Two decades ago, Hideo Nomo became the first Japanese player to permanently relocate to the majors. “Nomomania” swept baseball as the then-Dodgers right-hander proved an instant hit, earning both an All-Star berth and the 1995 National League Rookie of the Year Award. His success spawned a wave of fellow countrymen who established their own careers stateside.

In addition to learning the inner workings of a major league front office and sharing his own extensive knowledge, Nomo is hoping to continue what he started. The Padres are his new allegiance; the club recently hired the 47-year-old as an advisor for baseball operations. Nomo is in uniform this spring, already delving into the various facets of player development and baseball operations.

“I want to learn about the team, what kind of team we have, what kind of players we have,” Nomo said through the translation of Acey Kohrogi, the Padres’ advisor for Pacific Rim operations. “I’m hoping through my experiences I can pass some of that information on to some of the players here.”

Few Japanese baseball icons carry more weight back home than Nomo, who was the Japan Hall of Fame’s youngest-ever inductee in 2014.


“Japan and Asia, I’m hoping to increase the Padres’ presence in those areas, so maybe we can all be at Petco Park with more Asian fans in the stands,” he said. "...I’m hoping good players come to the Padres and, (for) Asian fans in Asia and the United States, hoping that they can all be happy that good players come to the Padres.”

San Diego Padres baseball operations advisors Trevor Hoffman, left, and Hideo Nomo, right, watch pitchers throw during spring training baseball practice Monday, Feb. 22, 2016, in Peoria, Ariz. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) (The Associated Press )

In recent months, the Padres have been aggressive about augmenting their visibility across the Pacific. Kohrogi was hired by second-year General Manager A.J. Preller, as was another former Dodgers pitcher, Takashi Saito, now a baseball-operations intern. Logan White, director of player personnel and ex-Dodgers executive, was key in both hires.

Members of the front office, joined by pitchers Brandon Maurer and Colin Rea, took a goodwill trip to Japan in November. In early February, the Padres hosted the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters’ spring training here at the Peoria Sports Complex. Satoshi Nakajima, a former catcher for the Fighters, is a guest instructor in San Diego’s camp. The Padres have scouted Fighters right-hander Shohei Ohtani, considered the best young pitcher in Japan.


The hope is, additions such as Nomo will forge a strong bridge to San Diego. The last player from Japan to wear a Padres uniform was second baseman Tadahito Iguchi in 2008. (Future Hall of Fame outfielder Ichiro Suzuki, who is represented by San Diego-based agent John Boggs, expressed some interest in the Padres last offseason before signing with the Marlins.)

“I think in Major League Baseball in general, there already are good international players coming through, so it’s natural that the Padres have an international presence and get players from international sources,” Nomo said. “My feeling is that all the good players from around the world come here, including good staff from around the world. To win a world championship is something I’d really like to see.”

“I’ve gotten to know him over the last year,” Preller said of Nomo. “I value his opinions and takes. He’s obviously had some tremendous experiences. I think both on and off the field, he’ll be helping out pitchers and players, taking on new challenges, trying new things we’re always talking to our minor leaguers about.”

One of those new things could be the forkball, a relative of the split-fingered fastball and Nomo’s signature during his playing career.


“If somebody asks me to show them the forkball, how to throw the forkball, I would definitely like to work with that,” Nomo said. “I think it all depends on the individual, so if the pitchers want to learn about it, I’ll be happy to help teach it.”

With the Padres, Nomo has joined a group of baseball-operations advisors that includes Moises Alou, Mark Loretta and another former pitcher, Trevor Hoffman.

Asked which was better, his forkball or Hoffman’s change-up, Nomo cracked a grin. The question needed no translation.

“Of course, Hoffman’s changeup,” he said.