The Original Japanese Scapegoat

shinjo
Originally uploaded by dangunderman.

Because Mets fans so enjoy dropping boo bombs onto the head of second baseman Kaz Matsui, it's easy to forget the Amazin's first foray into Japanese baseball players.

Tsuyoshi Shinjo was never quite the recipient of fan animosity that Kaz has become, but Shinjo's flailing at curve balls was a spectacular sight at Shea. It makes you wonder if there's no honor in a curve ball in Japan, and he therefore had never seen one before.

Like Kaz, Shinjo looked like a club kid, with spiky colored hair and chiseled good looks. And like Kaz, he had these moments of brilliance that made you think his failings were temporary, even though he consistently reminded you that they weren't.

Anyway, after a couple of seasons playing in America, Shinjo returned to Japan, and I hadn't thought about him since.

Until I perused Deadspin, and found this little ditty.

What amazes me more than anything is that the story they report is strange enough that they don't even mention that Shinjo's wearing a Darth Vader costume at his retirement ceremony.

To that, I say, "Yahtzee!"