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Quotes from Shinjo himself: |
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"I feel really good to be back becuase this is the first place I came when I started playing major leage baseball. I was really shocked when I got traded from the Mets because I loved the Mets, so I'm really glad to be back." |
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"I believe every player wants to play [regularly], but I will do my best when I'm playing. It's a matter of what the manager will decide. I have to obey him and do my job. If the manager says I am a reserve player, then I sit on the bench and wait for my turn. bu no one knows what will happen when the regular season starts." |
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Regarding being a bench player on the Mets for 2003 "I think the way to use me for the manager is a little different. Once he uses me or Timo he has no outfielders left. I understand he needs people on the bench to come in if something happens. I haven't really been in this situation before. But through the experience I have, I've seen how bench players are used. It's kind of hard to say if this will affect my timing [at the palte]. I think if I'd get the chance to start, I'd get my timing back to where it was pretty quickly." |
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"The first thing I saw was the figure 2000. There were many zeroes after the figure 2. I thought, 'Oh my God, I get $200 million.' I was surprised how generous a US major league team was. 'Teriffic!' I shouted in my heart. But then, wait a minute. I re-checked the figure and realized it was $200,000, which is about 20 million yen. What in the hell was this?! I could have got more in Japan." |
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"I believe I was born under a lucky star. As a child, I was in eight traffic accidents, almost every year from first grade through to sixth grade. I was responsible in most of the cases because I often walked without looking where I was going." |
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"While I was in junior high, I dreamed of working as a construction worker and living in my own apartment. I wasn't a successful student. I was late for school almost every day. I used to kill time at a park because I didn't want to go to classes." |
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"I spent all the money I got for the first time after turning pro within two days. Most of it went on clothes. But I didn't care about money at all. I don't want to dress like others. I never want to wear what others wear, in terms of colors and designs." |
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"Frankly speaking, the number of girls I've gone out with is very few. I had my first girlfriend when I was a first grader at junior high school. I saw her once every week or every 10 days, and just walked along with her on our way to school. When I was a second grader at high school, I started going out with a girl who was a year younger than me. I was always dumped in the end." |
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" I am the one who, instead of admiring someone else, wants to be adored by others. I don't like being compared with other people, and I don't want to do what others do. I would prefer to take the initiative, start something new and have others follow suit." |
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"My starting point is my memory of playing baseball when I was a child. It was a tremendous joy to play baseball at that time. I devoted myself to playing it even after sunset and I could hardly see the ball. I went to bed and thought, 'I can hardly wait for tomorrow.' I just wanted to play baseball so badly." |
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"I never joined the major leagues for money. Some may question why then? All I can say is I did it to fulfill my dream. I wanted to experience once again the tremendous joy of playing just like I felt when I was a child. And nothing is more gratifying to me than getting the fans to feel what I felt as a kid." |
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About his first major league game- he hit a homerun during his first Mets at bat. "All I thought was to appeal myself. I was pretty relaxed in the box. That led to that homerun. It was fast going around the bases." |
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"I would like to challenge to the 'dream'." -press conference after joinging the Mets 2001. |
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"Since I am confident with my defensive skills, I would like people to know that, 'Shinjo tries his best even when he's got no chance to make the play.' Baseball is not about hitting only, defense is as important as anything else. This attitude allows me to concentrate and make good plays." |
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