New York Mets: Kazuo Matsui Returns to Seibu Lions as Player/Coach
By David Hill
Former New York Mets infielder Kazuo Matsui is still playing baseball. Now 42 years old, he is rejoining his first Japanese team, the Seibu Lions, as a player/coach.
Kazuo Matsui was expected to be a star for the New York Mets when he came over from Japan. He was a star in Nippon Professional Baseball, a stellar hitter for the Seibu Lions. He had a 30-30 season in 2002, and when the Mets inked him to a contract, they had hoped he would be a part of their core for years to come.
While Matsui had his moments, including hitting a home run in his first at bat in his three seasons in New York, he never fulfilled that potential. During his seven years in the majors, Matsui had an underwhelming .267/.321/.380 batting line, hitting 32 homers and stealing 102 bases. The speed was there, but not much else.
After 2010, Matsui returned to Japan, where he spent the last seven seasons with the Ratuken Golden Eagles. He had solid production for his first four years, tailing off as he reached his 40s. At 42 years old, and after a 2017 campaign where he produced a .211/.277/.342 batting line, Ratuken declined to bring him back. As a result, Matsui is heading back to where his baseball odyssey began, signing a contract with the Seibu Lions.
More from Call to the Pen
- Philadelphia Phillies, ready for a stretch run, bomb St. Louis Cardinals
- Philadelphia Phillies: The 4 players on the franchise’s Mount Rushmore
- Boston Red Sox fans should be upset over Mookie Betts’ comment
- Analyzing the Boston Red Sox trade for Dave Henderson and Spike Owen
- 2023 MLB postseason likely to have a strange look without Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals
Although Matsui is signing as an outfielder, that will not be his only role on the Lions. He will also have a spot on the coaching staff, helping to mentor the younger players on the roster. Matsui could, in theory, help guide those players interested in heading to the United States, having gone through that experience himself.
Chances are, this is the last contract that Matsui will have as a player. If so, it will be a fitting end to a stellar career in Japan. Thus far, he has a .291/.344/.451 batting line overseas, with 201 homers and 362 steals. Matsui was also a four time Gold Glove winner in Japan, and the 1998 Pacific League MVP.
Former New York Mets infielder Kasuo Matsui is back where it all began. With the Seibu Lions, he can help mentor that next wave of talent in Nippon Professional Baseball.