View source for Kazuo Matsui

{{short description|Japanese baseball player & coach (born 1975)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2025}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name        = Kazuo Matsui<br/>松井 稼頭央
|image       = Matsuikazuo.jpg
|image_size  = 250px
|caption     = Matsui with the Saitama Seibu Lions in 2018
|team        = 
|number      = 
|position   = [[Infielder]] / [[Outfielder]] / Coach / Manager
|birth_date  = {{Birth date and age|1975|10|23}}
|birth_place = [[Higashiōsaka, Osaka]], [[Japan]]
|bats        = Switch
|throws      = Right
|debutleague = NPB
|debutdate   = April 5
|debutyear   = 1995
|debutteam   = Seibu Lions
|debut2league = MLB
|debut2date   = April 6
|debut2year   = 2004
|debut2team   = New York Mets
|finalleague  = MLB
|finaldate    = May 18
|finalyear    = 2010
|finalteam    = Houston Astros
|final2league  = NPB
|final2date    = October 6
|final2year    = 2018
|final2team    = Saitama Seibu Lions
|statleague = NPB
|stat1label  = [[Batting average (baseball)|Batting average]]
|stat1value  = .291
|stat2label  = [[Hit (baseball)|Hits]]
|stat2value  = 2,090
|stat3label  = [[Home run]]s
|stat3value  = 201
|stat4label  = [[Run batted in|Runs batted in]]
|stat4value  = 837
|stat5label  = [[Stolen base]]s
|stat5value  = 363
|stat2league = MLB
|stat21label  = Batting average
|stat21value  = .267
|stat22label  = Hits
|stat22value  = 615
|stat23label  = Home runs
|stat23value  = 32
|stat24label  = Runs batted in
|stat24value  = 211
|stat25label  = Stolen bases
|stat25value  = 102
|teams       =
'''As player''' 
* [[Saitama Seibu Lions|Seibu Lions]] ({{npby|1994}}–{{npby|2003}})
* [[New York Mets]] ({{mlby|2004}}–{{mlby|2006}})
* [[Colorado Rockies]] ({{mlby|2006}}–{{mlby|2007}})
* [[Houston Astros]] ({{mlby|2008}}–{{mlby|2010}})
* [[Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles]] ({{npby|2011}}–{{npby|2017}})
* [[Saitama Seibu Lions]] ({{npby|2018}})
'''As coach'''
* [[Saitama Seibu Lions]] ({{npby|2018}}–{{npby|2022}})
'''As Manager'''
* [[Saitama Seibu Lions]] ({{npby|2023}}–{{npby|2024}})
|awards      = 
* [[Home run in first Major League at-bat|Homered on the first pitch of his MLB career]]
* [[Home run in first Major League at-bat|Homered in his first at bat for the first three seasons of his MLB career]]
* 4× [[Mitsui Golden Glove Award]] (1997, 1998, 2002, 2003)
* 7× [[Best Nine Award|Best Nine Award at Shortstop]] (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003)
* 3× [[Pacific League]] Stolen Base Champion (1997, 1998, 1999)
* [[Japan Series|Japan Series champion]] [[2013 Japan Series|(2013)]]
|medaltemplates=
{{MedalSport | Men's [[baseball]]}}
{{MedalCountry | {{JPN}}}}
{{MedalCompetition | [[World Baseball Classic]]}}
{{MedalBronze | [[2013 World Baseball Classic|2013 San Francisco]] | [[Japan national baseball team|Team]]}}
}}

{{Nihongo|'''Kazuo Matsui'''|松井 稼頭央|Matsui Kazuo|born October 23, 1975}} is a Japanese former professional baseball player who played as a [[shortstop]] and is a former manager of the [[Saitama Seibu Lions]]. He is a [[switch-hitter]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Jenkins |first=Lee |date=June 26, 2004 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/26/sports/baseball/26matsui.html?ei=5007&en=9c77ece28e41512b&ex=1403582400&adxnnl=1&partner=USERLAND&adxnnlx=1132781702-2rG4HRdFFL308sRhOK0WMg |title=There's No Relation, but Matsuis Can Relate |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=December 22, 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090417134328/http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/26/sports/baseball/26matsui.html?ei=5007&en=9c77ece28e41512b&ex=1403582400&adxnnl=1&partner=USERLAND&adxnnlx=1132781702-2rG4HRdFFL308sRhOK0WMg |archive-date=April 17, 2009 }}</ref>

