Signed to a three-year contract before the 2008 season, Japanese-born Matsui has been the principle second baseman in Houston after previous play with the Mets and Rockies. He hit .259 with 15 homers over three seasons but was released early in 2010 for lack of production.

Combined with his statistics in Japan, Matsui has earned the Meikyukai, the Japanese version of the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Stats

Batting          G     AB    R   H   2B  3B  HR  RBI   BB   SO   SB  CS   AVG   SLG   OBA   OPS
2008             96   375   58  110  26   3   6   33   37   53   20   5  .293  .427  .354  .781
2009            132   476   56  119  20   2   9   46   34   85   19   3  .250  .357  .302  .659
2010             27    71    4   10   1   0   0    1    4   10    1   1  .141  .155  .197  .352
Totals          255   922  118  239  47   5  15   80   75  148   40   9  .259  .370  .315  .685

Astros Trades & Transactions

Nov 30, 2007 - Signed Kazuo Matsui (IF) as a free agent.

May 19, 2010 - Waived Kazuo Matsui (IF)

This Date in Astros History

Oct 23, 1975 - Kazuo Matsui is born in Osaka, Japan. The infielder becomes the first Japanese player in franchise history when he signs a three-year deal with the Astros after the 2007 season.

Aug 01, 2008 - Mark Loretta drills a grand slam off Aaron Heilman in the eighth to give the Astros a 7-3 victory over the Mets. Solo homers by Kaz Matsui, Brandon Backe and Carlos Lee supply the other three tallies. Doug Brocail picks up the win in relief.

Aug 08, 2008 - Carlos Lee picks up his league-leading 100th RBI and the 1,000th RBI of his career with a two-run double that defeats the Reds in ten innings, 9-5. Lee has four hits, including a solo homer. Kaz Matsui, Humberto Quintero and Hunter Pence also go deep. Chris Sampson gets the win with three innings of relief work. The next day, Lee's season would end when he is plunked by Bronson Arroyo, breaking his pinkie finger.

Aug 15, 2009 - Kazuo Matsui beats out an infield single in Milwaukee for his 2,000th career hit combined from his career as a star shortstop in the Japanese majors as well as his six years in the National League. Play is stopped as Japanese officials recognize Matsui's automatic induction into Japan's Meikyukai, similar to our Hall of Fame. The event gets live television coverage back in his homeland. The Astros, however, fall in a 6-2 defeat.