Major League veteran Hideki Matsui of Japan announced on Dec. 28 that he was hanging up his glove after 20 years of professional baseball. The 38-year-old has suffered through several injuries over the past few years and decided it was time to say goodbye. He leaves the game as one of the best
Japanese-born players ever and takes home an MVP award from the 2009 World Series when he was a member of the New York Yankees. The slugger was affectionately known as Godzilla in his homeland for the way he attacked the ball at the plate.
However, Matsui’s skills were slowly starting to fade over the past couple of seasons and he no longer struck fear into opposing pitchers. Matsui was already a 10-year veteran of Japanese baseball when he moved across the Pacific Ocean to New York back in 2003. He left the Yomiuri Giants behind and signed a $21 million three-year contract with the Yankees. Matsui enjoyed seven seasons with the Yankees, helping them to the World Series title in 2009 with six RBIs in the sixth and deciding game against the Philadelphia Phillies. He was named an all star on two occasions with New York and his debut at Yankee Stadium in 2003 will never be forgotten as he blasted a grand slam.
Matsui went 8 for 13 in the 2009 World Series and belted three home runs. Those numbers were good enough to see him become the first player born in Japan to be honored with a World Series MVP award.
Major League veteran Hideki Matsui of Japan announced on Dec. 28 that he was hanging up his glove after 20 years of professional baseball. The 38-year-old has suffered through several injuries over the past few years and decided it was time to say goodbye. He leaves the game as one of the best 
