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Yankees bet on Granderson after Matsui
Source: Agencies |
December 19, 2009, Saturday
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SLUGGER Hideki Matsui will be missed by the World Series champion Yankees after joining the Los Angeles Angels, the New York club's owner and its highest-paid player said on Thursday.
Knee injuries prevented Japanese Matsui from playing in the outfield and the Yankees decided to replace him with a younger player, introducing 28-year-old center-fielder Curtis Granderson at a news conference.
Yet the impact made by Matsui, who won World Series MVP honours last season after driving in six runs in the championship-clinching victory over Philadelphia, was clear.
"As much as I try not to get emotional in business, he was a great Yankee and just a great man," Yankees managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner told reporters about the 35-year-old Matsui.
"But change I think is inevitable and from time to time it's a pretty healthy thing. We're going to miss him no doubt, but I really like the direction we're heading in and I really like the move (adding Granderson)."
Clean-up hitter Alex Rodriguez said Matsui was a big part of the lineup which ended the Yankees' nine-year title drought. Rodriguez said the top order might function differently without Matsui and Johnny Damon, who is a free agent yet to sign with a club.
"One through four in our lineup, I don't think there was a better lineup in baseball, what we did together," he said.
"And obviously Matsui protecting me," A-Rod said about the slugger, who usually hit fifth in the order. "I just felt we could do a lot of different things to good pitching.
"Matsui is a professional hitter. When I walked and got on base he made guys pay. Obviously, Game Six (of the World Series) was a perfect example of that."
Granderson will add athleticism, Rodriguez said.
"But how that affects your offense is to be determined over the next eight months," he added.
"In a perfect world we would love to have every guy back.
"Unfortunately, there is the business side of things."
Meanwhile, the New York Mets have signed Japanese relief pitcher Ryota Igarashi to a two-year contract.
Igarashi, 30, was 47-29 with 54 saves and a 3.25 earned run average for the Yakult Swallows of the Japanese Central League from 1999-2009.
He recorded 630 strikeouts in 570 innings for an average of 9.95 strikeouts per nine innings.
"We've had an interest in Ryota for two years," Mets general manager Omar Minaya said in a statement.
"He's got a power arm and an outstanding split-finger."
Knee injuries prevented Japanese Matsui from playing in the outfield and the Yankees decided to replace him with a younger player, introducing 28-year-old center-fielder Curtis Granderson at a news conference.
Yet the impact made by Matsui, who won World Series MVP honours last season after driving in six runs in the championship-clinching victory over Philadelphia, was clear.
"As much as I try not to get emotional in business, he was a great Yankee and just a great man," Yankees managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner told reporters about the 35-year-old Matsui.
"But change I think is inevitable and from time to time it's a pretty healthy thing. We're going to miss him no doubt, but I really like the direction we're heading in and I really like the move (adding Granderson)."
Clean-up hitter Alex Rodriguez said Matsui was a big part of the lineup which ended the Yankees' nine-year title drought. Rodriguez said the top order might function differently without Matsui and Johnny Damon, who is a free agent yet to sign with a club.
"One through four in our lineup, I don't think there was a better lineup in baseball, what we did together," he said.
"And obviously Matsui protecting me," A-Rod said about the slugger, who usually hit fifth in the order. "I just felt we could do a lot of different things to good pitching.
"Matsui is a professional hitter. When I walked and got on base he made guys pay. Obviously, Game Six (of the World Series) was a perfect example of that."
Granderson will add athleticism, Rodriguez said.
"But how that affects your offense is to be determined over the next eight months," he added.
"In a perfect world we would love to have every guy back.
"Unfortunately, there is the business side of things."
Meanwhile, the New York Mets have signed Japanese relief pitcher Ryota Igarashi to a two-year contract.
Igarashi, 30, was 47-29 with 54 saves and a 3.25 earned run average for the Yakult Swallows of the Japanese Central League from 1999-2009.
He recorded 630 strikeouts in 570 innings for an average of 9.95 strikeouts per nine innings.
"We've had an interest in Ryota for two years," Mets general manager Omar Minaya said in a statement.
"He's got a power arm and an outstanding split-finger."
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