SB Nation - Hideki Matsui

Los Angeles Hideki Matsui of Anaheim

Rev Halofan — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 00:16:41 -0000

More photos » by Chris Carlson - AP

about 17 hours ago: Newly-acquired Los Angeles Angels' Hideki Matsui, center, poses with manager Mike Scioscia, right, and Tony Reagins, the Angels GM, during a baseball news conference on Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2009, in Anahiem, Calif. Matsui and the Angels agreed to a $6 million, one-year contract on Wednesday, bringing the World Series MVP and two-time All-Star to the AL West power. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

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All Star slugger Hideki Matsui will wear Jersey Number 55 (word is that Angels rookie pitcher Sean O'Sullivan, who donned #55 in 2009, requested a jersey that adds up to 10 so he will be getting Donnie Moore's jersey #37) for your Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

If the above shot of Tony Reagins in a miniskirt and Mike Sciosica looking suspiciously slimmed down in his green sharskin suit are of interest to you, click the photo for our gallery of A/P photographs of Godzilla's debut in red this afternoon.

Poll

Your Preferred Angels DH in 2010

New York Yankees news & notes: Forget that Damon discount

Ed Valentine — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 13:29:33 -0000

It has been clear for weeks now that the New York Yankees want Johnny Damon back, but for no more than two years at around $10 million per season.

Damon made it clear Tuesday he wants more than that -- and he fully intends to allow agent Scott Boras to find a team willing to pony up his asking price.

Damon is still seeking a three-year contract without taking a pay cut - that would put a deal at $39million - believing that his performance last season was good enough for him to continue earning an annual salary of $13 million. And after watching Mike Cameron - who is almost a year older than Damon - ink a two-year pact with the Red Sox, Damon sees no reason for him to settle for less than three.

"Players out there are getting multi-year deals," Damon said. "(Andy) Pettitte got a raise at 37, even though it was only one year. Cameron is 37 (he turns 37 in January) and he got two years. We're not going to know much until we start negotiating with teams, but that should happen soon."

Damon, who doesn't seem to be in any rush to get his situation settled, said that the Yankees have not started negotiating with his agent, Scott Boras.

"I've been too busy with the kids to worry about it," Damon said. "We're just going about our business and our life. I'm not really too concerned about it. We'll find a team elsewhere if the Yankees don't bring me back."

My take: I can't blame Damon for wanting as much as he can get, but the Yankees can't do that. And GM Brian Cashman seems to feel that way, too. Three years from now Damon will be a very expensive broken-down ex-outfielder who can only DH. The Yankees don't need that. If Damon wants to play hardball, the Yankees just need to move on.

If the Yankees need a replacement for Damon -- and Hideki Matsui -- they don't appear inclined to pursue Jason Bay as that guy. I'm OK with that, too. They can use Melky Cabrera in left, let Xavier Nady and Jason Hoffman compete to be the right-hand hitting alternative, and spend their money on adding a little more pitching.

Speaking of Matsui, I came across a couple of excellent articles regarding the former Yankee outfielder/DH.

WFAN's Sweeny Murti penned (typed?) an excellent tribute to Matsui that had more to do with Matsui the man than Matsui the baseball player.

I can’t imagine I’ll ever have the privilege of covering a player like Hideki Matsui again. The word "unique" is thrown around too much, but this was indeed a unique experience, right from Day One.

Matsui’s Yankee legacy will be that he was an extremely professional hitter, a clutch hitter who saved his best for last, 6 RBIs in the World Series clincher to take home the MVP trophy. And his nickname, Godzilla, is wholly ironic, for there is nothing about his personality or work ethic that suggests a fire-breathing monster. He was just a model Yankee from the first day, literally to the last.

It is nearly impossible to demonstrate how impressive it was to see a man move half way around the world and not only become the first successful power hitter from Japan, but do it in New York for the Yankees, in a place where greater players have come and failed. We often say there will never be another Derek Jeter or another Mariano Rivera. He’s not in same Hall of Fame level as those two, but Matsui is much more. He is in an elite class all by himself, simply the most unique athlete I have ever known.

The New York Times looks at how the loss of Matsui will affect the Yankees off the field.

ESPN's Rob Neyer loves Boston's decision to replace Bay with Cameron. And Sabermetricians will love his reasoning.

He certainly isn't as expensive. As for productive ... Well, that depends on how you define "productive."

Over the last two seasons, Cameron produced 8.4 wins above replacement.

