Anyone else read the SI story about this guy? He looks like yet another terrific ballplayer from Japan that'll get us all argumentative about the RotY voting. He's a terrific fielder, consistently a .300+ hitter, has 20-homer power and scariest of all, according to no less than Ichiro himself, Kaz is FASTER than Ichiro. Mah gawd.
Rumour has him going to either LA, Seattle or the Mets, so for once I'm actually glad for Derek Jeter's existence; I wouldn't want the Yankees to snatch up this guy too.
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The paper here is saying that the Mets are chasing him pretty hardcore. Last I read, they threw him a 3 year, $20 million offer. He said he'd have a decision where to go by winter meetings, aren't those this week?
Apparently, if this were to happen, the Mets would move Reyes to second, a change "sources say" he's been amenable to. I think these two up and comers in the infield could provide some of the energy the Mets need right now to get them working again.
As for the plate, I wouldn't expect as many home runs out of him, since the pitching in Japan is mostly off-speed pitches, as opposed to the powerful fastballs that rule the game here. This is cited as the main reason why Hideki Matsui didn't hit as many homers for the Yanks as he did for the Yomiuri Giants. But if one Matsui can adapt and be a different kind of valuable hitter, then so can this one.
I'd like to see the Mets do well again, so if Kazuo Matsui can help make that happen, then I say bring him to Flushing.
Gammons is reporting the deal is done and he will sign the contract tomorrow.
if Matsui is really faster than Ichiro would also give the Mets a lead off hitter and some speed which they haven't had in a while. Even when they had Cedeno for the first time and he stole 50 bases he wasn't that good of a leadoff hitter.
I thought all the rookies, Reyes, Wigginton, and Phillips were playing well towards the end of the season, espeically once Piazza got back in the lineup. Maybe with them improving, Matsui, Piazza, and Floyd they will do alright. Like maybe they'll finish ahead of Montreal.
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Originally posted by QuezzyGammons is reporting the deal is done and he will sign the contract tomorrow.
if Matsui is really faster than Ichiro would also give the Mets a lead off hitter and some speed which they haven't had in a while. Even when they had Cedeno for the first time and he stole 50 bases he wasn't that good of a leadoff hitter.
I thought all the rookies, Reyes, Wigginton, and Phillips were playing well towards the end of the season, espeically once Piazza got back in the lineup. Maybe with them improving, Matsui, Piazza, and Floyd they will do alright. Like maybe they'll finish ahead of Montreal.
Well, yeah... they've got their infield all set (Piazza/Reyes/MatSUI!/Wigginton), plop Phillips at catcher, then Floyd and... I don't remember their other two OF's. That's a competitive team everywhere but the NL (or AL, really) East. Dig up some pitching, and there ya go.
Originally posted by drjayphdthen Floyd and... I don't remember their other two OF's.
That's still their problem, they've been very weak as far as outfields go for a while now. I think Timo Perez played some on occasion, Cedeno I think was a starter for a while but I believe he got benched for a while. Shinjo played some too but I think he's gone this year. And another rookie Raul Gonzalez played some. And of course the Burnitz experiment didn't work out.
And Floyd only played about 100 games last year. If he can play a whole season then atleast they'll get production out of one player.
https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/28476780/astros-jeff-luhnow-aj-hinch-fired-sign-stealing Wow. A year ban, AND get fired too? This sucks for Astros fans. But this will also put a spotlight on every other team "suspected" of stealing signs.