Matsui GRAND SLAM !!!

It was a perfect way to start his career at Yankee Stadium. Matsui not only showed his HR swing, but also made a great play to save a run.

The slam was off a changeup too. Some like Gary Garland predicted he'd have trouble with that pitch in the majors. Twins pitcher Joe Mays has one of the best in MLB, so I guess Matsui is making Garland-san eat some crow.

Yup. It was a 3-2 count change-up. A lot of hitters would have been looking for a bases loaded 3-2 fastball, but Matsui must have taken advice on what Joe Mays' best pitch was. He seemed to be waiting for it.

I think it was more important to the Yankees and the MLB to realize that he is a great player with a high baseball IQ. Home runs are nice, but to be called a smart player is awesome!!! In some NY papers, he is drawing comparison to Paul O'Neill who was a terrific Yankee. He'll probably have similar numbers to those that O'Neill used to put up in his first year. .320, 25-30+ HRs (although I have been telling people around me that he'll hit 40+). Let's keep out fingers crossed!

I was thinking that that annoying radio guy discussed on another thread deserved to have a freshly cooked crow sent to the studio. Are there crows for the hunting in Central Park?

Yes! and AMEN!

I never saw a crow in NY. You hear crow crying everywhere in Japan. You never hear that sound Kah Kah Kah.

- I never saw a crow in NY. You hear crow crying everywhere in Japan. You never hear that sound Kah Kah Kah.

This is off-topic, but I used to climb up Ikeda Mountain, near Ogaki, with a friend who lived in the town. Those d*** cicadas bugged the h*** out of me. When you're sweating up a steep, winding path, they sound like they're taunting you:

WAAAH-wah-wah-WAAAAAAAHHH!

God, I hate cicadas.

I have been listening to the 2 main 24 hour sports radio stations in NY. Michael Kay, who is also the Yankee TV announcer, has now admitted that Matsui is a better all around player than he was made to believe.

Mike Francesca, who considers himself the "Sports Doctor," hates to admit that he was wrong, so I expect him to blame other people for telling him that Matsui is a bad fielder.

I was so happy to see that Matsui's family was there to witness this event.

Opposing pitchers will think twice before walking Bernie Williams to face Matsui. Mays must have felt awful about walking Williams only to let in a grand slam.

Well, with one out and runner on second and third, the strategy was to induce Matsui to an inning ending double play. He had been topping several balls for ground outs, and Mays throws a sinker.

In tonight's game, Matsui went hitless with 2 ground outs. Thus his consecutive game hitting streak is over. But the Yankees still won. I will be going to the stadium to see Matsui tomorrow. Another cold day is expected.

Whatever he does from now on, he'll certainly be remembered.

I have heard and seen crows in NY. In a place called Westchester to be exact. They are smaller and scare easier than the Japanese karasu. Karasu in Tokyo can get quite nasty when breeding season comes.

Anyway, Matsui went 3 for 4 today with a double that drove in the only two runs the Yankees scored in the 2-0 win. He is now hitting .316.

Yes, I live in that crow county of Westchester.

I was at the Yankee game today. Despite being a weekday afternoon, game there had 29,000 people.

I did not see too many Japanese people. There was one guy wearing a Yomiuri Giants' shirt. He kiddingly booed Matsui when he made an out his first time up. But later on he was cheering him loudly. The American fans sitting near me seemed surprised at the all around talent that Matsui has displayed so far. I think he will eventually win over the tough NY fans.

Another productive game for Matsui! I watched it via satelite from San Francisco.

Just came back from the Giants' game. Nomo lost to the giants 2-1. No run support as the rookie, Ainsworth, shut down the Dodger bats. SF is 9-1!

I am hoping Kazuo Matsui will come to the Bay Area next year since the A's Tejada & Giants' Aurilia are FAs.

As for Godzilla, I don't feel satisfied when he doesn't homer, even though he went 3 for 4 w/ 2 RBI. Pitchers are not challenging him with the high heat, like I thought they would. They're giving him a lot of junk and he's driving it the other way with authority. I don't think pitchers have made any mistakes w/ matsui yet - or he would have a few more HRs. His only HR came off a 3-2 count with the bases loaded and no where to put him.

Still, pitchers are making good pitches and Matsui is managing to hit them. Over .300 avg. and ten RBI in 9 games!

I can understand your frustration about Matsui not hitting more HRs. BUT, I think he is doing the right thing. He knows how important it is to adjust in the beginning. He'll be fine.

I live in Mamaroneck, Westchester County, but haven't heard it yet. Maybe since I live closer to the water I see more seagulls than crow? But yeah I think crows in Tokyo are the nastiest of all.

Anyway, good luck to Matsui in this awful weather.

I live in Dobbs Ferry where there are more hills. The crows like to eat the dead animals on the roads. I have family in Kobe. The crows are nasty there too.

The weather in NY is nasty today, but it is suppose to be better next week. I am scheduled to go see Matsui on Monday and Tuesday against Toronto.

Do you mean that you are from Kobe and yet a Giants fan? The home of Rokkoh Oroshi?

No, my Grandfather was a player for the Hanshin Tigers. So my family were Tiger fans. But I was a Hankyu Braves' fan because they played at Nishinomiya. I was never a Giant fan, but I do support my fellow country men, especially one that plays for my current favorite team - the Yankees.

I was so disappointed in Irabu. I actually went to 5 of his starts at Yankee Stadium during his first year.

Where are you from?

The Yankees are the best with Matsui's grand slam.

I predicted that this will happen. There was no doubt in my mind that he wouldn't.

On the changeup that Matsui drilled into the seats for the slam, Mays hung that pitch, and even if Matsui got fooled on it a little bit (which he didn't), his tremendous bat speed would have still allowed him to drive it out of the yard. What Matsui has proved so far is that he is a great mistake hitter (which I've said in the past, so this isn't a surprise).

But two things that he's doing better this season than he did the last time I saw him play (2001), is that he keeps his weight back better and he has improved his ability to inside out the ball the other way. The single he hit in his first game, which was on a pitch down and away, the weakest part of the zone for him in the past, was very encouraging. Consequently, while he won't put up Sosa or even Adam Dunn homer numbers (and that isn't intended as a knock on Dunn, who I really like a lot), he could very well be Japan's answer to Garrett Anderson (albeit with a better OBP) if he continues to evolve. Matsui is 3-5 with the bases loaded already this season and I hope he keeps it up.

And I will gladly take my crow yakitori style, if that's okay. On the other hand, though, the season is still young.