Hideki Matsui

New York Yankees — No. 55
Left field
Born: June 12, 1974 (1974-06-12) (age 33) Ishikawa, Japan
Bats: Left	Throws: Right
Major League Baseball debut
March 31, 2003 for the New York Yankees
Selected MLB statistics (through June 8, 2008)
Batting average	. A left fielder (LF is an Outfielder in the sport of Baseball who plays defense in left field. Events 1381 - Peasants' Revolt: in England, rebels arrive at Blackheath. Year 1974 ( MCMLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. WikipediaWikiProject Japanese prefectures for guidelines --> is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshū island For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. Events 307 - After divorcing his wife Minervina, Constantine marries Fausta, the daughter of the retired Roman Emperor Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. Batting average is a Statistic in both Cricket and Baseball measuring the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters, respectively 297
Home runs	109
Runs batted in	491
On-base plus slugging	. On-base plus slugging (OPS is a baseball statistic calculated as the sum of a player's On-base percentage and Slugging percentage. 858
Teams
Yomiuri Giants (1993-2002) (NPB) New York Yankees (2003-present)

Hideki Matsui (松井 秀喜, Matsui Hideki^?, born June 12, 1974) is a Japanese Major League Baseball left fielder who plays for the New York Yankees. The is a Nippon Professional Baseball team based at the Tokyo Dome in Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan. Champions Major League Baseball World Series: Toronto Blue Jays over Philadelphia Phillies (4-2 Paul Molitor, Champions Major League Baseball Regular Season Champions Other champions Caribbean World Series: Nippon Professional Baseball or NPB is the highest level of Baseball in Japan. The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the borough of The Bronx, in New York City, New York. Headline event of the year The Florida Marlins become World Series champions holding off a dynastic New York Yankees team 4 games to Events 1381 - Peasants' Revolt: in England, rebels arrive at Blackheath. Year 1974 ( MCMLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. A left fielder (LF is an Outfielder in the sport of Baseball who plays defense in left field. The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the borough of The Bronx, in New York City, New York. He bats left-handed and throws right-handed. Someone who is right-handed will prefer to use this hand for everyday activities such as writing, maintaining personal hygiene, Cooking and so forth

Youth

Matsui was born in Neagari, Ishikawa, Japan (later merged into Nomi, Ishikawa). Neagari (根上町 -machi was a town located in Nomi District, Ishikawa, Japan. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. is a city located in Ishikawa, Japan. As of January 1, 2005 population data the city has an estimated Population of 47826 He started playing baseball when he was in elementary school. According to an interview on YES Network's "CenterStage," Matsui originally batted right-handed as a child. The Yankees Entertainment and Sports (YES Network is a New York City regional Cable TV channel dedicated to broadcasting Baseball games of the CenterStage is a show on the YES Network, which talks with figures from the world of sports and entertainment in front of a studio auddience However, when he started playing with his older brother and his friends, Matsui was such a good batter that his embarrassed brother insisted that he bat left-handed or stop playing with them. Matsui soon enough became an overpowering left-handed batter, and stayed on that side of the plate from then on. Matsui's stance is somewhat eccentric because he does not move his bat.

Matsui participated in four National High School Baseball Tournaments at Koshien Stadium, once in the spring and three times in summer, during his high school years. In Japan high school baseball (高校野球 kōkō yakyū generally refers to the 2 annual baseball tournaments played by high schools nationwide culminating at a final showdown at is a Baseball park located near Kobe in Nishinomiya, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. In 1992, he drew five consecutive intentional walks in a game at Koshien and became a nationwide topic in Japan at that time (partly because intentionally walking batters was very uncommon in Japanese amateur baseball at that time), even though the strategy worked and his team lost. Matsui graduated from Seiryo High School in Kanazawa, Ishikawa. is the capital city of Ishikawa Prefecture in Japan. Geography climate and population Kanazawa sits on the Sea of Japan, bordered

Career in Japan

Following high school Matsui was drafted by the Yomiuri Giants in the first round. The is a Nippon Professional Baseball team based at the Tokyo Dome in Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan. Based in Tokyo, the Giants are Japan's most famous and, by far, most successful baseball franchise. officially, is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan and located on the eastern side of the main island Honshū. Coincidentally, Yomiuri is often referred to by fans and detractors alike as the "New York Yankees of Japan. "

