It’s Official: Hideki Matsui Joins Angels
Via Mark Feinsand -
According to a source, Hideki Matsui signed a one-year contract with the Los Angeles Angels on Monday, ending his seven-year stint in pinstripes. Matsui, this year’s World Series MVP, will earn about $6.5 million.
Matsui had intended to wait for the Yankees’ situation to be resolved before signing elsewhere, but with the Johnny Damon saga seemingly weeks away from a conclusion, Matsui decided to take the Angels’ offer.
The Yankees hadn’t planned on pursuing Matsui unless Damon signed elsewhere, not wanting to lock up their DH spot with one player.
In a bizarre twist of fate, the Yankees’ home schedule next season starts with a three-game series against the Angels from April 13-15, so Matsui will be on hand for the banner-raising ceremony and possibly the World Series ring presentations.
A perfect time to follow up on a reader question…
…powered by the Complete Baseball Encyclopedia, here’s every Yankees batter with at least 3,500 PA with team ranked by their RCAA/502 PA in those PA:
PLAYER RCAA PA RCAA/502 PA Babe Ruth 1634 9197 89.2 Lou Gehrig 1247 9660 64.8 Mickey Mantle 1099 9909 55.7 Joe DiMaggio 708 7671 46.3 Charlie Keller 386 4466 43.4 Alex Rodriguez 316 3924 40.4 Jason Giambi 245 3693 33.3 Tommy Henrich 280 5409 26.0 Bill Dickey 339 7060 24.1 Earle Combs 307 6509 23.7 Dave Winfield 200 5021 20.0 Bobby Murcer 199 4997 20.0 Derek Jeter 388 9809 19.9 Yogi Berra 323 8352 19.4 Don Mattingly 293 7721 19.1 Bernie Williams 343 9053 19.0 Hideki Matsui 137 3816 18.0 Bill Skowron 139 4102 17.0 Paul O'Neill 178 5368 16.6 Jorge Posada 208 6312 16.5 Tony Lazzeri 221 7059 15.7 Roy White 242 7735 15.7 Ben Chapman 114 4013 14.3 Bob Meusel 139 5544 12.6 Joe Gordon 104 4216 12.4 Hank Bauer 132 5373 12.3 Tom Tresh 102 4518 11.3 Thurman Munson 113 5903 9.6 Gil McDougald 100 5395 9.3 Graig Nettles 109 6247 8.8 Sn. Stirnweiss 66 3800 8.7 Tino Martinez 71 4244 8.4 Willie Randolph 115 7465 7.7 Chris Chambliss 51 3633 7.0 Elston Howard 63 5485 5.8 Red Rolfe 58 5405 5.4 Lou Piniella 38 3577 5.3 Willie Keeler 19 3792 2.5 Wally Pipp 18 6340 1.4 Phil Rizzuto -10 6710 -0.7 Joe Pepitone -8 4116 -1.0 Hal Chase -16 4466 -1.8 Rg. Peckinpaugh -50 5269 -4.8 Horace Clarke -63 5143 -6.1 Tony Kubek -66 4494 -7.4 Clete Boyer -67 4035 -8.3 Fr. Crosetti -150 7273 -10.4 B.Richardson -141 5783 -12.2 Aaron Ward -88 3565 -12.4
There’s Godzilla in the Don Mattingly, Bernie Williams, Bill Skowron, Paul O’Neill range…yeah, pound-for-pound, he was that good.
From that 2003 Opening Day Grand Slam against Joe Mays to that 6 RBI Game in Game 6 of the 2009 World Series, and everything in between, Matsui was money in the bank. He will be missed very much…of that there is little doubt…at least to this Yankees fan.
Well, it was fun while it lasted.
I’m bummed over this one. My son’s favorite Yankee since the day he joined us. Our best player ever from Japan, my wife’s homeland. And what a class act. A great Yankee who deserved to finish his career with us. Saw him hit a grand slam in Oakland on his birthday in 08. Goodbye and good luck #55, this family will miss you.
In a way, I’m glad he didn’t wait so long as to screw himself out of a team. In another, I’ll sorely miss Matsui.
Sure he’d go for a month out of the season where he looked like he’d never hit a ball hard again, rolling grounders to second en masse. But boy, when he came out of it did he ever. Not to mention how clutch he was.
Ok Damaso, down and away to Matsui. Got it? Good.
From that 2003 Opening Day Grand Slam against Joe Mays to that 6 RBI Game in Game 6 of the 2009 World Series, and everything in between, Matsui was money in the bank. He will be missed very much…of that there is little doubt…at least to this Yankees fan.
——
Couldn’t have said it any better Steve. We’ll all miss Matsui, he was a great Yankee.
Of course, a tip of the cap and raise of a glass to #55. Seven years that ended at the very top of the mountain…….And he’ll get a standing ovation that first homestand when the Angels visit.
If you ever wanted to sell NY to a free agent, show them a clip of when Wade Boggs first AB when he returned to the Stadium after leaving the Yanks, or when Tino came back as a Cardinal.
You can win in other places, but when you win as a Yankee, it’s remembered forever.
Anybody else thinking…we better bring back Johnny for DH/LF. Matusi only got 6.5mill from LAA. We could have swung that easy.
@ clintfsu813:
Not me, I’m so done with Damon. I’d rather take a shot at Jack Cust to see if he can be a second Swisher for DH.
If you think Cust can hit better than JD, i’ll take your word on it. What are your thoughts about Holliday? I’m reading so many different takes on that. Nomaas thinks its a great idea to sign him, readers on here dont wanna touch him.
@ clintfsu813:
I don’t want to lock another player into a long term deal. Otherwise, the Yankees could end up being locked in mediocrity a few years down the line. In this post PED world, you have to really watch who you sign to mega deals.
So, its the years, not the player?
@ clintfsu813:
For me, yea. Except in Damon’s case. I just don’t like Damon.
Sorry to interrupt the Damon chatter but regarding Matsui, how Cashman just let him go pisses me off. The guy balled and he was a class act! If you looked up the definition of class act you would see a picture of Jeter and him. This hurts and I promise you the Yankees will regret it. Now do I want them to regret it? No, but I believe he can still play and he is playing with our 2nd biggest AL rival so we will face him again…OFTEN!!
Steve,
Thanks for the answer. I expected he would be up there. Will miss him a lot. Unless the Yanks know something about his knees that the Angels don’t, I think we’ll regret this move. Nick Johnson is not a bad pickup, but I don’t think he is a good fit in the two hole – high OBP but slow from 1st to 3rd doesn’t help. Matsui would have brought more to the team. but only time will tell.