title: Masao Morinaka
text: # Masao Morinaka
  
  Masao Morinaka (森中 聖雄, born April 9, 1974, in Shizuoka, Japan) is a former professional baseball player who played for the Yokohama BayStars. He currently works as a batting pitcher for the Yomiuri Giants organization.
  
  Morinaka was drafted by the Yokohama BayStars in the second round of the 1996 amateur draft. He was a valuable left-handed reliever, but was dropped after only 7 seasons in 2003. He marked a 2.16 ERA in 41 appearances in 1999, and a 2.38 ERA in 53 appearances in 2000. He hit a home run at the Koshien baseball stadium in his final season.
  
  He won a silver medal playing for the Japanese national team in the 1996 Summer Olympics before entering the Japanese professional leagues.
  
  