Remembering How Great Hideki Matsui Was When He Came Over From Japan To Win As A Yankee
I’d like to reflect back on how awesome Hideki Matsui was as a New York Yankee. It’s crazy how widely revered he was and how lovable he became. To this day, when former players return to the stadium for ceremonies, Matsui gets the second loudest ovation, next to only Derek Jeter. He was easily one of my favorite Yankees growing up and that’s because he was never afraid of the big moment.
Godzilla chose the Yankees over the Mets and Orioles when he came overseas because he said he always wanted to be a Yankee. He wanted to win CHAMPIONSHIPS. He wanted to play for the BEST in the BIG MARKET and wasn’t afraid of the SPOTLIGHT. He was beloved over in Japan and many were devastated to seem him go. They threw him a fucking going away party to honor what he’d do for Japanese baseball. He was a legend, but wanted to win in America. In his first game in The Bronx, he delivered in grand fashion.
It was love at first sight. He went on to get big hit after big hit, becoming a guy you would never want to face as an opposing team. Carrabis says that Matsui was easily one of the more terrifying guys to see at the plate for the Yankees. He just always came through. In Game 7 of the ’03 ALCS, he kept the rally going against Pedro in the 8th.
He later read Posada’s bloop single perfectly and came around to tie the game, sending The Bronx into a frenzy. In the World Series, after collecting three hits in Game 1’s loss, Matsui made sure to give the Yankees a jolt in Game 2.
In the 2004 Postseason, Matsui was a menace, hitting .412 with three homers and 13 RBIs in 11 games
In 2009, he decided it was time to carry this team to a World Series victory. During the 15 games in October and late November, Godzilla mashed at a .349 clip with four homers and 13 RBIs. In the clinching Game 6, he erupted.
He won World Series MVP, becoming the first Japanese born player to do so. He also became the third player in baseball history to hit three homers and bat over .500 in a single World Series, joining two bums named Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig.
He’ll always be one of the favorites that played for the Yankees in the 21st century. He came over from Japan and made the transition seamless, embracing the spotlight and thriving in it. I loved Hideki Matsui. Players who come over from Japan should learn from what he did and how he did it.
“My first and foremost goal when I joined the Yankees was to win the world championship. Certainly it’s been a long road and very difficult journey. But I’m just happy that after all these years we were able to win and reach the goal that I had come here for.”- Hideki Matsui
Wanna really know why I’m so pissed about the Ohtani news? It’s not that he didn’t choose the Yankees. We can’t get everyone we want and not everyone is born to be a Yankee. It’s the fact that after collecting all this international pool money FOR HIM and saying they were all-in as an organization FOR HIM that he didn’t even take the time to sit down with us. Not allowing Matsui and Tanaka and the other Yankees we would’ve had represent the brand to persuade him how great it is to play for these fans. To not even have us on your list is just a slap in the face after all of this stuff we’ve gone through to get to this point. That’s why my grudge game has been completely turned all the way up. Fuck this guy