He is known by the nickname "Mr. Zero" because he has not given up a single run in 11 Japan Series championship games. In the 2004 season, his entrance in home games was accompanied by a video montage and a loud gong.\n', "

Shingo Takatsu, like many Japanese pitchers, has incorporated pauses into his pitching mechanics in order to throw off batters' timing. His arm angle varies from sidearm to submarine.\n", '

Takatsu was a fan of the Hiroshima Toyo Carp during his childhood, and grew up wanting to play for the team. He attended Hiroshima Kogyo High School, and his team advanced to the Koshien tournament twice in his senior year. However, Takatsu was the backup pitcher, and never pitched in the tournament. He continued pitching for Asia University (Japan), but was the backup throughout his college years.\n', '

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