Bad Timing: The Bizarro Mike Lowell

[Paradisecity]

Most people seemed to thing that Matsui would be on his way out of NY at season's end. Does winning the WS MVP mean the yanks will be pressured into signing him by the fan base? Does this make his signing in NY more or less likely?

 

The Yanks potential signing of Matsui changes the 2009 Free Agent landscape significantly, IMO

[BSN07]

Matsui is gone. he may have made himself a large contract for the future, but I doubt it's in NY. The Yankees need to free up the DH spot. Matsui won't help that. He's in SF, Seattle or some where like that next season IMO.

[TheMino007]

I think he'll sign with the Mariners as a DH. The Yankees have too many players that really need to be a DH next year- Posada, Damon, Matsui. A part of me thinks he'll get a one year deal to stay in NY though. Basically, who do Yankee fans want more, Damon or Matsui? When Holliday/Bay sign on to play LF, someone has got to DH. Posada isn't getting any younger behind the plate.

[jacksonianmarch]

He will have an equal chance to sign as Damon will. IMO, one of them gets invited back to be the DH and infrequent LFer. I have a feeling they will offer the same contract to both of them and pull the offer once the other guys accepts it

[TheKilo]

Something tells me Cashman won't make the same mistake Theo did.

[jacksonianmarch]

Matsui nor Damon are getting a 3 yr deal from Cashman. That isnt happening. The contingency plans are there and the money has to be brimming over in the yankee coffers if they need it. Damon and Matsui will have until November 19th to make their decisions. That can be guaranteed, and I bet we are able to keep one of them. And my guess is that Matsui is the guy we hang onto. I think Damon's defense is so bad that putting him in LF is akin to trying Matsui out there. And Damon's offense is very much linked to the park. Matsui, OTOH, has as fast as bat as he has ever had and his power hasnt dwindled one bit.

[Gom]

Matsui nor Damon are getting a 3 yr deal from Cashman. That isnt happening. The contingency plans are there and the money has to be brimming over in the yankee coffers if they need it. Damon and Matsui will have until November 19th to make their decisions. That can be guaranteed' date=' and I bet we are able to keep one of them. And my guess is that Matsui is the guy we hang onto. I think Damon's defense is so bad that putting him in LF is akin to trying Matsui out there. And Damon's offense is very much linked to the park. Matsui, OTOH, has as fast as bat as he has ever had and his power hasnt dwindled one bit.[/quote']

 

Holy s***...dude....

 

I completely agree with you. 100%.

 

What the f*** is this world coming to?

[26 to 6]

Damon stays on a two-year deal and Matsui is gone. I think Cashman seems pretty stuck on that. I wish it were the other way around as Damon's defense is miserable to watch, but I can almost guarantee that's how it's going to go.

 

As for Matsui, there's no telling where he ends up. Despite all of the Seattle speculation, I think you can cross the Mariners off the list as he and Ichiro genuinely don't get along, and don't like each other very much. It seems it would make the most sense for him to sign with an American League team but I think the Mets are a serious suitor. They seem like the type of team that would take a gamble on Matsui in the field, and lets not forget that Matsui has also stated recently that he is open to moving to first base. If I recall correctly I believe I also read somewhere that he said he wouldn't mind playing for the Mets. He loves new York and he loves the big stage, so unless by some miracle the Yankees resign him, the Mets are my favorite to land him. And with the Mets luck it will be after they sign him that he breaks down and his knees give out forcing him to miss a significant chunk of the season. Better them than us.

 

Another option that hasn't been mentioned too much, and might be a long-shot is him returning to Japan to end his career, either with the Yomiuri Giants (who have a 3 games to 2 lead over Yu Darvish and the Nippon Ham Fighters in the Nippon Series) or a Pacific League team (Pacific League uses the DH, Central League does not. Giants are in the Central League). Either way, Matsui's seven years in pinstripes have turned out to be quite a ride, and I'm just glad that it all culminated in a Championship for Hideki-san.