1. Early Life and Amateur Career
1.1. Childhood and High School
Shigenobu Shima began playing baseball in elementary school. During his time in junior high, he was part of the Kamifukuoka Senior team, where he was a year ahead of Kazuyuki Takahashi and two years behind Koichi Misawa. From his first year in junior high, he gained attention as a pitcher and participated in the Kanto tournament in his third year. Due to his admiration for Masahiro Wakaou, then the baseball coach at Saitama Sakae High School, Shima enrolled in Tohoku High School after Wakaou transferred there.
At Tohoku High School, Shima made three appearances in the Koshien tournaments: the 65th National High School Baseball Invitational Tournament in spring and the 75th National High School Baseball Championship in summer during his second year, and the 66th National High School Baseball Invitational Tournament in spring during his third year. Throughout his high school career, he hit a total of 28 home runs. Along with Jin Ono of Akita Keihodai附属 High School, a fellow left-handed pitcher in his graduating class, Shima possessed a fastball that exceeded 87 mph (140 km/h), establishing himself as one of the nation's premier left-handed pitchers. In the Tohoku tournament semifinals during his second year, Shima and Ono faced each other, both pitching complete games through 16 extra innings. Shima recorded 19 strikeouts while Ono had 24, in a marathon game lasting over four hours, which Tohoku High School won 1-0 by a walk-off. In his third year, Shima and Ono made history by becoming the first high school players ever selected for the Japanese national team, where they pitched against Cuba. Shima notably struck out cleanup hitter Orestes Kindelán, while Ono struck out Omar Linares. In Saitama Prefecture, Shima also had a notable rivalry with Akira Kanemura of Sendai Ikuei Gakuen High School.
In the 1994 NPB Draft, Shima was selected in the second round by the Hiroshima Toyo Carp as a pitcher. He was given uniform number 34, which had previously been worn by Kazuhisa Kawaguchi, another left-handed pitcher who had recently left the team for the Yomiuri Giants via free agency.
2. Professional Playing Career
Shigenobu Shima's professional career saw him transition through different positions, navigating early struggles and later achieving significant success before concluding his playing days.
2.1. Hiroshima Toyo Carp Era (1995-2011)
Shima's tenure with the Hiroshima Toyo Carp spanned 17 seasons, marked by a significant position change and a breakout year that defined his career.
2.1.1. Position Changes and Early Struggles
Initially joining the Carp as a pitcher, Shima's pitching career had a few notable moments. On March 7, 1998, during an open game against the Tokyo Yakult Swallows at Fukuyama Citizens Baseball Park, he recorded a rare one-pitch ejection for hitting Tetsuya Iida with a dangerous pitch to the head immediately after play started. In his professional starting debut against the Yomiuri Giants on September 21, 1997, he remarkably hit a timely base hit as a pitcher.
In 1999, recognizing his strong hitting ability, Shima transitioned from a pitcher to a position player. He quickly earned a call-up to the first team in the latter half of the season, where he hit for a batting average of .280 and recorded three home runs, including his first professional home run. After the season, he took over uniform number 00, previously worn by Kenji Tomashino. Despite consistently performing well in the minor leagues, often batting over .300, Shima struggled to secure a regular spot on the first team due to the strong outfield depth, which included established players like Tomonori Maeda, Takayuki Ogata, and Tomoaki Kanemoto, as well as pinch hitters like Itsuki Asai. Additionally, he suffered from chronic lower back pain, which often thwarted his opportunities for promotion to the top squad.
By 2003, Shima's career appeared to be at a crossroads, as he played in only two games and had just two at-bats for the first team. The team was reportedly considering releasing him, and he was planning to participate in a joint tryout for all 12 NPB teams. However, Junzo Uchida, the first-team batting coach who recognized Shima's untapped talent, intervened with the club, allowing him to remain with the Carp. Following this, his uniform number was changed to 55.
2.1.2. Breakout 2004 Season
The year 2004 proved to be a pivotal turning point for Shima. He performed exceptionally well during spring training, earning a spot on the Opening Day roster as a candidate to fill the regular outfield position that had been vacant since Tomoaki Kanemoto's departure to the Hanshin Tigers in late 2002. In April, Shima's outstanding performance, primarily batting in the second spot and maintaining a batting average over .400, solidified his position as the regular right fielder. His strong showing also earned him his first selection to the NPB All-Star Series through a manager's recommendation. In the second half of the season, he was moved into the cleanup lineup and demonstrated significant power hitting, hitting 32 home runs, the second-highest on the team after Greg LaRocca.
