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Revision as of 18:51, 14 February 2004 by Muke (talk | contribs) (fmt)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Hideki Matsui (松井秀喜, born June 12,1974) is a Major League Baseball player for the New York Yankees. He has been nicknamed "Godzilla", and has generated excitement from fans. His hair style has prompted some of his teammates to jokingly refer to him as "Shemp," although he is reported to prefer the nickname, "Sweetheart" in the locker room. Many reporters and photographers have followed him from his home in Tokyo, Japan.
In 2003, his first season in Major League Baseball, Matsui collected 179 hits in 623 at bats, including 42 doubles and a triple, for a .287 batting average. In 2004, he will be focusing on perfecting teammate Derek Jeter's patented reach around move. He is projected to be instructing all Yankee rookies in this New York fundamental in the year 2005.
Before entering Major League Baseball, Matsui was a three-time MVP in the (Japanese) Central League, playing for the Yomiuri Giants, Japan's most famous team.