Over those same two seasons, Bay produced 6.4 wins above replacement.

The Red Sox are going to pay Cameron roughly half of what someone's going to pay Jason Bay.

We try to make these things so complicated. But they're not, really. The Red Sox have figured out how to simplify everything. And I just can't wait to read all the columns in the Boston newspapers questioning Theo Epstein's intelligence and ownership's commitment to winning ...

Hideki Matsui agrees to deal with Angels

Eli Greenspan — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 15:31:09 -0000

More photos » by Frank Gunn - AP

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Free agent DH/outfielder Hideki Matsui has agreed to a one year deal worth 6.5 million dollars to be the Angels' primary DH.

Matsui hit .274 last season with 28 home runs, and that kind of production in the DH spot should really benefit them, who are relying on Kendry Morales, Bobby Abreu, Torii Hunter, and now Matsui to carry the team in production. Prospect Brandon Wood is expected to finally get a chance to play everyday, and he has the potential to hit at least 20 home runs.

The Angels rotation did take a little bit of a hit when Lackey left for Boston, but they still have four very capable starters. They have had contact with Jason Bay, but could look to adding a veteran to the back-end of the rotation.

Guys like Ben Sheets, Joel Piniero, former Angel Jarrod Washburn, and young Cuban Aroldis Chapman are all still available.

New York Yankees News & Notes: Thanks for the memories, Godzilla

Ed Valentine — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 12:18:24 -0000

Hideki Matsui is now a member of the Angels. So, thank you Hideki for seven terrific seasons as a Yankee. Oh, and especially for this.

I was surprised Monday by Boston's signing of Mike Cameron, which leaves Jason Bay and Matt Holliday on the market. I still believe the Yankees most logical, and best, course of action is to re-sign Johnny Damon. That isn't going to happen, however, until Damon and uber-agent Scott Boras realize his price tag has got to come down. With Bay and Holliday still available, and Curtis Granderson already in pinstripes, the Yankees are firmly in the driver's seat here. I believe they will eventually get Damon at their price.

As for Boston's signing of John Lackey I'm not worried about that much, either. Lackey's good, but not Roy Halladay/Cliff Lee good. Besides, the Yankee pitching is fine. And the addition of a Ben Sheets/Justin Duscherer type would be enough for me at this point.

Want to show off your love for the Yankees? How about getting yourself a 2009 World Series vanity license plate.

The Yankees didn't want Chien-Ming Wang. It seems like there sure are a lot of team, however, interested in acquiring the former Yankee ace.

You had to figure this would happen eventually. Nick Swisher is now a TV star.

Hideki Matsui Signing a Goal of Angels President John Carpino

Rev Halofan — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 20:09:09 -0000

More photos » by Koji Sasahara - AP

about 1 month ago: People watch a live broadcast on TV at Yamada Denki discount store in Tokyo, Japan, Thursday, Nov. 5, 2009, showing New York Yankees' MVP Hideki Matsui being interviewed after winning the Major League Baseball World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009, in New York. Matsui became the first Japanese-born player to be named World Series Most Valuable Player after hitting a record six RBIs in the deciding game to lead the Yankees over the Phillies 7-3. Japanese on the screen reads: World Series MVP goes to Yankees' Hideki Matsui. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)

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Multiple reports have the Angels close to signing Hideki Matsui for a one year $6.5 Million contract.

The reason the Angels have been pursuing Hideki Matsui to basically fill the Vladimir Guerrero role can be summed up with one word: BILLBOARDS.

There are two players in baseball who sells billboards, and they aren't John Lackey and Vladimir Guerrero. They are Ichiro Suzuki and Hideki Matsui. The Angels could recoup almost all of our soon-to-be new DH's salary in a few deals that will put them on the radar of advertising partners that the divorcing Dodgers can only dream of...

The new Angels President, John Carpino, was a giant in the billboard industry and understands them like Bill James understands baseball. He was Arte Moreno's Alma-Mater approved capo at Outdoor Systems and is the person besides Moreno most responsible for making Arte a billionaire. Our new team president is obviously putting his stamp on the Angels. That and the fact that he was the 2nd biggest Yankee fan (to Angels Chairman Dennis Kuhl) on Earth before joining Arte with the team ties him to this move.

This signing is a goodbye to Vladimir Guerrero. We love you Vladdy, but you don't move teevee sets in Tokyo. It is an unsentimental move to bring in revenue from other streams besides ticket sales and at least the Angels have an expert in the outdoor advertising field operating behind the scenes.

