Aug 14 (Japan Times) - Shinnosuke Abe, a key member on seven pennant-winning Yomiuri Giants teams and the Central League's 2012 MVP, reached Japan's iconic 2,000-hit milestone on Sunday.
Now a first baseman, the 38-year-old Abe was the Giants' catcher from his rookie year in 2001 until 2014. He is the 49th player in Nippon Professional Baseball history to reach 2,000 hits, but only the fourth to do it primarily as a catcher.
He entered Sunday's game against the Hiroshima Carp one hit shy of the mark, and got it in the ninth inning. When Abe reached first base, Carp infielder Takahiro Arai, a member of the 2,000-hit club himself, presented Abe with a bouquet of flowers.