Matsui signed with the [[New York Mets]] on December 17, 2003, becoming the first Japanese [[infielder]] to sign with a [[Major League Baseball]] team.<ref name=rockiesacquirematsui>{{cite press release|url=http://colorado.rockies.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20060609&content_id=1497193&vkey=pr_col&fext=.jsp&c_id=col |title=The Official Site of The Colorado Rockies: Official Info |publisher=Colorado.rockies.mlb.com |access-date=December 22, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121007222934/http://colorado.rockies.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20060609&content_id=1497193&vkey=pr_col&fext=.jsp&c_id=col |archive-date=October 7, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Early life==
He graduated from the PL Academy Senior High School<ref>{{cite news|access-date=December 22, 2011|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/team/player.jsp?player_id=430565|title=The Official Site of The Houston Astros: Team: Player Information|work=[[MLB.com]]}}</ref> in Osaka, a school nationally renowned for its baseball program. The only appearance Matsui made at the National High School Baseball Championship Tournament was in his second year at PL Academy. Though Matsui was considered to be the PL Academy's [[Ace (baseball)|ace]] [[starting pitcher]], injuries limited him to playing only in the quarter-final game, where he allowed two [[Run (baseball)|runs]] during 2{{fraction|2|3}} innings.

==Professional career==
===Seibu Lions===
Matsui was chosen third overall by the [[Seibu Lions]] of [[Nippon Professional Baseball]]'s [[Pacific League]] in the 1994 Japanese League Draft, where he would wear number 32. In 1996, his third season, he became a regular starter as a [[shortstop]] and finished the season second in [[stolen base]]s (50). Prior to the 1997 season, he would change his number to 7. The 1997 season saw him reach a .300 [[batting average (baseball)|batting average]] for the first time and lead the league in stolen bases (62) to help his team win the Pacific League Title. During the 1997 All-Star Game he set a new All-Star Game record by stealing four bases and was chosen the game MVP. Matsui would lead the Pacific League in stolen bases for two more consecutive seasons.

Prior to joining MLB, Matsui would only play for the Seibu Lions, playing there from 1994 to 2003. He enjoyed success as a seven-time [[Best Nine Award|Best Nine award]] winner (1997–2003). One of his best years was 2002, when he had a .332 batting average with 36 [[home run]]s, 87 [[Run batted in|RBI]], 193 [[Hit (baseball)|hits]], 119 [[Run (baseball)|runs]], 46 [[Double (baseball)|doubles]], 6 [[Triple (baseball)|triples]] and 33 stolen bases. He received four [[Mitsui Golden Glove Award|Gold Glove]] awards while in Japan (equivalent of [[Rawlings Gold Glove Award]] in MLB) during the 1997, 1998, 2002 and 2003 seasons.  He also won a [[Nippon Professional Baseball]] [[Most valuable player|MVP]] award in Japan during the 1998 season. Although Matsui experienced winning the Pacific League Title a total of four times (1994, 1997, 1998, 2002), his team never won the Japanese Series.

===New York Mets===
With the Mets, Matsui hit home runs in his first [[plate appearance]] in each of the 2004, 2005, and 2006 seasons. According to the [[Elias Sports Bureau]], he is the only Major League player to hit a home run in his first plate appearance of his first three seasons. The only other player to hit a home run in even his first [[at-bat]] of three consecutive seasons was [[Ken Griffey Jr.]] In 2004, Matsui homered on the first pitch from [[Russ Ortiz]] of the [[Atlanta Braves]] leading off the first inning, in 2005, on the sixth pitch from [[Paul Wilson (baseball)|Paul Wilson]] of the [[Cincinnati Reds]] with one out in the first inning, and in 2006, on the fourth pitch from [[Jake Peavy]] of the [[San Diego Padres]] with no outs in the top of the third. The third home run is notable for being an [[inside-the-park home run]]. He slid into home as his former Met teammate [[Mike Piazza]] was blocking the plate.