Hideki Matsui will sell more billboards in the stadium and introduce Angels management to partnerships with corporate advertisers that were off limits to anyone besides the top tier of international markets only last week. Welcome to the future, Angels fans... expect red pinstripes by 2012.

Poll

Matsui Billboard You Most Eagerly Await

New York Yankees Team of the Decade

Ed Valentine — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 15:34:39 -0000

'Tis the season for teams of the decade. Fans around baseball, except maybe in Boston where you know they would put up a fight, have to concede that the New York Yankees are the team of the decade.

But, looking specifically at the Yankees themselves, what is THEIR Team of the Decade? Some positions, like shortstop, catcher and closer, are obvious. Others, less so.

Here is my stab at naming the New York Yankee Team of the Decade.

C -- Jorge Posada. Duh! Sorry, Francisco Cervelli fans. This one, of course, is easy.

1B -- Jason Giambi. This position presents a real conundrum. The first name that leaps to mind is Giambi, but in his seven seasons with the Yankees he played more than half the team's games at first base just twice. And, he played more than 100 games there only one. He averaged 76.8 games per season at first base as a Yankee. Tino Martinez played just three seasons, but was the full-time first baseman each of those years playing 147 games per season. Tino averaged 22 homers and 83 RBI in his three seasons. Giambi averaged 32 home runs and 94 RBI, splitting his time between first base and designated hitter. Honestly, I hate doing it, but In the end I have to go with Giambi, especially since his pair of 41-home run seasons as a Yankee came when he was the primary first baseman in 2002 and 2003.

2B -- Robinson Cano. A close call here over Alfonso Soriano, based largely on Cano having five seasons (yes, five, can you believe it?) as the starting second baseman. Soriano was terrific, averaging 32 homers, 89 RBI and 39.6 stolen bases, but was a Yankee for just three seasons before being dealt away. Cano has averaged 17 home runs, 79 RBI and has a career average of .306 in five seasons. He is also a better defender. Again, I think length of service gives this one to Cano.

SS -- Derek Jeter. Umm, who else? If I was naming one, Jeter would also be Yankee Player of the Decade. Gee, maybe I just did name one.

3B -- Alex Rodriguez. Again, a no-brainer. Gotta at least give Aaron Boone an honorable mention, though, for his 2003 home run that propelled the Yankees to the World Series.

LF -- Johnny Damon. This is, obviously, between Damon and Hideki Matsui. And, in my opinion, not a choice between which one belongs on the Team of the Decade. Rather, a choice between which one is the left fielder and which one is the designated hitter. In four New York seasons, Damon has been the primary left fielder for just two years. He has DH'ed just 29 times in those two years, however. Matsui has DH'ed 250 times in six productive New York seasons. So, he gets the left field nod.

CF -- Bernie Williams. Bern, baby, Bern! Was a fixture with the Yankees for seven of the decade's 10 seasons, and was an integral part of the lineup. Hit 136 of 287 career home runs this decade. I know many of you are still irritated by how the Yankees treated Bernie at the end, but that's done with. Let's just give him his due.

RF -- Bobby Abreu. This is another excruciatingly tough call. First, it was difficult to rule out fan favorite Paul O'Neill, whom I think with our hearts we would all probably like to give this spot to. O'Neill, though, played just two seasons this decade and in the second was a shell of himself. So, this choice is really between Abreu and Gary Sheffield. Sheffield had two dominant seasons (.290, 36, 121 and .291, 34, 123), but only played 39 games in his third season due to injury. Abreu had two excellent full seasons (.283, 16, 101, 25 steals and .296, 20, 100, 22 steals). I think Abreu gets the nod because of his impact in 2006, when he was traded to the Yankees to replace the injured Sheffield and hit .330 with 7 home runs and 42 RBI in 58 games, helping the Yankees reach the playoffs.

DH -- Hideki Matsui. The World Series MVP absolutely has to have a place on this team. In six Yankee seasons Matsui has been nothing but productive, hitting .292 and averaging 22 home runs and 99.5 RBI per season.

