There was a news item saying the New York Yankees were considering signing Hideki Matsui to a one-day contract so he can officially retire as a major leaguer with that club. The Jan. 10 Kyodo report quoted Yankees team co-owner Hal Steinbrenner as saying the team might also invite Matsui "to throw out the first pitch at a game as a token of appreciation for his seven years of service with the Yankees."

There was no indication in the article of when either the contract signing or first-pitch throwing might take place, but the idea is a reminder of how different Matsui's major league "sayonara" might be as compared to the way most Japanese players bow out after lengthy careers at home.

Hideo Nomo never had an "intai jiai" (retirement game) in Japan because he left the Kintetsu Buffaloes in 1995 after five outstanding seasons in Osaka, then went on to a memorable career in the majors with several clubs. Presumably, Matsui and Ichiro Suzuki will also never have the retirement ceremonies in Japan they would have had, had they stayed in their own country.