Mr. Shoe "Hidekimania"

[Guest wsc425]

02/12/2003 5:47 pm ET

Hidekimania continues in Tampa

By Mark Feinsand / MLB.com

 

 

 

 

Hideki Matsui jogs in the outfield on Wednesday. (AP)

 

 

 

TAMPA, Fla. -- For the second consecutive day, Hideki Matsui turned a voluntary workout into a must-see event, as the Japanese slugger worked out at the Yankees' minor league complex.

Matsui took four rounds of batting practice, joining teammates Derek Jeter, Alfonso Soriano and Chris Widger. Matsui took 42 swings, but failed to hit a ball out of the park, scattering line drives to all fields.

 

"I got a lot of balls outside," Matsui said through an interpreter, "so I hit a lot to left field."

 

 

 

 

Hideki Matsui / OF

 

Height: 6'2"

Weight: 210

Bats/Throws: L/R

 

More info:

yankees.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Roughly three dozen Japanese media members and six camera crews were on hand for the workout, pressing against the fence each time Matsui lifted a ball into the air. Wearing a Yankees T-shirt, shorts and cap, Matsui followed his BP session with outfield drills, working with Yankees rookie Marcus Thames.

 

"He's got a good swing," Jeter said. "I don't know how much he's been hitting the last few weeks, but he looks like he's fine. I'm not a hitting coach, but from what I've seen, he looks good."

 

On Tuesday, Yankees manager Joe Torre said that he planned to talk to Matsui about his typical spring conditioning program. Japanese training camp is about two weeks longer than it is in the Majors, and Torre said he would discuss with Matsui how many at-bats he feels he needs to be ready for the season.

 

Matsui said Wednesday that while he appreciates the offer, he doesn't plan on doing anything differently from the rest of his new teammates.

 

"I would like to try to adjust to the American way," Matsui said. "I'm happy that Mr. Torre said that, but to me, I'd like to try to adjust first and adapt to the American style of Spring Training."

 

 

 

When the workout ended, the media rushed to the side of the field to talk to Matsui, who conducted sessions with both the Japanese and American media. Jeter also met the media, something he has been doing since his rookie season in 1996.

 

"We saw a little of this when (Hideki) Irabu first came here, and obviously when we played against Seattle with Ichiro. But this is going to be an everyday thing," Jeter said of the media crush. "From what I understand, he's pretty used to it. This is what he dealt with every day when he played in Japan. I don't think it will be a distraction. We've played in big games when a lot of media has been around, so we'll learn to deal with it."

 

Jeter said that while the language barrier makes communication difficult, he and his teammates are having some fun with Matsui during batting practice.

 

 

 

 

Derek Jeter / SS

 

Height: 6'3"

Weight: 195

Bats/Throws: R/R

 

More info:

Player page

Stats

Hit chart

yankees.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I'm learning a little bit. We have a long way to go, so hopefully I'll learn a little Japanese," Jeter said. "It's an adjustment for him, even taking baseball away. Coming here from Japan, it's an adjustment just with the language barrier. Getting accustomed to a different lifestyle, different restaurants, all kinds of things. Then you add baseball on top of that, just talking to guys who have come from different teams, there's always an awkward period where you're trying to fit in. I always go out of my way to make new people feel more comfortable."

 

Jeter believes that he and his teammates will be able to get to know Matsui better than the enigmatic Irabu, because the outfielder will be spending more time with the position players than Irabu did.

 

"We'll have an opportunity to get a little closer to him," Jeter said. "You're doing a lot of things together all the time as opposed to a pitcher, who is doing things off to the side."

 

Jeter, who lives in Tampa in the offseason and has been working out at the complex for more than a week already, said he is looking forward to the first full-squad workout next week.

 

"I think everyone is a little anxious," Jeter said. "We have another few days and then we can get going. We had an extra month off this year."

 

Mark Feinsand is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.