SP -- Andy Pettitte. Whew! Another really difficult call between Pettitte and Mike Mussina. I know 'wins' is not the only way to measure a pitcher, but for the purpose of this argument it shows how close these two are. Mussina won 123 regular-season games, including 20 at the age of 39, in seven Yankee seasons this decade. Pettitte won 111 regular-season games despite spending three wayward seasons in Houston. The real difference between Pettitte and Mussina is post-season success. 'Moose' was 5-7 in Yankee post-season career. Pettitte, this decade, is 11-5 with a World-Series clinching victory fresh in my mind. I could easily name them both, but if I had to take one it would still be Pettitte.

CL -- Mariano Rivera. The best of all time. Period.

Manager -- Joe Torre. What choice do you have here? Joe Girardi has a World Series title in his two seasons, and he will likely be around for a long time. Hopefully, one day his resume will match what Torre did in New York, but not yet. This decade may not have matched the 1990s for Torre in terms of World Series titles, but one championship, two AL pennants, and playoff appearances all eight seasons he managed the team is pretty darn impressive.

So, what do you guys think? Tell me where I'm right. And wrong. And tell me why.

New York Yankee notes: Now, about Roy Halladay

Ed Valentine — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 15:00:42 -0000

So, the big question floating around following the New York Yankees acquisition of Curtis Granderson is what impact that has on trade talks for Toronto ace Roy Halladay.

If you are pro Halladay to the Yankees you have to be excited about the fact that GM Brian Cashman still has Joba Chamberlain or Phil Hughes as trade chips. If you are anti-Halladay to the Yankees you are praying that Cashman's willingness to deal Austin Jackson doesn't mean he might also part with Jesus Montero.

Bob Klapisch figures the Granderson deal makes it less likely the Yankees will be able to land Halladay.

One American League source says it's now "unlikely" the Bombers have the prospects to convince the Blue Jays to deal their ace. Having shipped Austin Jackson to the Tigers, the Yankees intend to hang on to Jesus Montero, their up-and-coming catcher. That effectively narrows the field for Halladay to the Red Sox and Angels.

Cashman knows he's taking a risk, giving Boston a free shot at a confirmed Yankee-killer. Theo Epstein is loathe to trade prospects, and has said he wants to hang on to righty Clay Buchholz. But after seeing the Yankees fortify themselves yet again, the Sox GM may have no choice but to pick up the phone and call the Jays.

John Harper of the New York Daily News figures the Granderson deal might force the Boston Red Sox to answer the Yankees by making a big push for Halladay

Early indications Tuesday were that Sox GM Theo Epstein remained reluctant to give up a package of top prospects to the Blue Jays, as well as the $100-plus million it will take to sign Halladay to a contract extension - no matter if Red Sox Nation was screaming for him to return fire on the Yankees.

But that hardly adds up to a no.

"Theo doesn't care what the fans want," was the way one major league executive put it. "He's not going to react just because the Yankees made a deal. But (owner) John Henry might be a different story.

"After everything their organization has done to turn the tables on the Yankees the last several years, (Henry) is very concerned about any perception the Sox have fallen behind them again. And he knows Halladay is the ultimate protection, whether you're talking perception or reality."

Even before the Granderson deal, where Halladay ends up was the most intrguing story of the winter. It still is.

Other notes

In case you missed it, the Brian Bruney trade landed the Yankees the first pick in Thursday's Rule 5 Draft.
Could Hideki Matsui end up in Oakland?
Yanks might watch Aroldis Chapman work out.

Arbitration decisions today

Travis G — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:16:23 -0000

[Note by Ed Valentine, 12/01/09 7:33 PM EST : From LoHud comes news that the Yankees have declined to offer arbitration to anyone.]

Of the four major names, how many will be offered arbitration? There's Johnny Damon (type A), Hideki Matsui (unranked), Andy Pettitte (B) and Xavier Nady (B, somehow).

Joel Sherman expects the Yankees to decline to offer arbitration to Damon, Matsui and Pettitte. I could see that. Damon and Matsui are aging stars that would likely accept arbitration (and Matsui doesn't even offer the benefit of bringing back a draft pick). With Pettitte, the Yanks probably feel they can retain him for another 'discounted' year.

Nady will be an interesting decision. He would be worth offering arbitration, because if he declined, he would bring back a second-round draft pick, and if he accepted, we would get a good left-fielder for 2010 (at a decent cost because he barely played this year). However, if the Yankees think he can't stay healthy (he's coming off Tommy John surgery), then obviously it's not worth it. I don't know enough about his medical condition to declare him healthy or unhealthy. Hopefully the front office knows more.

Poll

Who should be offered arbitration (if you had to choose one)?

