By Robert Whiting (2009)
The more one thinks about the accomplishments of Hideki Matsui in the World Series, the more remarkable they become. Not only did he win the MVP with a performance of power that put him in the pantheon of Ruth, Gehrig, DiMaggio, Mantle and Reggie Jackson, he also accomplished something that a century and a half of Japanese political leaders and diplomats never even came close to achieving. When you have throngs of New Yorkers screaming MVP, MVP, without even considering nationality—as people were doing in the Yankees victory parade as Matsui passed by—then you have achieved a special new type of greatness; you have reached a brave new threshold.
Matsui’s new iconic status just makes Brian Cashman’s job that much more difficult. Joe Girardi made it clear during the season that the presence of Matsui, though valuable as a hitter, made it difficult for him to rotate A-Rod, Posada and Jeter in the DH slot and give them rest. If Matsui could play 50 games in left field and let someone else be the DH, that would be great. But everyone knows Matsui can’t do it, because of his long history of knee problems. Despite his hitting ability and his ability to draw Japanese fans and sponsorships from Japan, Matsui is on the list of expendable players. The Yankees have had too many bad experiences with aging sluggers who could not play the field and whose hitting ability deteriorated while still being paid high salaries. Think of Jason Giambi and Gary Sheffield.
Then there is the question of the new MLB economics, in this time of global recession, which saw attendance drop by more than 6%. Teams are being more careful with their spending, more brutal about getting rid of big-name stars before they pass their peak. The Yankees might offer Matsui a reduced salary for one year, but that would be regarded as an insult by Matsui fans and the Japanese media, and Matsui’s agent, who would want a multi-year deal at an increased salary, would be diametrically opposed to it. Thus expect Matsui to leave—and Johnny Damon too, since Damon’s agent Scott Boras wants a 3-4 year deal which the Yankees would never agree to.
So where then would Matsui go, if Cashman and Girardi don’t change their minds? Eliminate the National League, because as all MLB GMs agreed in a recent post-season meeting, Matsui simply can’t be counted on to play defense, so no N.L. team would risk taking him on. That leaves the American League, which has the DH system. But any A.L. team that Matsui would play on would have to be a top-drawer team. As New York Times sportswriter Ken Belson, a man who used to live in Tokyo, says, “Matsui is top shelf stuff—Koshien, Kyojin, Yankees. Going to the Mariners would be like playing the Pacific League.”
Detroit would be a good fit for Matsui. They have some money and their stadium is a good hitter’s park. Detroit has a lot of other good hitters, and Hideki would do well there. But his wife, who reportedly loves New York, would hate living in Detroit. The same would apply for Cleveland.
The Chicago White Sox are a good possibility. They have money, they want Matsui, and Chicago is America’s second greatest city after New York, which would make his wife happy.
The Los Angeles Angels are another fit. They are a rich team and their designated hitter Vladimir Guerrero just filed for free agency. The Angels need a DH and Matsui would fit the bill. Also, the Angels are a perennial playoff team, and playing for a contender would be a primary consideration for Matsui.
The Tampa Bay Devil Rays and the Texas Rangers are contenders, but both teams are in the midst of youth movements and would probably not want to spend the money on an aging slugger. Moreover, Matsui’s wife would not like the geography.
Perhaps the most ideal place is Boston, ironically. Boston has the money. They need a left-handed slugger given the slow deterioration of David Ortiz. Also, Matsui can play left field, since with the existence of the Green Monster, the left field area is so small that all a fielder has to do is just stand there for 9 innings. Matsui would have to do very little running. And the distance to the infield is so short that even I could make the required throws. Moreover, Matsui’s wife could stay in New York and commute to Boston—it takes only an hour and the flights leave every hour. A perfect setup. And of course, Boston has the status that a player like Matsui and his devoted fans would want. The only drawback is that Fenway Park is not a good place for a left-handed hitter like Matsui, who hits to right center but does not pull, and so cannot take advantage of the short 310-foot right field foul pole, the Pesky Pole.
So place your bets.
Matsui was the equalizer, according to former ADB Ambassador Robert M. Orr, a long-time resident of Japan. “He was the ‘equalizer in the flesh’—more so than any Japanese political leader ever came close to doing in the whole history of US-Japan relations. When you have throngs of Americans screaming out MVP, as New Yorkers did during the Yankees’ 2009 victory parade down 5th Avenue, without even considering nationality… just greatness… you have reached a brave new threshold.”
At the same time, Matsui was well-liked and brought in Japanese fans, but he always seemed separated from the NY fans by a certain distance. He was very quiet. Matsui never did any endorsements, maybe because the Yankees had so many other stars, like Jeter, A-Rod, Rivera and Posada, but he always stayed in the background. He never clowned around with his teammates. You never saw him at backyard Yankee barbecues. He was liked, but he always seemed like something of an outsider.
If Matsui leaves the Yankees, the Yankees will lose about 4-5 million dollars worth of sponsorships and maybe some Japanese tourism in the process. But the loss won’t be great, as the Yankees already have a huge fan base. Even if NHK stops televising Yankees games, the income is divided among 30 teams, so it is not a big loss to the Yankees.
I think Brian Cashman might understand the question of face regarding Matsui. If the Yankees offer Matsui a one-year contract at a greatly reduced salary, that would be perceived as an insult by Japanese fans and the Japanese media, so maybe he will not make that offer to spare Matsui an embarrassment, and just let him go.
I am sure Cashman would like to offer Matsui a 2-3 year contract at the same salary, but the economics won’t permit it. They know that 2 or 3 years from now Matsui will be on a downward slide, like Jason Giambi and Gary Sheffield were. So in the economic climate of MLB today, it is necessary for GMs to be brutally honest—the same reason Theo Epstein made a wise, if unpopular, decision by releasing superstar pitcher Pedro Martinez at the height of his power and ability, because of his advancing age.
NOTE: Matsui signed with the Los Angeles Angels at the end of the 2009 season. He moved on to Oakland and Tampa Bay and was out of baseball by 2011.
Tokyo Junkie 