Shinjo retires

Shinjo just hit 2 homers in game too.

Shinjo is the greatest baseball player ever.
Just ask him.

This is very Shinjo, good or bad.

Yes, it is "very Shinjo."

While with the Tigers, Shinjo also said that he was going to quit at least one time. I think it was while his mother was in an arguement with then-manager Fujita. But the front office made it clear to Fujita-kantoku that Shinjo was more important than him, and Shinjo later had a change of heart.

He probably figures he can make more from modeling than baseball.

I do credit Shinjo with helping to bring popularity to and help maintain a baseball team in Sapporo. Hopefully from next year fans will learn to appreciate baseball players and not just prima donnas.

They don't already?

What I meant was that hopefully Sapporo will keep a strong fan base for the Figthers after their most colorful character is gone. Colorful characters are a necessary part of any sport, but Shinjo had overdone it a bit over the last couple years. It's a good thing that he brings out a lot of people who never had much interest in baseball, so I hope the fans continue to support the Fighters, a team which was - for obvious reasons - pretty much ignored in Tokyo.

Although he still hits some dramatic home runs, Shinjo had turned into the Takamisakari of baseball. Lots of people go out to see Takamisakari act like a clown, but at the end of the day, that's not necessarily a good thing for sumo.

Though, I suspect that the Fighters will keep Shinjo in some kind of baseball role after he retires. He's just that popular and brings many fans to the stadium.

Shinjo led the Sapporo fans to getting to know the Fighters, bringing them to be Fighters fans. And Shinjo brought the Fighters to the first year Pacific League play-off and let them know Fighters are a strong team!

I just hope Sapporo maintains a strong fan base after Shinjo is gone. Japanese baseball is in a healthy condition now, with franchises in Hokkaido and Sendai. Hopefully this will continue.

Actually what's needed is a close Giants/Tigers contest this year. Crowds in Sendai are really down this year and Rakuten will make a loss. They don't really have any way of turning this around with Nomura in charge either.

Nippon Ham will also suffer with the loss of Shinjo - their only star attraction, but this will not kick in until next year.

- Actually what's needed is a close Giants/Tigers contest this year.

I'm not quite sure what you mean by that, considering that neither the Eagles or the Fighters have anything to do with that rivalry.

I've always liked Shinjo. He's a consummate showman, a star player in his own way, and a true crowd favorite (and a Kyushu native, to boot). Part of his legacy will be that he helped solidify pro baseball in Hokkaido.

The health of this rivalry is what makes Japanese baseball. If this is strong other clubs will benefit.

Perhaps someday the Eagles-Fighters rivalry up north will be as competitive. It would certainly help the respective teams' popularity.

I just wish the NPB wasn't so CL-centric sometimes.

I think Shinjo's a complete nutcase, but as a Fighters fan I can appreciate what he did for the team both on and off the field in the last few years; I was somewhat saddened to hear this news.

Here's the latest [Mainichi Daily News - in English] on Shinjo's post-retirement plans - nude modeling.

That article quotes "Shukan Gendai" as its primary source. While that sounds like a plausible future for Shinjo, Gendai doesn't rank very high on my reliability meter. Not for anything baseball related anyway. Judging from advertisement on trains, though, they do know their nude geinojin (celebrities).

Shinjo already does advertisements for underware. He's got life-size photos wearing Body Wild underware in many department stores. I saw one at the local Daiei a few month back, and a girl stopped, took out her phone, then took a picture of herself next to Shinjo real quick before moving on. As insane as that article may sound, reality can often be stranger than fiction.

- ... reality can often be stranger than fiction.

And it's exactly the sort of thing Shinjo would be into, too. I was thinking he might do a cameo in one of those trendy dramas. My wife reckons he should open a host bar.

He's certainly not going to be short of work.

The article is quite plausible. Shinjo is an extreme narcissist so it would be within the the bounds of believability. However, nude photo books tend to be of females. The nearest male example I have seen was one of Yon-sama who, however, stayed within the bounds of decency. I would say don't hold your breath.

- However, nude photo books tend to be of females

Ah yes, true, but how many male subjects appeal to both sexes the way Shinjo does?

If there's a market for it (and that seems likely) then that's all a publisher needs to know to give the project the green light. There's no doubt Shinjo is willing.

- There's no doubt Shinjo is willing.

That I would question - in Japanese society posing nude, as opposed to beefcake, would be a big step. In fact, I think he would be a pioneer in this "field."

Of course he'd do it. Shinjo loves to be a pioneer. He loves to shock. To be different. It's right down his alley.