Damon

103 votes

Matsui

49 votes

Pettitte

163 votes

Nady

157 votes

472 votes | Poll has closed

Cost and Value: Economic Realities (Part 1 of 3)

jscape2000 — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 17:00:34 -0000

by Julie Jacobson - AP

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Two of my favorite writers on the web have posts up about baseball salary, so I've been thinking about Yankee salaries for 2010 and beyond.

First, Joe Posnanski* wonders whether Joe Mauer is the most valuable player in the game right now. While Pujols is the superior hitter, the big money teams already have significant investments at first base (though I think the Angels and Sox would put Morales and Youk in left field or at third), and (this is the cogent point) why spend $30M on Pujols if you can have a Tex or a Miggy Cabrera for just $20M? There's not really a $10M difference between the best and the second best.

I've thought for years he's been the best sports writer in the country, and one of the highlights of my tenure at Pinstripe Alley was when he emailed me to say he thought I did a good job with my pinch hitting piece over at LoHud.

But Mauer is different because there is a $10M difference and more. Every team needs Joe Mauer because no one has a great hitting catcher. The O's have a hope that Wietters will be that guy, the Yankees have a dream in the minor leagues. But every big money bidder would be in on a 3 time batting champ, MVP, led the league in everything important catcher.

Then Dave Cameron over at Fangraphs hit me with a little musing on why we don't spend more time evaluating a player according to what percentage of his team's budget he occupies. The Pirates could sign Mauer, but then they wouldn't field a team at the other 8 spots (in fairness, the last time I watched the Pirates I was pretty sure they only had 7 guys on the field anyway, so maybe it's not a bad idea).

So I've been thinking about what money means to the Yankees.

And here I'm going to argue that the Yankees are different from 25 or 26 of the teams in baseball because the Yankees are a brand. I think the Cubs, the Red Sox and maybe the Cardinals are in this same class (the Cubs and Sox because of their historic stadiums, the Cards because of the singularity of their fanbase).

People go to a Yankee game because it's a Yankee game. I don't know yet if new Yankee Stadium will positively or negatively effect this. But when a tourist takes a trip to New York City, after they cross off the Statue of Liberty and Times Square, at least some portion of the population will feel "I came all the way here so I should go to the Ballpark in the Bronx."

Second, winning is worth more to the Yankees than any other team in the league. The YES Network gives the Yankees a revenue stream that most other teams can't touch. The Mets and Red Sox have started to catch up, but that's really it. If the Angels or Dodgers have started their own networks I haven't heard about it yet, but I think they should. When the Yanks are winning, the commercials are worth more, the cable rights are worth more, and the Yanks can charge more to My9 or whomever wants the ratings boost of carrying a big game (tangent- how long until we see the MLB schedulers arranging name brand matchups according to sweeps week?).

Watch the stands in Mattingly's Yankeeography. When the Yankees are winning they'll lead the league in attendance- and therefore, concession sales- but when it gets ugly, there's too much else to do in NYC. The Yanks have to field a competitive team to keep the cycle rolling.

Third and finally, because the Yankees are a brand, and because they are a corporate giant always in search of fresh markets, there are certain players who function as assets to the non-baseball wing of the franchise. This reality is a large part of the argument to re-sign Hideki Matsui: he's worth more to the Yankees than his salary because of the exposure he brings them in the Japanese market. This same logic will apply to Derek Jeter; he's already the franchise hit leader, and his 3000th hit and any other baseball or Yankee milestone will be worth as much to the team as they would save by replacing him with another player.

Coming up next: Yankee Salaries and Future Commitments.

Nick Johnson drawing interest on open market?

Eli Greenspan — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 18:37:24 -0000

More photos » by Wilfredo Lee - AP

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Foxsports.com is reporting that the Mariners have interest in free agent first baseman Nick Johnson. The Mariners are still negotiating with Russell Branyan, who recently rejected their one-year offer.

Johnson is also drawing interest from the Giants, Mets, and Yankees, who see Johnson as a fallback at the DH spot if they miss out on Hideki Matsui and Johnny Damon. Sources say the Braves have some interest, but only if they are unable to sign Adam LaRoche.

Johnson put together a strong season, and he could really look like a bargain if he finds some of the power that was missing in 2009.

The Mariners are looking at Johnson, among others, if Branyan does in fact sign elsewhere. Casey Kotchman is someone they are keeping their eye on, but he would only become available if the Red Sox do not offer him a contract.