Tsuyoshi Shinjo

Tsuyoshi Shinjo (2002)

Outfielder

Born: January 28, 1972 (age 45)
Tsushima, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan

Batted: Right

Threw: Right

Professional debut

NPB: September 10, 1991, for the Hanshin Tigers

MLB: April 3, 2001, for the New York Mets

Last appearance

MLB: June 27, 2003, for the New York Mets

NPB: October 26, 2006, for the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters

NPB statistics

Batting average

.254

Home runs

205

Runs batted in

716

MLB statistics

Batting average

.245

Home runs

Runs batted in

100

Teams

Hanshin Tigers (1991–2000)
New York Mets (2001)
San Francisco Giants (2002)
New York Mets (2003)
Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters (2004–2006)

Career highlights and awards

NPB

7× All-Star (1994, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2004–2006)
3× Best Nine Award (1993, 2000, 2004)
10× Golden Glove Award (1993, 1994, 1996–2000, 2004–2006)

MLB

Topps All-Star Rookie Outfielder (2001)
Baseball Digest All-Star Rookie Outfielder (2001)
First Japanese-born player to appear in the World Series (2002)

NPB

MLB

Tsuyoshi Shinjo (新庄剛志, Shinjō Tsuyoshi^?, born January 28, 1972) is a former Japanese professional baseball outfielder. Shinjo is the second Japanese-born position player to play a Major League Baseball game and was the first Japanese-born player to appear in the World Series.

Born in Tsushima, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan and raised in Minami-ku, Fukuoka, he played for the Hanshin Tigers in Japan from 1990 until 2000, then for Major League Baseball's New York Mets and San Francisco Giants. In 2002, he became the first Japan-born player to play in the World Series, where he went 1 for 6 with three strikeouts. He ended his three-year stint in American baseball by being demoted to AAA after hitting .193 for the first half of the 2003 season. He returned to Japan and played for the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters from 2004 until 2006. He is known for his flamboyance, colorful wristbands, dyed hair, and a unique hop as he catches the ball. His uniqueness has endeared him to baseball fans and has made him one of the most popular players in the Japanese leagues despite not being in the echelon of elite active players. In fact, his popularity was what kept him off the bench during his stint with the Tigers when manager Katsuya Nomura tried to turn him into a pitcher on the rotation rather than risk his team with his mediocre play.

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Wikipedia