He did not play any better with the Giants, but his team won the league championship in 1994, and the father-son combination became a pet topic of the Japanese media.
The team demoted him to the minor leagues, along with a fine and a suspension, when he insulted coach Shozo Doi after he was told to practice bunting.
Giants owner Tsuneo Watanabe was upset, and manager Shigeo Nagashima was forced to tell his son that he would not be offered a contract for next year.
Several teams showed interest in signing Nagashima, but he announced his retirement, ending his nine-year career in the professional leagues.
He was knocked unconscious when he was put into a mock matchup with former K-1 World Max champion Masato on a television show.
He was given the position with a recommendation from Yomiuri Giants owner Tsuneo Watanabe, showing that the rift between him and his former team has healed over time.
[2] Nagashima played the voice of "Kōichi", father of the human protagonist in Studio Ghibli's 2008 animated film Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea.