4/30/12 Update: According to MLB Trade Rumors, Hideki Matsui is now officially a Ray…or a Durham Bull, whatever.
Of the acquisition, Rays executive VP of baseball operations Andrew Friedman had this to say,
“Over the past two decades, Hideki has been one of the most consistently productive hitters in the world. We are happy to add his ability, approach and professionalism to our organization.”
MLB Trade Rumors is reporting that a minor league deal between the Rays and Hideki Matsui (formerly of the Yankees, Angels, and A’s) is imminent. Matsui, 37, posted a .251/.321/.375 line with 12 home runs and 28 doubles in 585 plate appearances in 2011. However in the second half of the season he finished strong, posting a .295/.353/.425 line. Over the last nine years Matsui has posted a .285/.363/.467/.830 line with 173 career home runs and 753 RBI’s.
According to Marc Topkin of the Times,
Matsui would likely go to extended spring training in Port Charlotte then report to Triple-A Durham providing, at the least, insurance if current DH Luke Scott were to sustain an injury.
This isn’t a horrible move. And though the terms of the contract haven’t been released, it could be assumed that Friedman and Co. got him on the cheap…which is a plus. However, with Johnny Damon only making $1.25 MM this season with the Indians, why didn’t the Rays just re-sign Damon and place him in the same insurance role? I’d have to wonder if Damon’s off-season comments were enough to burn the bridge between he and the Rays organization? But that’s neither here or now.
In the end, as with the Brandon Allen acquisition, the Matsui acquisition is all about bolstering depth in places where Tampa Bay may lacking; insurance, if you will, if Luke Scott gets injured, or Brandon Allen doesn’t work out. I also tend to think it gives the Rays an opportunity to clear out some dead wood on the roster if and when it’s necessary, similarly to how the Allen acquisition found Reid Brignac in AAA. Any-who, with an .696 OPS, and (again) with the assumption that Matsui will be signed on the cheap, I really don’t see a downside with this move.