Godzilla celebrates in high style
Posted by: Peter Abraham - Posted in Misc on Jun 13, 2008 
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The Japanese media – all 30 of them – gave Hideki Matsui a giant cake before the game with 34 spelled out in strawberries.
Matsui thanked his pals but declined a piece. He had bigger birthday plans in mind.
His slam in the sixth inning marked the third time he has homered on his birthday. The others were in 1996 and 1998 while he was playing in Japan.
“I don’t remember that,†he said through his translator, Roger Kahlon. “When I was in Japan. I was probably pretty busy after the game on my birthday. That’s what I remember.â€
The homer was all Andy Pettitte needed. He retired the final 12 batters he faced, fanning five of them. Check out these Pettitte facts and figures:
* He now has 170 wins as a Yankee, matching Ron Guidry. The Gator, of course, was a lefty from Louisiana. When Pettitte was drafted by the Yankees way back in 1990, his father called Guidry to ask his opinion about signing. The rest is history.
* Of Pettitte’s 207 wins, 52 have been saved by Mariano Rivera. The only starter-closer duo with more victories is Oakland’s Bob Welch and Dennis Eckersley, who combined for 55. Rivera, by the way, has saves in the last 10 road victories for the Yankees. He has not allowed a run in a save situation this season, 19 innings.
Pete –
great post as always –
I would be interested in knowing how much english matsui knows at this point. When he is bantering with his teammates it seems like he is totally fluent and I have read that his ‘translator’ has the easiest job in the world!
Hideki has been a wonderful yankee on the field, if you could let us know more about the ‘guy’ that would be interesting imho.
Matsui hits well when Pettitte starts. Andy was the starter when Matsui hit the very first Grand Slam on the opening day in 2003. Also, when Matsui became the first Japanese player to hit a home run (3-run-homer) in a World Series (Game 2), guess who the starter was…Andy Pettitte!
TKinDC, I also wonder how much Hideki speaks and understand English too. In the postgame, I noticed when Kim Jones said Kenny was trying to say Happy Birthday in Japanese, Hideki started chuckling before his translator said it in Japanese. He obviously understood that.
I love Hideki, he’s such a great Yankee. All class and all clutch.
Wow I just got around to watching the Laker game. Unreal! Lakers just lost any chance they had.
Dee – I think he speaks ok and understands all!
Interesting post at the NTIMES bats: http://bats.blogs.nytimes.com/?8dpc
Those Vandy grads get it done (arts&sciences ’94)
Dee – I think he speaks ok and understands all!
Interesting post at the NTIMES bats:
(apparently I cannot post the link – argh!)
Those Vandy grads get it done (arts&sciences ’94)
Not bad for a spare part. (j/k Pete!)
2nd attempt at posting link to bats blog on nytimes.com
http://bats.blogs.nytimes.com/.....press-box/
Matsui doesn’t want his interpreter to lose his job. Plus, his interview will be aired in Japan as well.
Girardi allowed cake in the clubhouse?
mel -
tough but fair – pete floated a trade baloon.
alas, I think it is in the job description. I mean what kind of idiot would list a young all-star like cano as available?
(intentionally provoking scads of Cano-haters!)
Girardi allowed cake in the clubhouse?
must have smuggled it in
Did Mussina volunteer to eat Matsui’s birthday cake for him?
“Did Mussina volunteer to eat Matsui’s birthday cake for him?”
Hell no! When Moose tried to cut a slice for the young players, Girardi launched himself at the cake to avoid any contamination of the Yanks.
According to the Ny Times, the cake remained outside the clubhouse:
“….about 30 Japanese reporters greeted him in the parking lot with a strawberry shortcake for his 34th birthday…”
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/articl.....8;c_id=nyy
News on Hughes.
News on IPK
News on Abba Dabba
““When I was in Japan. I was probably pretty busy after the game on my birthday. That’s what I remember.—
Heh heh heh.
rbj – LMAO, I never thought of it that way. I’m sure Matsui has no problem with the ladies.
Bad newa about alba la day ho, i think,thats it?
34 spelled out in strawberries? Where’s Sparky Lyle when you need him!
Perhaps Girardi tried to invite Sparky Lyle to the birthday party. Great Yankee tradition, and perhaps it would give yet another baseball meaning to the term “strawberry”.
bigjf — you beat me on Sparky by a nanosecond. Congrats!
Sasuga na, Matsui-san!
Souieba, tanjoubi omedetou!
test