Move Hideki Matsui to DH
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Move Hideki Matsui to DH
Matsui has been making many errors lately with his fielding. He should play DH.
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Re: Move Hideki Matsui to DH
[ Author: Guest | Posted: Aug 5, 2003 9:18 AM
]
You base this on watching a weekend of games in Oakland? That field is known as one of the toughest fields to play because of the sun and foul territory.
Please make a judgement based on watching him the entire season. Others have even said he would be better than Bernie Williams in center field. I will admit that his arm is average, but he makes up for it with a good jump and a quick release. Of course if you compare him to Ichiro, that would be no contest. Ichiro is perhaps onf of the top three outfileders in MLB.
Please make a judgement based on watching him the entire season. Others have even said he would be better than Bernie Williams in center field. I will admit that his arm is average, but he makes up for it with a good jump and a quick release. Of course if you compare him to Ichiro, that would be no contest. Ichiro is perhaps onf of the top three outfileders in MLB.
Re: Move Hideki Matsui to DH
[ Author: sonoda7 | Posted: Aug 5, 2003 9:22 AM
]
One game does not make a player's career. Just because he had a bad game you, are suggesting Matsui become a DH?
Re: Move Hideki Matsui to DH
[ Author: morosuki | Posted: Aug 5, 2003 10:50 AM
| YOK Fan
]
I am not a Yankees fan so I cannot really share your frustrations, but I do have a theory about this. Of the games that I have seen him make errors in, most were day games. (Does someone have any stats on this?) The team he played for in Japan, the Yomiuri Giants, never played day games (as they play to the television ratings), with the exception of a handfull of preseason (opunsen) and out of town games [until Sapporo Dome was built]. IMO, the sun is causing him to misjudge a lot of fly balls. If this is true, it will take him a while to adjust as it took him almost two whole seasons to adjust playing center for the Giants.
He is a much more mature player nowm, and I don't think it will take him that long, so have patience. He'll come around!
He is a much more mature player nowm, and I don't think it will take him that long, so have patience. He'll come around!
Re: Move Hideki Matsui to DH
[ Author: Guest: Suraj Rupani | Posted: Aug 5, 2003 4:50 PM
]
Wow, harsh.
He's more valuable in left field than anyone else the Yanks have, and a bad game or two does not make him a bad left fielder. He's a good defender. Just read the carrom of a visitor fence wrong. It happens.
He's more valuable in left field than anyone else the Yanks have, and a bad game or two does not make him a bad left fielder. He's a good defender. Just read the carrom of a visitor fence wrong. It happens.
Re: Move Hideki Matsui to DH
[ Author: Guest: UMASS | Posted: Aug 5, 2003 6:05 PM
]
So, who will replace him in left field?
Re: Move Hideki Matsui to DH
[ Author: Guest: Jen Wei | Posted: Aug 7, 2003 4:53 PM
]
Matsui had 8 error in his last 110 Games! He could take hard in defence.
Re: Move Hideki Matsui to DH
[ Author: seiyu | Posted: Aug 7, 2003 11:24 PM
]
He is considered the best left fielder the Yankees have had lately. Just ask Joe Torre.
Re: Move Hideki Matsui to DH
[ Author: CFiJ | Posted: Aug 8, 2003 12:39 PM
]
Well, all his career Matsui was a center fielder who played in a dome on turf. Now he's playing in left field in an open air stadium on grass. The ball comes to him off the bat differently, and it acts differently when it hits the ground. Not to mention that he doesn't know all of the visiting stadiums yet. This is a year of adjustment, not just offensively but also defensively. He will adjust, improve, and play better next year.
[Note by westbaystars: Actually, Matsui played right most of his career, then moved to center the past couple of seasons.]
[Note by westbaystars: Actually, Matsui played right most of his career, then moved to center the past couple of seasons.]
Re: Move Hideki Matsui to DH
[ Author: Guest | Posted: Aug 8, 2003 9:43 PM
]
I think your reply is well stated except for the fact noted that Matsui did play right field most of his career. Left field is new to him and he has played it well until recently. I think players are entitled to a fielding slump just like batting slumps.
Also, I noticed that Jen Wei seems to be anti-Matsui based on all the postings I have seen from this person. So I would not worry about it.
Also, I noticed that Jen Wei seems to be anti-Matsui based on all the postings I have seen from this person. So I would not worry about it.
Re: Move Hideki Matsui to DH
[ Author: Guest: no | Posted: Aug 8, 2003 4:52 PM
]
Matsui will be the best player on the Yankees, so he should be rested as the DH or at first base to reserve his power.
Torre can move Soriano to the outfield, and put Little Matsui there.
Another way is that Jeter, who is considered as a God, can cover left for Matsui. The Yankees are good enough with 8 defenders.
Torre can move Soriano to the outfield, and put Little Matsui there.
Another way is that Jeter, who is considered as a God, can cover left for Matsui. The Yankees are good enough with 8 defenders.
Re: Move Hideki Matsui to DH
[ Author: seiyu | Posted: Aug 8, 2003 11:17 PM
]
Occasionally he can DH, but not full time. I can safely say that Matsui, Bernie, and maybe Boone are probably the best fielders out there for the Yanks. Jeter, Soriano, Posada, Giambi, and any right fielder are not known for great defense.
