SHINJO's numbers for 2004

Although Shinjo spent three seasons playing at a higher level, I doubt his production will be even close to what he showed during his final year with Hanshin. While Shinjo was in Japan, he actually concentrated on baseball. After crossing the Pacific, it seemed like he was enjoying his fame more than the reason he was in USA in the first place -- to play ball.

I can go so far to say that the Fighers aren't expecting anything spectacular of him, either. They likely signed him to increase their fan support in their new home city of Sapporo. Shinjo will generate more revenue for Nippon Ham than even super-star Ogasawara, and that is the likely reason Shinjo was signed by the Fighters.

Why are you interested in Shinjo, Muka? He's a little "flamboyant," if you know what I mean.

Haha, I know what you mean, but hey I am from S.F (city of "flamboyant"), and when he was with the Giants I saw him play a lot. This guy is amazing on defense, so it is hard not to be a fan (even though his hitting sucked big time as a Giant). I think it would be interesting to see how all these returnees do (Sasaki, Shinjo, Komiyama) after seeing some actions in the big leagues.

Also, I can't wait to see Korean slugger Lee. I wonder if they will allow him to break the record if he gets close.

Yeah, I really wanna see what Chiba will do this year. Chiba is my hood, so I'd be happy to see them do well under Valentine.

The Pacific League this year is very different, especialy Seibu, Orix, Nippon Ham, and Chiba. But Daiei and Kintetsu are still hot. So we can't know who will win this year. For Shinjo, maybe he will make some difference for his team.

Ok are you guys saying that Shinjo-san is "happy." Don't think so, but he is peculiar, even by American standards. Isn't he married to a Japanese news-caster or model (who didn't go with him to the U.S.)?

He actually hit very well in AAA when he was sent down. I read somewhere that opposing pitchers discovered his sucker pitch, he swung at them and his average fell. Sorry, I don't remember the pitch. I think he also mistakenly thought he could be a home run hitter. His defense was always very good.

>I don't think he learned anything new in the U.S. except how to lose more inhibitions. His baseball should be the same as before he left. Sasaki will be great, but I'm afraid Komi is out of gas.

The Korean fellow should speak to Cabrera and Tuffy about the record. Yogi Berra once got angry because he was intentionally walked often one season. One day the pitcher got a bit careless with his intentional walk, so Yogi stepped across the batters box and smacked one over the wall. Maybe other frustrated sluggers in NPB might try the same. Let's see how he handles NPB pitching before one muses on the elusive home run record, however.

Shinjo will take his lead to the Fighters. He will not let down his team.

The Fighters will have a lot of improvment after Shinjo enters the team.

Shinjo did leave Japan for three years. But in his life in MLB, he's hitting better than the others. I trust Shinjo will hit better than Ogasawara next season, and become the best hitter for the Fighters.

I saw a Fighters game at Tokyo Dome last year when they played the Buffalos. There were more Buffalo fans than Fighter fans, and the Dome was pretty empty (I was able to get a seat 5 rows from the field just left of home plate). I felt sort of bad for the Fighters. I hope they do well with a new home and new home town fans. Shinjo-san will certainly help.

tahzen wrote:

- I trust Shinjo will hit better than Ogasawara next season, and become the best hitter for the Fighters.

Since Shinjo is now 32, it seems unlikely he will establish new career highs, especially beating them by significant margins. That means his highs are: .278 avg, .335 OBP, and .491 slg with 28 HR. Ogasawara has beaten all of those marks since 2000, and beat all of them but HR in 1999, and all but HR and slg in 1998. If Ogasawara averages what he has done in the past 5 seasons (all of his seasons as a regular), he comfortably beats all of Shinjo's career highs but HR, and wins that 30 to 28. Using Ogasawara's career average, OBP, and slg, which are lower marks than his past five years, he hits for a .325 average, a .405 OBP, and .561 slg. I think Shinjo has value, especially with his defense, but to suggest that without an injury to Ogasawara that he will outperform Ogasawara as a hitter is, to put it bluntly, ludicrous IMHO.

Jim Albright

Shinjo is a career .249 hitter, with a .307 OBP in Japan. Other than his defence, he was no good in the majors. I'm sorry, but he may out-hit Takashi Ogasawara, but certainly not Michihiro, who is a career .325 hitter with a .405 OBP. Barring injury, I'd bet my life on Ogasawara out-hitting Shinjo. I expect something in the vicinity of .240 with 16 HR from Shinjo. Thats my guess.

But for his defence, I think he can be the greatest in Pacific League. I also don't think that Shinjo will hit so well this year, but maybe an average of .278 and 20 home runs.

And for my guess, Chiba will get 1st, Daiei 2nd, Fighters 3rd, Seibu 4th, Orix 5th, and Osaka 6th in Pacific League this year.