Hideki Matsui

[HuskyCaucasian]

Cowley:

shhh... dont quote him!

[chw42]

Jon Heyman-

told #whitesox not going for hideki #matsui, despite internet whispers. theyre looking for leadoff: podsednik, pierre, crisp?

 

Isn't Cowley like traveling with Kenny and Ozzie? He might know more.

[MiddleCoastBias]

He is loyal to New York and would like to stay there. It is much different with Japanese players, more often than not, they have a loyalty to their organization that most American born ball-players don't have anymore.

 

Matsui is currently the Yankees plan B and will still be an option, but the priority in New York is to sign Damon as the DH and if that happens, Matsui's two main suitors will be the Angels and Sox.

 

I just fear if the Sox wait on Hideki the Angels will jump into the picture after failing to land one or both of Lackey/Bay and will have more to offer Hideki than the Sox (financially).

I've seen this mentioned elsewhere but I have yet to get a good reason why they prefer Damon over Matsui for DH. I think it's apparent that Matsui is a better hitter; Matsui bested Damon in most major statistics for a DH last year (OPS, HR, avg.). Is it the age thing, long-term goals, cost?

 

I ask because a couple weeks back when it wasn't clear who the Yanks would retain, I recall some people saying they would much rather have Matsui as a DH, and now the Yankees are going to other direction. What am I missing?

[chetkincaid]

Kenny has said a lot regarding Milton Bradley. Although he said they weren't a fit or he didn't see him as a fit, there could be a bit more to this.

 

Clearly Bradley can play, but the Cubs would need to do much more than just take on Linebrinks contract, imo.

 

 

Kenny weighs in on Milton

Posted by Bruce on Wed, 12/09/2009 - 14:54

INDIANAPOLIS _ No, the White Sox are not the so-called mystery team in on Milton Bradley. Sox GM Kenny Williams was asked about Bradley this afternoon during his session with local reporters. Next, Kenny was off to a fun encounter with the Japanese media. More on that in a minute.

 

First, Kenny on Milton:

 

"You know, the funny thing is, I've had the pleasure of talking to Milton in the past, and it saddens me to a great extent, actually, some of the situations that he's been put in or he's put himself in. I'd like to see this guy just be able to go out there without all of the distractions and everything and do what he can do because this guy can play. He can play. I don't know that I see a fit for us, and I probably shouldn't even be talking about him because he's not our player. But he can play. Milton Bradley can play. It's too bad because he's a really a more thoughtful person, and he's a better person than I think it's been portrayed or he's shown, however the hell it's manifested itself. It's too bad."

 

With that, Kenny said he'd stay out of Cubs business.

 

 

I wholeheartedly agree. Bring him on aboard, KW...

[shago]

Can we please take a step back for a moment ... If we are seriously considering a dinosaur with bad knees who might be able to play RF, but mostly DH, then why in the would we not be interested in re-signing Jerry "I can rake other than 2H09" Dye?! Is a lefty more important than sexy??

 

Jerry Dye:

 

Year Team AB R H HR RBI BB SB BA OBP SLG

2009: CHW 503 78 126 27 81 64 0 0.2505 0.3397 0.4533

3yr avg: CHW 534 81 142 30 85 51 2 0.2659 0.3333 0.4963

 

GODZILLLLA:

 

Year Team AB R H HR RBI BB SB BA OBP SLG

2009: NYY 456 62 125 28 90 64 0 0.2741 0.3669 0.5088

3yr avg: NYY 447 68 127 21 79 58 1 0.2841 0.3672 0.4832

[beautox]

i wouldnt mind bradley or matsui coming over to the sox as a DH.

 

As for crisp i would welcome him over podsednik his defense in LF would be a nice addition with our pitching staff and he has the potential to be a 750+ OPS player at the top of the order.

 

I would also like to see the sox pursue duchscherer as a pen option and rich hill as minor league LH depth with the potential to be a good LOOGY. I realize Justin is battling clinical depression and hill is battling a case of the suck but both moves strike me as moves the brass of this organization would make.

[Balta1701]

I'd like to point out from your own stats there that both last year and over the past 3 years, Matsui had a higher OPS than JD. You just argued that Matsui would be an upgrade, in addition to being a lefty.

[Chisoxfn]

I'd like to point out from your own stats there that both last year and over the past 3 years, Matsui had a higher OPS than JD. You just argued that Matsui would be an upgrade, in addition to being a lefty.

He also had a significantly higher OBP if I read those stats correctly.

[shago]

He also had a significantly higher OBP if I read those stats correctly.

 

30bps meaningful, but dont discount the fielding ... Matsui is toast, JD's numbers would increase if he was simply DHing like Godzilla, and most importantly, is not nearly as sexy.

 

Might also be cheaper -- not sure about that

[Kalapse]

Can we please take a step back for a moment ... If we are seriously considering a dinosaur with bad knees who might be able to play RF, but mostly DH, then why in the would we not be interested in re-signing Jerry "I can rake other than 2H09" Dye?! Is a lefty more important than sexy??

 

Jerry Dye:

 

Year Team AB R H HR RBI BB SB BA OBP SLG

2009: CHW 503 78 126 27 81 64 0 0.2505 0.3397 0.4533

3yr avg: CHW 534 81 142 30 85 51 2 0.2659 0.3333 0.4963

 

GODZILLLLA:

 

Year Team AB R H HR RBI BB SB BA OBP SLG

2009: NYY 456 62 125 28 90 64 0 0.2741 0.3669 0.5088

3yr avg: NYY 447 68 127 21 79 58 1 0.2841 0.3672 0.4832

Dye has put up an OPS right around .800 in 2 of the last 3 seasons where as Matsui in the 4 non-injury shortened seasons out of the last 6 hasn't had an OPS under .855 and is coming off a season in which he put up a .378 wOBA. Dye's wOBA over the past 3 seasons: .355, Matsui's: .367.