Matsui played 114 games in 2004 and hit .272 with 125 hits, 32 doubles, 2 triples, 7 home runs, 44 RBI, 65 runs, 14 stolen bases, 5 [[sacrifice hit]]s, 40 [[Base on balls|walks]] and 182 [[total bases]]. His hits, doubles, walks, and total bases ended up being career highs.

Based on his performance in Japan, Matsui was expected to excel defensively as a shortstop with the Mets. However, in 2004, Matsui committed many [[Error (baseball)|errors]] and misjudgments at the position, and was made the second baseman for 2005. He was also plagued by injuries, which were not a problem for him in Japan. His offensive production was also much lower than anticipated. By mid-2005, he was no longer an everyday player, sharing time at second base with [[Miguel Cairo]] and [[Marlon Anderson]]. Matsui finished the season batting .255 with three home runs and 24 RBI.

Matsui began the 2006 season by hitting .200 (26-for-130) with 10 runs, six doubles, one home run and seven RBI. The one home run came on an inside-the-park home run against the San Diego Padres on April 20, 2006. Matsui became the first player since 1975 to hit an inside-the-park home run as his first home run of the season.<ref name=rockiesacquirematsui/>

===Colorado Rockies===
On June 9, 2006, Matsui was traded to the [[Colorado Rockies]] for [[Eli Marrero]]. Colorado asked Matsui to waive certain clauses in his contract to which he agreed. Once complete, Matsui was sent down to play with the Rockies' [[AAA (baseball)|Triple-A]] affiliate, the [[Colorado Springs Sky Sox]] for about two and a half months. Matsui made his Rockies debut against the [[Milwaukee Brewers]] on August 23, 2006, starting at shortstop in place of [[Clint Barmes]]. Matsui would soon shift to second base. Through 2006 he improved from .200/.235/.269 (AVG/OBP/SLG) in his 130 at bats as a Met, to hitting .345/.392/.504 in 113 at bats as a member of the Rockies.

His stint in New York was punctuated with pronounced booing from Mets fans in response to his failure to validate high expectations gleaned from his (positionally) prodigious Japanese numbers.

Matsui re-signed with the Colorado Rockies for a one-year, $1.5M contract for 2007 and changed his number to 7, a number he wore in Japan.

[[File:kazmatsui.jpg|thumb|left|280px|Kazuo Matsui batting for the [[Colorado Rockies]] against the [[Cincinnati Reds]] in 2007]]

Matsui's performance improved during the 2007 season with the Rockies, as he hit .288, which was higher than his career average. He had career highs in runs (84), triples (6), stolen bases (32) and sacrifice hits (8) in 2007. Matsui was also first in the majors in scoring percentage (47%) when reaching base.<ref>[https://www.espn.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=stark_jayson&id=3099910 ESPN – Drawn-out postseason schedule requires shortening – MLB]. Sports.espn.go.com (November 8, 2007). Retrieved on 2011-12-22.</ref>

Matsui and the Rockies advanced all the way to contention for the 2007 [[National League (baseball)|National League]] [[Wild card (sports)|wild card spot]], where they tied in wins (89) with the [[2007 San Diego Padres season|San Diego Padres]]. Matsui batted leadoff in [[one-game playoff|the one-game regular season playoff matchup]] for the Rockies, leading the bottom of the inning off with a double that eventually saw him score the first run of a back-and-forth game that saw him drive in a run on a sacrifice fly. He went 2-for-6, with his last hit being in the 13th inning on a leadoff double off [[Trevor Hoffman]] as the Rockies trailed 8-6. Matsui scored on a subsequent double by [[Troy Tulowitzki]] before the Rockies won the game three batters later; the victory clinched the second playoff appearance in Rockies history.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/COL/COL200710010.shtml|title=San Diego Padres vs Colorado Rockies Box Score: October 1, 2007|website=Baseball Reference}}</ref> 

