Hideki Matsui (松井秀喜, born June 12,1974) is a Major League Baseball player for the New York Yankees. He has been nicknamed "Godzilla", and has generated excitement from fans. His hair style has prompted some of his teammates to jokingly refer to him as "Shemp". Many reporters and photographers have followed him from his home in Tokyo, Japan.
In 2003, his first season in Major League Baseball, Matsui collected 179 hits in 623 at bats, including 42 doubles and a triple, for a .287 batting average.
Before entering Major League Baseball, Matsui was a three-time MVP in the (Japanese) Central League, playing for the Yomiuri Giants, Japan's most famous team.
