Hideki Matsui retires

Hideki Matsui announced his retirement from playing baseball in December 2012. The outfielder started his baseball career in Japan and played nine seasons with the Yomiuri Giants. From 1994 to 2002 with the Giants he hit .304/.413/.582 with 332 HR, 889 RBI, 901 R, 46 SB in 1268 games. 2002 was his best season as he hit .334/.461/.692 with 50 HR, 107 RBI, 112 R, 3 SB in 140 games. He then had a 10 season MLB career starting at age 29 playing with the Yankees, Angels, Athletics and Rays. For his MLB career he hit .282/.360/.462 with 175 HR, 760 RBI, 656 R, 13 SB in 1236 games. His best two seasons were with the Yankees when in 2004 he hit .298/.390/.522 with 31 HR, 108 RBI, 109 R, 3 SB in 162 games and 2005 when he hit .305/.367/.496 with 23 HR, 116 RBI, 108 R, 2 SB in 162 games. While playing at Yomiuri he won three Japan Series Championships in 1994, 2000 and 2002 winning Series MVP in 2000, was a nine time All-Star winning the All Star game MVP three times in 1995, 1998 and 1999 and was MVP three times in 1996, 2000 and 2002. In the MLB he was on the Yankees World Series Championship team in 2009 as he was also World Series MVP. He was twice an MLB All Star in 2003 and 2004.