A three-time MVP in the Japanese Central League (1996, 2000, and 2002), Matsui led his team into four Japan Series and winning three titles (1994, 2000 and 2002). The or is one of Japan 's two major professional Baseball leagues the winner of which plays the Japan Series against the winner of the other league the or is a seven-game championship played by the teams of Japan 's two professional baseball leagues (the Central League and Pacific League) He also made nine consecutive all-star games and led the league in home runs and RBIs three times (1998, 2000, and 2002). His single season mark for home runs was 50 in 2002, his final season in Japan. In the ten seasons he played in Japan, Matsui totalled 1268 games played, 4572 AB, 1390 hits, 901 runs, 332 home runs, 889 RBIs, a . 304 batting average, and a . Batting average is a Statistic in both Cricket and Baseball measuring the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters, respectively 582 slugging percentage. In Baseball statistics, slugging percentage (abbreviated SLG) is a popular measure of the power of a hitter.

His first trip to the Japan Series became well-known. Because of the MLBPA Players' Strike in 1994, Matsui became known to the American media, as media outlets were covering the Series, which was referred in Sports Illustrated as "the" Fall Classic. Sports Illustrated is an American Sports Magazine owned by media conglomerate Time Warner.

In Japan, Matsui earned the popular nickname "Godzilla. Etymology Name "Godzilla" is a combination of two Japanese words and. " The origin of the name, however, is unflattering, as it is in reference as much to his coarse and pockmarked facial complexion as it is in his hitting power. This article is about acne scars For the geological formation see Pockmark (geology Pockmarks are crater -shaped scars on a person's ^[1] He even made a cameo in the film Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla. This is about the 2002 film You may be looking for the 1974 film Godzilla vs

Career in the United States

New York Yankees (2003-current)

Matsui at the plate in a Spring training game in 2006.

Matsui signed a three-year contract with the New York Yankees on January 14, 2003. The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the borough of The Bronx, in New York City, New York. Events 1129 - Formal approval of the Order of the Templar at the Council of Troyes. Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. A parade was held for him in Tokyo to celebrate his signing with the Yankees and many reporters and photographers followed him to MLB from his home in Tokyo. In his first ML at bat he hit an RBI single. His first game at Yankee Stadium was also very memorable. In the 2003 Yankee home opener, Matsui became the first Yankee to hit a grand slam in his first game at Yankee Stadium. The original Yankee Stadium is a Stadium located in The Bronx in New York City. Matsui went on to hit . 287 with 16 home runs and 106 RBI. Matsui narrowly missed the Rookie of the Year Award to Angel Berroa. In Major League Baseball, the Rookie of the Year Award is given annually to one player from each league as voted upon by the Baseball Writers Association of America Ángel Maria Berroa Selmo (born January 27, 1978) is a Dominican professional Baseball player for the Los Angeles Dodgers. In the postseason of that year, he became the first Japanese player to hit a home run in a World Series (Game 2).

In his second season, Matsui finished 2004 with a . 298 average with 31 home runs and 108 RBIs. In 2005, Matsui hit a career high . 305 and 116 RBIs. In 2006, Matsui finished his fourth season with a . 302 average with 8 home runs and 29 RBIs after missing most of the season due to a wrist injury. He was the American League All-Star Final Vote winner. All-Star Final Vote is an annual Internet and Text message ballot by Major League Baseball fans to elect the 32nd and final player for each team to

Matsui was nicknamed "Godzilla" and the song Godzilla by Blue Oyster Cult was always played when he went up to bat.

Matsui signed a four-year deal for $52,000,000, surpassing Ichiro Suzuki as the highest paid Japanese player in baseball, and securing his place with the Yankees through 2009. often known simply as, (born October 22 1973 in Toyoyama, Nishikasugai, Aichi Prefecture, Japan) is an Outfielder for the Seattle Mariners This article is about the year For the film see 2009 Lost Memories.

Through 2006, his career batting average against lefties and righties have been the same (. 297).

On May 6, 2007 Matsui recorded his 2,000th hit in combined hits in Japan and the United States during a game vs. Events 1527 - Spanish and German troops sack Rome; some consider this the end of the Renaissance. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. the Mariners, which earned him a place in Japan's Golden Players Club, reserved for players who have hit 2000 hits, 200 wins or 250 saves professionally. The Meikyukai (名球会 "Association of Great Players" or "Golden Players Club" is one of the two Japanese Baseball hall of It was originally ruled an error on Raúl Ibáñez, who lost track of the ball due to the strong sun, but a scoring change gave Matsui the hit. Raúl Javier Ibáñez (ɨˈbɑːnjɛz (born June 2 1972 in New York New York) is an Outfielder and DH in Major League Baseball who plays Matsui went 2 for 4 that day; the second hit (#2001) was a clean single to right.