Re: Move Hideki Matsui to DH
[ Author: Sharks410 | Posted: Aug 8, 2003 3:14 PM
]
I was at Sunday's game in Oakland and the sun was brutal. Yes, at times Matsui looked a little shaky, but the Yankees have other problems to address. Soriano was horrible in the field. The Oakland players were probably trying to hit the ball to him. Additionally, the Yankees' relief staff seems to need help.
Matsui seems to hit a lot of grounders to the second baseman. Although I am no expert, hopefully after he gets used to the MLB pitching he will go the other way and hit to the left side of the field.
Personally, I give him a tremendous amount of credit, coming to the States and playing for the most difficult team in America.
I found the following article very interesting: Matsui earned All-Star nod the hard way [ESPN].
Matsui seems to hit a lot of grounders to the second baseman. Although I am no expert, hopefully after he gets used to the MLB pitching he will go the other way and hit to the left side of the field.
Personally, I give him a tremendous amount of credit, coming to the States and playing for the most difficult team in America.
I found the following article very interesting: Matsui earned All-Star nod the hard way [ESPN].
Other than Ichiro Suzuki, no other major-league player has had to overcome obstacles similar to Matsui's, both professional and cultural. That .311 average and 64 RBIs carry greater weight when you realize Matsui arrived in the big leagues without any weapons to combat the cut-fastball and sinking two-seamer -- two pitches that are virtually non-existent in Japan.
Even the traditional four-seam fastball posed a threat to Matsui, since Japanese pitches don't throw nearly as hard as major leaguers.
"That's what worried me at first, because the pitching here is better," Matsui said through an interpreter the other day. "There was quite a bit of adjustment for me. I was worried if I would be good enough to play here. The sinker and the cutter were much different than what I was used to."
Re: Move Hideki Matsui to DH
[ Author: BSO_Cards | Posted: Aug 8, 2003 11:40 PM
]
Matsui made it to the All-Star game because of Japanese voting, he didn't deserve to even walk in Chicago on that night. It's times like that when I think fan voting is B.S. Don't give credit where it isn't deserved. Sure he had the obstacle of different pitches, but the All-Star game isn't for those who make the best of what they know, it's for those who are the best compared to others in the game.
Re: Move Hideki Matsui to DH
[ Author: Guest: UMASS | Posted: Aug 9, 2003 5:31 PM
]
I agree with you. I just think that you sometimes should give a little slack for a rookie.
Re: Move Hideki Matsui to DH
[ Author: Guest: Jen Wei | Posted: Aug 8, 2003 11:42 PM
]
Yes, Matsui should gain a great deal of experience this year. But I think his batting is better than his fielding. And he could try harder.
The Giants
[ Author: Guest: UMASS | Posted: Aug 9, 2003 5:40 PM
]
I am not anti-Giants, because there are lots of Giants games covered on TV. It surprises me that many Giants seem to behave childishly. Even Hara-kantoku's facial expression after one of his guys hits a home run looks like my kid's. So do Uehara's and Kudoh's. Other times, Kiyohara would trash talk the pitcher with "boke boke."
The only good one would be Kisanuki. He will be a great pitcher in future.
I wonder if Japanese often express themselves like that when I see Matsui do a nice play. While others like Giambi, who hits 33 home runs but without any such facial expression.
I am sorry if I make someone hurt. I just want to know your country's culture in baseball.
The only good one would be Kisanuki. He will be a great pitcher in future.
I wonder if Japanese often express themselves like that when I see Matsui do a nice play. While others like Giambi, who hits 33 home runs but without any such facial expression.
I am sorry if I make someone hurt. I just want to know your country's culture in baseball.
Re: Move Hideki Matsui to DH
[ Author: Guest: George Steinbrennernot | Posted: Aug 14, 2003 8:36 AM
]
No one in New York has accused Matsui of not trying. He is a class act and the consumate professional. He may have more to learn about American League pitchers and MLB pitching in general, and he will get better at the plate as a result. He is more than adequate defensively. You have got to understand that this guy is under a microscope -- in a pressure cooker in NY -- and he has excelled. Many with greater baseball skills don't because they don't have the heart and the thick skin to survive in The Big Apple. Give the man the credit he deserves.
Re: Move Hideki Matsui to DH
[ Author: Guest | Posted: Aug 12, 2003 2:43 AM
]
You are correct. On a YES network interview, Jason Giambi, who played most of his career in Oakland, indicated that Oakland's left field is the toughest outfield in the American League because of the shape of the stadium, its orientation, and the sunlight-artificial lights factor. He said that all fielders who play that left field struggle with the stadium, and that it was actually quite remarkable that Matsui did so well for someone who had never played there before this season.
Matsui is a sound defense fielder (in any of the 3 fields) who has to deal on a regular basis with Yankee Stadium's left field which is also a very difficult field during daytime games. His arm is not a great asset, but he compensates for this weakness with his sound basics, and he has favourably surprised many Yankee fans with how fast he gets rid of the baseball after he catches it out there on left field. He has saved many runs with his quick release. And by the way, this is his first year in the American League.
Matsui is a sound defense fielder (in any of the 3 fields) who has to deal on a regular basis with Yankee Stadium's left field which is also a very difficult field during daytime games. His arm is not a great asset, but he compensates for this weakness with his sound basics, and he has favourably surprised many Yankee fans with how fast he gets rid of the baseball after he catches it out there on left field. He has saved many runs with his quick release. And by the way, this is his first year in the American League.
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