Tsuyoshi Shinjo, who played two seasons with the Mets in the early 2000s, has begun the next chapter of his baseball career, having been named manager of the Nippon-Ham Fighters of the Pacific League.
And Shinjo began that chapter with a bang.
Sporting a red plaid suit with a popped white collar underneath, Sinjo told reporters at his introductory press conference that he wanted to be addressed as “Big Boss,” perhaps a step up from the late George Steinbrenner’s label.
It wouldn’t be his first nickname, as Shinjo was also called “The Prince” and “Spaceman” during his playing days in Japan. The latter nickname was a fitting one given his memorable entrance to a Fighters game at Sapporo Dome back in 2006, when he was lowered onto the field from the roof of the stadium ceiling.
That was his last season of professional baseball, and 14 years later, at 48 years old, he attended a Nippon Professional Baseball tryout, and opened eyes when video surfaced of Shinjo lining an RBI single during that tryout. Instead, he will be leading the team he represented for three seasons, and will certainly bring plenty of flair to the gig.
As for whether Shinjo brings wins remains to be seen. The Fighters have finished in fifth place of the six-team league in each of the past three seasons.
Mets fans will remember Shinjo as the first Japanese-born position player to play in the National League when he arrived in New York in 2001. He spent the 2002 season with the Giants, where he appeared in a World Series, before returning to the Mets in 2003. In 303 career games, Shinjo batted .245 with 20 home runs and a .668 OPS, though his defense in the outfield was always must-see TV.
When he returned to Japan to play with the Fighters, he helped the team win a title in his final season and was carried off the field, right to his next phase of his life as an underwear model. His role as a manager is just the latest in an eventful and entertaining life.
Follow Ryan Chichester on Twitter: @ryanchichester1
Follow WFAN on Social Media
Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Twitch