On August 5, 2007 Matsui became the first Japanese player in MLB history to hit 100 home runs. Events 642 - Battle of Maserfield - Penda of Mercia defeats and kills Oswald of Bernicia. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. The home run came in the bottom of the 3rd inning off Gil Meche of the Kansas City Royals. Gilbert Allen "Gil" Meche (ɡɪlmɛʃ born September 8, 1978 in Lafayette Louisiana) is a Right-handed Pitcher for the The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri.

In 2007 he was 3rd in the AL with 10 sacrifice flies, and 9th in walks per strikeout (1. 00).

In the winter of 2007, it was widely reported in the New York media that the San Francisco Giants and the New York Yankees were in talks to send Hideki Matsui to the Giants in exchange for one or two pitchers. Talks fizzled, and as of January 13, 2008, Hideki Matsui is slotted to be one of four outfielders for the Yankees in 2008. Bobby Abreu, Melky Cabrera, and Johnny Damon appear to be slotted for the three starting outfield positions, with Hideki Matsui set to DH and split time in left with Johnny Damon.

Playing Streak

Matsui did not miss a game in his first three seasons with the Yankees, putting together a streak of 518 games played. Games played (most often abbreviated as G or GP) is a Statistic used in Team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has Before that, he played in 1,250 consecutive games with Yomiuri, for a total professional baseball streak of 1,768. Matsui holds the streak for consecutive games played to start a Major League Baseball career.

On May 11, 2006, in his 519th game with the Yankees, Matsui fractured his left wrist on an unsuccessful sliding catch in the top of the first inning against the Boston Red Sox. Events 330 - Byzantium is renamed ''Nova Roma'' during a dedication ceremony but is more popularly referred to as Constantinople Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. The Boston Red Sox are a Professional baseball team based in Boston Massachusetts, and are the reigning (2007 World Series Champions. Matsui, despite the injury threw the ball back to the infield before gripping his wounded wrist in obvious pain. The game did not count toward Matsui's streak, as a player must field for at least half an inning or take an at-bat to be credited with a game played (MLB rule 10. 24). Matsui underwent surgery on May 12, 2006. Events 1191 - Richard I of England marries Berengaria of Navarre. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. He returned to the Yankees starting lineup on September 12 against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, and had an RBI single in his first AB back, and proceeded to go 4 for 4 with a walk, with 2 runs scored as well. Events 1213 - Albigensian Crusade: Simon de Montfort 5th Earl of Leicester, defeats Peter II of Aragon at the The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball franchise based in St

SABR also recognizes the streak as being 518. The Society for American Baseball Research was established in Cooperstown New York, in August 1971 ^[2]

In the first year of his playing streak, Matsui also set the Major League record for rookies (and all-time record for the Yankees) with 163 games played in a season. Although only 162 full games were played, the September 18 game against the Baltimore Orioles was called after five innings due to Hurricane Isabel. Events 96 - Nerva is proclaimed Roman Emperor after Domitian is assassinated The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland. Hurricane Isabel was the costliest and deadliest hurricane in the 2003 Atlantic hurricane season. The game was tied at that point, and was replayed at a later date. Player stats from both games were counted.

Personal life

• Matsui personally donated $500,000 USD towards charity relief for victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. The United States dollar ( sign: $; code: USD) is the unit of Currency of the United States; it has also been The humanitarian response to the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was prompted by one of the worst Natural disasters of modern times The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was an undersea Earthquake that occurred at 005853 UTC on December 26 2004 with an Epicentre off the west coast of ^[3]
• Matsui announced to the press on March 27, 2008 that he had married in a private ceremony in New York. Events 196 BC - Ptolemy V ascends to the throne of Egypt. 1309 - Pope Clement V excommunicates 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common His bride's name has not been announced, but it is reported that she is 25 years old and had been formerly working in a reputable position at a highly respected company. They met in Japan after the 2006 off-season. ^[4]

Career statistics

References

Related links

• Nippon Professional Baseball
• 2003 World Series
• List of Japanese baseball players
• History of baseball outside the United States

External links

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube
• Japanesebaseball.com - Nippon Professional Baseball career statistics
• Japanese league stats and info of Hideki Matsui
• An Inside Look At Hideki Matsui
• Hideki Matsui Baseball Museum (This museum was built by his older brother)
• (Japanese) -Legend of Hideki,Matsui-