Former Oakland Athletics left fielder Hideki Matsui retires from baseball – MLB Update
Former Oakland Athletics left fielder Hideki Matsui has decided to leave the game after spending some nine years in the biggest baseball league in the world. Sources say that he told reporters that he now feels not enough capable to play at his best game
in the Major League Baseball.
Not only for Oakland Athletics, but during his career, he also played for the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Angels and Tampa Bay Rays.
“He did all these things with a humility that was distinctly his own, which is why he was such a big part of our success and why he will always be a cherished member of the Yankees family,” Hal Steinbrenner, the Yankees’ general partner, said in a statement
and explained about Japanese sensation who dominated many years with his tremendous performances.
“I wanted to contribute to a team win rather than worry about my numbers,” said Matsui, who hit 507 home runs in Japan and the majors combined and played in 1,768 straight games – including his first 518 as a Yankee – before fracturing his wrist in May 2006.
Steinbrenner also remarked at how Matsui “elevated his play when needed the most.”
He last played for the Tampa Bay Rays and showed his true class. He achieved consistent numbers and never let his team down. He performed with high spirit and went with .147 hitting average along with two homers, seven RBIs and .214 OBP. His overall career
stats are also consistent at .282 along with 175 home runs, 760 RBIs and .360 OBP.
Experts always rated him among the best left fielders in the league as he also proved his valour his entire career. During his illustrious career, he was selected two-time Major League Baseball All Star and was honoured World Series Most Valuable Player
(MVP).
He started his career in 1993 from a Japanese club Yomiuri Giants and later joined the New York Yankees. Though in his early years with the Yankees he did not perform well but over the next three years, New York side groomed him and he started performing
with big success.
Tags: