Angels, Matsui Close to One-Year Deal

ESPN is reporting the Angels are in deep discussions with Hideki Matsui and are close to a one-year deal for $6.5 million. This is a deal the Yankees should have made. One more year is all they needed out of Matsui. Their are better hitters to choose from out of next year’s free agency compared to this year’s to replace Matsui at DH. The Yankees know what they have in Matsui. They don’t know how a player from outside the organization will hit as the Yankees DH in this lineup. He can’t play the field and can’t run, but he can hit and that’s all the Yankees needed out of their DH for one more year. One more year and Jesus Montero may be ready for the big leagues. 

I’ve been in favor of the Yankees bringing back Matsui all along. The guy can flat out hit. He’s a perfect DH for the them. I thought the Yankees didn’t want to bring him back because he was looking for a three year deal. Now he signs with the Angels on a one year deal. The Yankees left Matsui on the back burner this offseason and he goes to a playoff team and makes them better. 

A lot of people disagree with me about Matsui. He hit 28 home runs and had 90 RBIs in 2009, not to mention a .509 slugging percentage. His .274 wasn’t bad either. He’s good support behind A-Rod. Expect the same production in 2010 with the Angels.  

The Yankees know Matsui better than the public does. Maybe they had questions about his knees. When the guy is healthy and plays a full season he’ll hit over 20 home runs and drive in around 100 runs. The Yankees are going to miss their World Series MVP. 

Joel Sherman of the New York Post tweeted, “Heard Yankees were told by Matsui’s people that Angels would give chance to play some LF.” He added, Heard Yankees told Matsui couldn’t do anything til exhausted SP/Damon issues, but Matsui wanted quicker resolution.”

The aging Yankees want to get younger and Girardi likes multi-talented players. Matsui doesn’t fit that bill. I still think one more year would have been fine. Without Matsui, expect position (especially Posada) players to DH more often.