Shima continued to amass base hits steadily, and there was speculation that he might break Robert Rose's then-league record of 192 hits. Although fatigue and recurring lower back pain slowed him down towards the end of the season, he still finished with 189 hits, setting a new NPB record for most hits by a left-handed pitcher-turned-left-handed hitter, surpassing Isao Harimoto's 182 hits from 1976. For his outstanding 2004 season, Shima won the batting title, the most hits award, and was named to the Best Nine. He was also selected as a member of the Japan-U.S. Baseball Exhibition team. His popular nickname, "Red Godzilla" (赤ゴジラAka GojiraJapanese), became a notable buzzword of the year, further raising his public profile.
2.1.3. Later Years with Hiroshima
In 2005, despite increased caution from opposing teams, Shima maintained a strong performance, finishing the season with a .288 batting average and 27 home runs, although his average never reached .300. He regained his batting form in the latter half of the season.
The 2006 season saw his batting average decline further, hovering around .270 in the first half. Worsening lower back pain led to him often being placed lower in the batting order or removed from the starting lineup. However, he continued to hit crucial home runs as a pinch hitter. His hitting performance improved significantly in the second half of the season, culminating in two home runs on August 23, achieving his third consecutive season with 20 or more home runs. On September 25, he suffered a right shoulder injury from batting swings and was removed from the roster. Manager Marty Brown decided not to rush his return, stating that there was no point in him coming back given the remaining games in the season.
In 2007, Shima undertook special training in the United States before the season, focusing on physical conditioning. However, a recurrence of his shoulder injury led to a severe slump from the first half through the mid-season. While he regained his form in September, his overall performance was lower than the previous year. Despite this, his power-hitting ability remained evident, as his home run rate was almost comparable to that of Takahiro Arai.
The 2008 season began challenging for Shima as he lost his regular starting position and primarily served as a pinch hitter in March and April, even experiencing a stint in the minor leagues. However, working closely with coach Junzo Uchida, he revamped his batting form. On May 25, he hit a game-tying three-run pinch-hit home run against the Chiba Lotte Marines, and on June 12, he hit another pinch-hit go-ahead two-run home run against the Marines. From then on, his performance improved, leading to more starting appearances. After the All-Star break, he fully reclaimed a starting role. Although he did not reach the minimum plate appearances to qualify for the batting title, he recorded a .309 batting average, his first over .300 in four years. His 40 walks were the second-highest on the team, trailing only Kenta Kurihara's 42, and his .394 on-base percentage was equivalent to the league's fifth-highest among qualifiers. Conversely, his home run total dropped to seven, half of the previous year, ending his four-year streak of double-digit home runs that began in 2004. On October 9 that year, he underwent endoscopic surgery on his left elbow joint at a hospital in Tatebayashi, Gunma Prefecture.
In the early part of the 2009 spring training, Shima struggled with left elbow pain, going hitless in 21 at-bats. However, he showed signs of recovery on March 22, hitting a home run off Shunsuke Ishikawa during an open game against the Hanshin Tigers at the original Hiroshima City Stadium, the last first-team game played there. He continued this resurgence with four base hits in eight at-bats and two more home runs in the subsequent three games. Despite this, he had a difficult season, finishing with a .229 batting average.
The 2010 season saw Shima facing stiff competition for outfield positions from players like Masato Akamatsu, Jun Hirose, Soichiro Amaya, and Jeff Fiorentino, initially limiting his appearances to pinch-hitting roles. However, as Amaya and Fiorentino struggled offensively, Shima gradually earned more starting opportunities. He also filled in as the cleanup hitter for 23 games during Kenta Kurihara's long absence due to injury. Although he did not reach the required plate appearances, he recorded double-digit home runs for the first time in three years, improving his statistics from 2009. During the season, Shima acquired the right to declare domestic free agency but announced in October that he would remain with Hiroshima.
On July 24, 2011, Shima acquired the right to declare international free agency but stated that he would not exercise it. On July 31, during a game against the Chunichi Dragons at Mazda Zoom-Zoom Stadium Hiroshima, he hit his first career walk-off hit as a pinch hitter in the 11th inning against Junchi Kawahara.
2.2. Saitama Seibu Lions Era (2012-2013)
In the 2012 spring training, Shima's playing opportunities were limited due to the strong performances of younger, left-handed outfielders like Takahiro Iwamoto and Ryuhei Matsuyama. On March 10, it was announced that Shima would be traded to the Saitama Seibu Lions, his hometown team, in exchange for Jin Egusa. He was assigned uniform number 42.
Shima immediately became a starting designated hitter for the Lions. On March 31, he made his 1,000th career game appearance, becoming the 448th player in NPB history to reach this milestone. On April 8, in a game against the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks at Seibu Dome, he hit his first grand slam with the Lions off Nagisa Arakaki, a game-winning shot. Despite this, he struggled at the plate, finishing the season with a batting average of .176 in 27 games.