 

And reason #1: Jermaine Dye does not want to DH.

[Melissa1334]

Can we please take a step back for a moment ... If we are seriously considering a dinosaur with bad knees who might be able to play RF, but mostly DH, then why in the would we not be interested in re-signing Jerry "I can rake other than 2H09" Dye?! Is a lefty more important than sexy??

 

Jerry Dye:

 

Year Team AB R H HR RBI BB SB BA OBP SLG

2009: CHW 503 78 126 27 81 64 0 0.2505 0.3397 0.4533

3yr avg: CHW 534 81 142 30 85 51 2 0.2659 0.3333 0.4963

 

GODZILLLLA:

 

Year Team AB R H HR RBI BB SB BA OBP SLG

2009: NYY 456 62 125 28 90 64 0 0.2741 0.3669 0.5088

3yr avg: NYY 447 68 127 21 79 58 1 0.2841 0.3672 0.4832

jerry? yea theres a difference. matsui wont play the field much, he'll mostly just dh and dye only wants to play the field and he cant though

[Kalapse]

30bps meaningful, but dont discount the fielding ... Matsui is toast, JD's numbers would increase if he was simply DHing like Godzilla, and most importantly, is not nearly as sexy.

 

Might also be cheaper -- not sure about that

Really? Because the opposite tends to happen.

 

Matsui probably is toast in the field but so is Jermaine and only 1 of them is willing to accept a primary designated hitting role.

 

So Matsui is the better hitter, left handed, will bring in all new revenue streams through Japanese advertisers and unlike JD he is actually willing to limit his time in the outfield. Sounds like an easy decision to me.

[SoxAce]

30bps meaningful, but dont discount the fielding ... Matsui is toast, JD's numbers would increase if he was simply DHing like Godzilla, and most importantly, is not nearly as sexy.

 

Hell, even if you count the fielding, which both are terrible, but Matsui actually sucks less than JD does. And I'm not sure how "sexy" JD is from Matsui, but I'm sure both are good, happily married men.

Edited December 9, 2009 by SoxAce

[Chisoxfn]

30bps meaningful, but dont discount the fielding ... Matsui is toast, JD's numbers would increase if he was simply DHing like Godzilla, and most importantly, is not nearly as sexy.

 

Might also be cheaper -- not sure about that

I don't think you can simply assume someones numbers will improve as a primary DH. It has been pointed out that numerous players struggle in their roles when they are exclusively used as DH's. Some can excel in that role, but I don't know if Dye is that sort of guy.

 

 

[shago]

Really? Because the opposite tends to happen.

 

Matsui probably is toast in the field but so is Jermaine and only 1 of them is willing to accept a primary designated hitting role.

 

Alright, alright, I tried...

...at least our hat, t-shirt sales, and tv coverage would increase

[MattZakrowski]

Really? Because the opposite tends to happen.

 

Not doubting you, but where have you seen this?

[Soxbadger]

Frank Thomas going from 1b to DH.

 

Thats where weve all seen it.

 

Although it could be due to injury, age, but there are some pretty big name players who just didnt do as well when they only were dh.

[Kalapse]

Not doubting you, but where have you seen this?

Could be a number of places, I'll try to find it.

[kwolf68]

 

Matsui WANTS to play the outfield and will go to a team that gives him that chance (if one does). I saw where Oakland could be a sleeper for him.

[ptatc]

Matsui WANTS to play the outfield and will go to a team that gives him that chance (if one does). I saw where Oakland could be a sleeper for him.

 

We know how Beane values defense. Oakland would let him play shortstop if he agreed to what they could pay him.

[Kenny Hates Prospects]

We know how Beane values defense. Oakland would let him play shortstop if he agreed to what they could pay him.

I don't know if I'd go that far. They paid Ellis who is pretty much a glove man when they could have let him bolt and they've been running out much better OF defenses than we have been for quite a while. When's the last time the A's had an everyday CF as bad as Pods or a RF as bad as Dye?

[witesoxfan]

We know how Beane values defense. Oakland would let him play shortstop if he agreed to what they could pay him.

 

Beane values defense very highly. No one is paying a premium price for good defensive players, so Beane is going to find said defensive players and plug them into his lineup, hoping they'll hit (and Rajai Davis was one of those guys that did hit this year).

[Kalapse]

Beane values defense very highly. No one is paying a premium price for good defensive players, so Beane is going to find said defensive players and plug them into his lineup, hoping they'll hit (and Rajai Davis was one of those guys that did hit this year).

Ryan Sweeney, Mark Ellis, Jack Hannahan.

[chunk23]

Frank Thomas going from 1b to DH.

 

Thats where weve all seen it.

 

Although it could be due to injury, age, but there are some pretty big name players who just didnt do as well when they only were dh.

 

 

I think it's more likely that the numbers decline because players typically become DHs when they leave their prime, have too many injuries, and just aren't as effective as players. Becoming a DH is a result of that, not the cause.

[Kyyle23]

Frank Thomas going from 1b to DH.

 

Thats where weve all seen it.

 

Although it could be due to injury, age, but there are some pretty big name players who just didnt do as well when they only were dh.

 

Lets not forget that Thomas still had a MVP stolen from him when he became fulltime DH in 2000 and his first year in Oakland he put up damn near MVP numbers yet again, so it wasnt as if his numbers fell off a cliff when he went to DH. If it wasnt for his fragile feet.....