Matsui hit his first career [[Grand slam (baseball)|grand slam]] during the second game of the [[National League Division Series|NLDS]] against the [[Philadelphia Phillies]]. It came with the Rockies down 3–2 with two outs in the top of the 4th inning. The grand slam gave the Rockies a lead in which they would never relinquish. Colorado won the game, 10–5. Matsui became only the third player in MLB history to have his first career grand slam occur in the postseason rather than the regular season. He also became the first Japanese player to hit a grand slam in the postseason. Along with the grand slam, Matsui hit a triple and a double during game two of the NLDS, falling a single short of becoming the only player in history to [[hitting for the cycle|hit a cycle]] during the postseason. However, Matsui did become only the second player ever ([[Lou Brock]] in game four of the [[1968 World Series]] was the first) to hit a double, triple and home run in a postseason game. In the [[2007 World Series]], he batted 5-for-17 with a stolen base while batting .294 as the Rockies were swept in four games. This would be the only MLB playoff appearance for Matsui.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/gl.fcgi?id=matsuka01&t=b&year=0&post=1|title=Kazuo Matsui Postseason Batting|website=Baseball Reference}}</ref>

===Houston Astros===
[[File:Kazuo Matsui on April 11, 2010.jpg|thumb|Matsui with the Astros in 2010]]
On December 1, 2007, Matsui signed a three-year, $16.5-million deal with the Houston Astros.

Prior to [[Opening Day]], Matsui underwent [[surgery]] to repair an [[anal fissure]]. He missed the first {{frac|2|1|2}} weeks of the season. Matsui made his 2008 debut for the Astros on April 18. He posted a .293 batting average and a .354 on-base percentage with 20 stolen bases on the season.

Matsui still had injury problems but managed to keep the 2nd baseman starting position.
Matsui joined the exclusive list of baseball players with 2,000 hits or more lifetime.<ref>Brian McTaggart [http://houston.astros.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090815&content_id=6440892&vkey=news_hou&fext=.jsp&c_id=hou Matsui notches 2,000th career hit] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090822231017/http://houston.astros.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090815&content_id=6440892&vkey=news_hou&fext=.jsp&c_id=hou |date=August 22, 2009 }}. Houston.astros.mlb.com (August 15, 2009). Retrieved on 2011-12-22.</ref> He has hit safely over 2,000 times in his Japanese career and in the MLB combined.

In 2009, he led all major league starting second basemen in [[range factor]], at 5.33.<ref>[https://www.espn.com/mlb/stats/fielding/_/position/2b/sort/rangeFactor "MLB Player Fielding Stats – As 2b – 2009", ''ESPN'', accessed October 6, 2009]. Espn.go.com (January 2, 2011). Retrieved on 2011-12-22.</ref>

Matsui was released by the Houston Astros on May 19, 2010.<ref>{{cite news|work=MLB.com |url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100520&content_id=10228092&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb |author=Brian McTaggart |date=May 20, 2010 |title=Astros decide to part ways with Matsui |access-date=December 22, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104123034/http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100520&content_id=10228092&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb |url-status=live |archive-date=November 4, 2012 }}</ref> In 71 [[at bats]], Matsui managed only a .141 [[batting average (baseball)|batting average]] with 1 [[runs batted in|RBI]] and 1 [[stolen base]].

===Colorado Rockies===
Following his release he signed a minor league deal with the [[Colorado Rockies]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100525&content_id=10432326&vkey=news_col&fext=.jsp&c_id=col&partnerId=rss_col |title=Matsui returns to Rockies' fold |work=ColoradoRockies.com: News/MLB.com |access-date=December 22, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105200034/http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100525&content_id=10432326&vkey=news_col&fext=.jsp&c_id=col&partnerId=rss_col |url-status=live |archive-date=November 5, 2012 }}</ref> He remained in the Rockies' minor league system for the remainder of the season.

===Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles===
[[File:MatsuiKazuo2013.jpg|thumb|Matsui with the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles in 2013]]
After the 2010 season, Matsui signed with the [[Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles]] of [[Nippon Professional Baseball]] (NPB).<ref>{{cite news|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20101125&content_id=16213140&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb |title=K. Matsui returns to Japan with Rakuten Eagles |author=Dan Mennella |work=[[MLB.com]] |access-date=December 22, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105200017/http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20101125&content_id=16213140&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb |archive-date=November 5, 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> 

Matsui would win the 2013 Japan Series with the Eagles organization.

===Saitama Seibu Lions===
On November 17, 2017, Matsui signed with the [[Saitama Seibu Lions]] of [[Nippon Professional Baseball]] (NPB).<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.seibulions.jp/news/detail/00001142.html | title=松井稼頭央選手兼テクニカルコーチが入団会見！2003年以来のライオンズ復帰！ | language=ja | work=埼玉西武ライオンズ | date=November 17, 2017 | access-date=October 26, 2018 }}</ref>

On September 27, 2018, he announced his retirement at completion of the season.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.seibulions.jp/news/detail/00002085.html | title=松井稼頭央選手が引退表明 | work=埼玉西武ライオンズ | language=ja | date=September 27, 2018 | access-date=October 26, 2018 }}</ref>

==Coaching career==
On October 13, 2022, Matsui was hired as the manager of the [[Saitama Seibu Lions]], filling the role that was left vacant after [[Hatsuhiko Tsuji]] stepped down from the position.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Baseball: Ex-major leaguer K. Matsui named as Seibu manager|url=https://www.nippon.com/en/news/kd953248991288770560/|access-date=June 28, 2023|website=nippon.com|language=en|archive-date=June 29, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230629071027/https://www.nippon.com/en/news/kd953248991288770560/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==International career==
He was selected to the [[Japan national baseball team]] at the [[2003 Asian Baseball Championship]] and [[2013 World Baseball Classic]].

==See also==
{{Portal|Baseball}}
*[[List of Major League Baseball players with a home run in their first major league at bat|Home run in first Major League at-bat]]

==References==
{{Reflist|40em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Kazuo Matsui}}
{{Baseballstats|mlb=430565|espn=5876|br=m/matsuka01|fangraphs=1854|brm=matsui001kaz}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20081204044918/http://www.japaneseballplayers.com/en/player.php?id=kmatsui Japanese league stats and info of Kazuo Matsui]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20090821135906/http://www.meikyukai.co.jp/member/batter/kazuo_matsui.html THE GOLDEN PLAYERS CLUB] (Japanese)
*[http://bis.npb.or.jp/eng/players/81983889.html NPB.com] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141007070204/http://bis.npb.or.jp/eng/players/81983889.html |date=October 7, 2014 }}

{{Pacific League MVPs}}
{{Japan roster 2013 World Baseball Classic}}
{{Saitama Seibu Lions managers}}
{{2013 Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Matsui, Kazuo}}
[[Category:1975 births]]
[[Category:Binghamton Mets players]]
[[Category:Brooklyn Cyclones players]]
[[Category:Colorado Rockies players]]
[[Category:Colorado Springs Sky Sox players]]
[[Category:Corpus Christi Hooks players]]
[[Category:Houston Astros players]]
[[Category:Japanese expatriate baseball players in the United States]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball second basemen]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball shortstops]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball players from Japan]]
[[Category:New York Mets players]]
[[Category:Nippon Professional Baseball outfielders]]
[[Category:Nippon Professional Baseball second basemen]]
[[Category:Nippon Professional Baseball shortstops]]
[[Category:Nippon Professional Baseball MVP Award winners]]
[[Category:Norfolk Tides players]]
[[Category:People from Higashiōsaka]]
[[Category:Round Rock Express players]]
[[Category:Saitama Seibu Lions players]]
[[Category:Seibu Lions managers]]
[[Category:Seibu Lions players]]
[[Category:Baseball people from Osaka Prefecture]]
[[Category:St. Lucie Mets players]]
[[Category:Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles players]]
[[Category:21st-century Japanese sportsmen]]
[[Category:2013 World Baseball Classic players]]
[[Category:World Baseball Classic players of Japan]]