In 2013, Shima's appearances dwindled to just nine games, and he was subsequently informed that he would be released by the team. On October 2, his retirement from professional baseball was officially announced.
3. Player Profile and Characteristics
Shigenobu Shima was a versatile player whose career saw him excel both as a promising pitcher and later as a powerful slugger.
3.1. As a Pitcher
During his high school years, Shima was regarded as one of the nation's top left-handed pitchers, known for his fastball that reached speeds of 91 mph (147 km/h). Yoshio Bizen, a scout for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp, recalled Shima as a pitcher, noting, "His ball was incredibly fast, and while he had some rough edges, his control was also sufficient." Despite being expected to become a left-handed ace in professional baseball, his pitching career was hampered by a series of injuries, preventing him from fully realizing his potential on the mound.
3.2. As a Position Player
After his transition to a position player, Shima's primary weapon was his significant power hitting, derived from his well-built physique. After establishing himself as a regular, he primarily batted in the cleanup spot. Scouts had recognized his exceptional batting technique even during his high school days. Akihiko Sonoda, a scout for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp, commented on Shima's hitting, stating, "His stance was natural, and his soft take-back created good timing. He could hit both right-handed and left-handed pitchers effectively, hitting to all fields, and capable of both singles and home runs." Interestingly, Sonoda, who initially hoped Shima would succeed as a pitcher, once told him not to swing a bat in public, fearing that the team's management would suggest a position change if they witnessed his hitting prowess.
4. Post-Retirement Career
4.1. Coaching Career
Following his retirement as a player, Shigenobu Shima immediately transitioned into coaching within the Saitama Seibu Lions organization. On October 22, 2013, he was appointed as the second-team base running coach, with an additional role as an assistant batting coach for the 2014 season. Later in that season, the "assistant" title was removed, making him the second-team base running coach and batting coach.
He continued to hold various coaching positions within the Lions:
- In 2015, he served as the second-team outfield defense, base running, and batting coach.
- From 2016 to 2018, he was promoted to the first-team batting coach.
- In 2019, he moved back to the second team as the batting and outfield defense and base running coach.
- In 2020, he was solely the second-team batting coach.
- In 2021, he held the role of third-team batting and fielder coach.
- In 2022, he was the second-team fielder coach.
- In 2023, he returned to the first team as the batting coach.
- However, after the 2024 season, where the team's batting average was .212 and runs scored was 350, both league-worst figures, it was announced on October 10 that his coaching contract would not be renewed.
5. Awards, Titles, and Records
Shigenobu Shima achieved several notable awards, titles, and personal milestones throughout his professional playing career.
5.1. Titles and Awards
- Batting Champion: 1 time (2004)
- Most Hits: 1 time (2004)
- Best Nine: 1 time (2004)
- Excellent JCB MEP Award: 1 time (2004)
- Hochi Pro Sports Grand Prize: 1 time (2004)
5.2. Personal Records
5.2.1. Pitching Records
- First appearance: June 29, 1997, against the Tokyo Yakult Swallows (Game 13) at Kurashiki Muscat Stadium, relieving in the 9th inning, recording 2 walks and 1 hit allowed before being pulled.
- First start: September 21, 1997, against the Yomiuri Giants (Game 25) at Hiroshima Municipal Stadium, pitching 2 1/3 innings and allowing 3 runs (2 earned runs), taking the loss.
- First strikeout: September 21, 1997, against Daisuke Motoki in the 2nd inning (same game as first start).
5.2.2. Batting Records
- First appearance and first start: Refer to pitching records (same games).
- First at-bat, first hit, first RBI: September 21, 1997, against the Yomiuri Giants (Game 25) at Hiroshima Municipal Stadium, hitting a go-ahead single to center field off Balvino Gálvez in the 2nd inning.
- First home run: August 3, 1999, against the Yokohama BayStars (Game 15) at Kure Shiei Niko Baseball Stadium, a solo home run to right field off Michiya Yokoyama while pinch-hitting for Yasuhira Oyamada in the 7th inning.
- First stolen base: September 10, 1999, against the Yokohama BayStars (Game 21) at Yokohama Stadium, stealing second base in the 2nd inning (pitcher: Takeo Kawamura, catcher: Motonobu Tanishige).
5.2.3. Major Milestone Records
- 100th home run: October 6, 2007, against the Yokohama BayStars (Game 24) at Hiroshima Municipal Stadium, a three-run home run to center field off Yuji Yoshimi in the 1st inning. This was the 252nd such achievement in NPB history.
- 1,000th game appearance: March 31, 2012, against the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters (Game 2) at Sapporo Dome, starting as the 5th batter and designated hitter. This was the 448th such achievement in NPB history.
