Comments on: Hideki Matsui might play in the outfield next week

By: deathmonkey41

deathmonkey41 — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 19:38:43 +0000

“but the bat speed just isn’t there anymore”

Wait, I thought bat speed came back as your reached your mid- 30′s? Is that not how it normally works?

By: royalsfaninfargo

royalsfaninfargo — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 17:13:33 +0000

Matsui in the outfield? Ouch! Maybe his highlights should be included in the DVD release of “Moneyball”. I kid, I kid!

By: dwishinsky

dwishinsky — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 15:41:39 +0000

Since Melvin’s been around he’s been hitting. So the OPS you bring up largely shows what Matsui in a bizarre and poorly utilized P/T role does. I agree he isn’t the ballplayer he was before but by the same token he also isn’t the ballplayer we’ve seen this year.

By: APBA Guy

APBA Guy — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 15:28:57 +0000

Of course, the A’s have a potentially excellent defensive outfield they can play every day, with Sweeney, DeJesus, and Crisp. Their respective OPS’ are .699, .680, and .676. Matsui at .639 is actually a downgrade both offensively and defensively. So why do this?

Real answer: they are giving Matsui his last chance, basically saying we’ll play you in the field every day to see if that works (ie, gets you to start hitting) because if you don’t, there’s the door.

Unfortunate. He’s a classy guy, always has been, but the bat speed just isn’t there anymore.

By: Alex K

Alex K — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 15:03:06 +0000

*I’m stealing this from yankeesfanlen*

You didn’t have to shorten the headline. It should read “Hideki Matsui might play in the outfield next week, atrociously.