Nomo, together with Masato Yoshii opened spring camp training in Florida.

Nomo will have another year with the Mets
On Jan. 18, Nomo and the Mets came to an agreement for the 1999 season. Nomo will be paid 2,925,000 dollars for one year and an additional amount depending on how he does.


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