5.2.4. Other Records
- All-Star Game appearances: 1 time (2004)
- Club record for single-season hits: 189 hits (2004)
6. Career Statistics
6.1. Pitching Statistics
Year | Team | G | GS | CG | SHO | BB/9 | W | L | SV | HLD | W-L% | BF | IP | H | HR | BB | IBB | HBP | SO | WP | BK | R | ER | ERA | WHIP |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1997 | Hiroshima | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | -- | .000 | 15 | 2.1 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 7.71 | 4.29 |
Career: 1 year | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | -- | .000 | 15 | 2.1 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 7.71 | 4.29 |
6.2. Batting Statistics

Year | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | TB | RBI | SB | CS | SH | SF | BB | IBB | HBP | SO | DP | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1997 | Hiroshima | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 1.000 | 1.000 | 2.000 |
1999 | 47 | 118 | 12 | 33 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 51 | 20 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 29 | 0 | .280 | .320 | .432 | .752 | |
2000 | 41 | 52 | 6 | 13 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 0 | .250 | .278 | .327 | .605 | |
2001 | 17 | 16 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | .188 | .235 | .188 | .423 | |
2002 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | |
2003 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .500 | .500 | .500 | 1.000 | |
2004 | 137 | 561 | 94 | 189 | 23 | 3 | 32 | 314 | 84 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 48 | 2 | 2 | 104 | 13 | .337 | .389 | .560 | .949 | |
2005 | 144 | 560 | 77 | 161 | 23 | 0 | 27 | 265 | 77 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 53 | 1 | 5 | 112 | 10 | .288 | .350 | .473 | .824 | |
2006 | 128 | 495 | 56 | 133 | 12 | 0 | 24 | 217 | 69 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 27 | 0 | 3 | 102 | 11 | .269 | .308 | .438 | .746 | |
2007 | 105 | 285 | 28 | 65 | 16 | 1 | 14 | 125 | 48 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 23 | 0 | 4 | 52 | 5 | .228 | .293 | .439 | .732 | |
2008 | 108 | 301 | 35 | 93 | 18 | 0 | 7 | 132 | 35 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 40 | 1 | 3 | 44 | 4 | .309 | .394 | .439 | .833 | |
2009 | 89 | 175 | 12 | 40 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 55 | 17 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 15 | 2 | 3 | 34 | 7 | .229 | .293 | .314 | .607 | |
2010 | 123 | 343 | 48 | 90 | 21 | 0 | 14 | 153 | 46 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 25 | 0 | 6 | 53 | 7 | .262 | .321 | .446 | .767 | |
2011 | 54 | 125 | 13 | 32 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 49 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 19 | 1 | .256 | .333 | .392 | .725 | |
2012 | Seibu | 27 | 74 | 2 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 18 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 1 | .176 | .244 | .243 | .487 |
2013 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .143 | .250 | .143 | .393 | |
Career: 16 years | 1034 | 3116 | 385 | 868 | 144 | 6 | 126 | 1402 | 421 | 22 | 22 | 2 | 28 | 262 | 7 | 28 | 579 | 62 | .279 | .337 | .450 | .790 |
6.3. Fielding Statistics
Year | Pitcher | Outfield | First Base | ||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G | PO | A | E | DP | FPct | G | PO | A | E | DP | FPct | G | PO | A | E | DP | FPct | ||
1997 | Hiroshima | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1.000 | - | - | ||||||||||
1999 | - | 21 | 25 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 22 | 151 | 7 | 0 | 11 | 1.000 | ||||||
2000 | - | 27 | 25 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | 2 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | ||||||
2001 | - | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 3 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 1 | .909 | ||||||
2003 | - | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .--- | - | |||||||||||
2004 | - | 137 | 192 | 5 | 5 | 2 | .975 | - | |||||||||||
2005 | - | 143 | 226 | 7 | 3 | 1 | .987 | - | |||||||||||
2006 | - | 122 | 202 | 7 | 7 | 3 | .968 | - | |||||||||||
2007 | - | 82 | 123 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | - | |||||||||||
2008 | - | 81 | 115 | 1 | 1 | 1 | .991 | - | |||||||||||
2009 | - | 46 | 52 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .981 | - | |||||||||||
2010 | - | 81 | 135 | 2 | 2 | 0 | .986 | - | |||||||||||
2011 | - | 35 | 45 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | - | |||||||||||
Career | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1.000 | 778 | 1142 | 27 | 20 | 7 | .983 | 27 | 170 | 8 | 1 | 12 | .994 |
7. Uniform Numbers
Shigenobu Shima wore the following uniform numbers during his professional playing and coaching careers:
- 34 (1995-1999)
- 00 (2000-2003)
- 55 (2004-2011)
- 42 (2012-2013)
- 80 (2014-2024)