Setback for Matsui in Florida
Posted by: Peter Abraham - Posted in Misc on Jul 15, 2008 
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This is trouble. The latest from the AP in Tampa:
Injured Yankees outfielders Hideki Matsui and Johnny Damon could be sidelined longer than first expected.
Matsui did not hit Tuesday after experiencing additional discomfort in his sore left knee. The Yankees had hoped he might be ready to return when eligible to come off the 15-day disabled list on Friday.
“Perhaps you can say so, it’s a short-term setback,†Matsui said through a translator at the Yankees’ minor league complex. “I’m going to hit tomorrow, that’s the plan anyway.â€
Damon, eligible to be activated from the DL on Sunday, continues to have soreness in his injured left shoulder, and won’t likely start hitting off a tee until at least late this week. He underwent treatment only on Tuesday.
“It feels a little better today,†Damon said. “It still feels horrible waking up. I’m still kind of down because I know (Yankees manager Joe) Girardi wants to put me in the lineup on Sunday and I’m not sure we can do that.â€
There is no date for when Matsui might start a running program, a key step before playing in minor league rehab games.
Should Matsui’s knee not respond, surgery could be an option. His goal remains avoiding surgery and returning to the team.
“At this point right now, it’s hard to say,†Matsui said. “You try, believing that you’re going to be able to go back this season. If it comes to the point where I have to decide surgery, then that’s that.â€
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No, Barry Bonds isn’t coming. He hasn’t faced a pitch in 10 months, he’s under indictment and his statistics from last season are skewed because of the lineup he was in and all the intentional walks he received. Oh, and he’s probably not on performance-enhancing drugs any more.
Beyond that, where do you presume to play him? Left field?
The Yankees have all the DHs they need, thanks. Yankee fans have to get used to the idea that all problems can’t be solved by plugging in old-timers.
Hello Mr. Bonds
For Pete’s sake (no pun intended) someone get Barry Bonds on the phone. We aren’t winning anything with Melky AND Gardner in the lineup every day.
Barry Bonds will never wear a Yankees uniform live w/ it.
forget Bonds
Pack up a few of those super duper future HOFers at SWB and get Holliday from Colorado.
Bonds is not playing for the Yankees.
Anyway, aren’t we trying to get away from the home run or nothing offense?
This is what happens when you rely on aging players to make major contributions to your lineup.
I really hope Melky and Gardner have a hot streak in them otherwise this will be a long second half.
Not looking too good for a big offensive rebound coming out of the All Star break. Bottom of the order will remain dead weight until one of those 2 gets back.
Jeter at leadoff for the timebeing and Gardner at #9.
As long as I dont see Cabrera, Molina, Gardner as our 7,8,9 guys EVERY game, I can live with it.
Wow. That guy in the last thread who said he read in a Japanese paper that Matsui was having problems wasn’t whistling dixie afterall.
Ray’s point about the aging lineup is a fair one. Especially in the “clean” MLB.
Im waiting Brian
Please…don’t even think about Bonds.
Big Stein would have had him signed yesterday, and screwed up the clubhouse for the rest of the year. I think the Hank-Hal-Cash team will not knee-jerk on this.
Lets see some of the kids come up. Baptism by fire.
I still think we need two starters first
Im waiting Brian
Keep waiting the day you come here is the day I stop following this team until your gone.
You would think that a lineup with Jeter,Abreu,Rodriguez,Giambi,Posada, and Cano at the top would be able to score a lot of runs regardless of who the 7,8,9 hitters are.
That’s still a murderers row and Cano lineup right there if all of those players play up to their capabilities.
Even with healthy outfielders, this team is challenged offensively. Teams are going to overpay for Nady/Bay, and Holliday should be off the radar since he can’t hit outside of Coors Field.
I wonder if any inquiries have been made about Ichiro Suzuki? He’d be perfect for this lineup, getting on base in the leadoff spot. He’s on a team that will be rebuilding through the tail end of his career, since he’s 34 now. Could he be available in a Seattle firesale?
Well Bonds actually gets on base nearly 50% of the time also, so I wouldn’t call that home run or nothing.
Holliday is very average outside of Coors, but this team needs to do something to contend in the second half – and it ain’t Sexson
i sensed that this was going to happen. i don’t really doubt damon will eventually be back, but if Matsui’s knee is not good by now, then how will it later on. and if it does start to get better, how long before he hurts it again. should start seriously considering 08 without Matsui.
Definite NO on Bonds
Bill Hall for Wilson Betemit ? He’d have a spot on the roster now for sure.
“I wonder if any inquiries have been made about Ichiro Suzuki? He’d be perfect for this lineup, getting on base in the leadoff spot.”
Getting on base has never exactly been Ichiro’s strong suit. He has a lifetime OBP of .330. He doesn’t walk nearly enough and he’s best attribute is making a lot of contact and beating out ground balls.
Last 3 years including this one his OPS+ is 106,122,103. Do you really want another wrong side of 30 player signed for the next 5 years who’s only slightly above average?
also a uty upgrade go get Mark Loretta from the Stros since they have no use for him w/ Kaz Matsui back.
Whoops, I’m wrong about Ichiro’s lifetime OBP. My point about his walking though still stands.
I just fear that when he slows down he’ll be a shell of what he once was.
maybe we bring back sean green from retirement?
or trade melky , kenedy for icherio
Barry it’s simple your a cancer, your media disaster, my players on this roster would have to answer question after question on your behalf, Fred Lewis a kid in SF that was looking for guidance couldn’t get that from you, the Giants locker room looking for leadership couldn’t get that from you, you are a side show act and literally I can say that from watching that disaster from far. Your also over 40 and had multiple injuries last season, this is the AL your not getting the BB respect here either.
Amen Barry. I do not see why all the resistance. (1)Bonds would be a short term solution for this year only; (2)Cashman does not seem to want to give up prospects for stars, let alone what seems to be available out there; (3) All Bonds would cost is money; (3) Bonds seemingly would play for near the minimum and according to his agent could be ready in 10 days; (4) There are no position players ready to call up and be of assistance.
Someone please tell me another reasonable alternative.
Im with Barry, Cashman, what are you waiting for?
“Definite NO on Bonds”
Matsui’s going to have balky knees all season. When his knees hurt, he starts rolling balls over to 2B ALL the time.
I’d get Bonds on the phone and see what he can offer this team. Holliday will be valued as a superstar, and he’s not. Nady will be valued as an 130 OPS+ player and he’s not. Get Bonds in front of live pitching NOW and sign him up for the prorated minimum. If he sucks, cut him. Even if his OBP is only .380, that’s still WAY better than our current #3 hitter.
Thank you for the update, Peter.
Yanks may need to add another bat or two. In the meantime, Jeter can remain in the lead-off spot for the remainder of the season.
Wow, an effective starter and one or two more batters with some pop….
“Bill Hall for Wilson Betemit ? He’d have a spot on the roster now for sure.”
1) Hall will piss and moan if he doesn’t play everday. He’s back to everday in Brewtown.
2) More importantly, you want to pay him $15.2M thru 2010?
3) Why on earth would the Brewers want a crap bag like Betemit? Salary dump?
Oh, Brother.
Barry, the US government hates you; can you beat them in the law game?
I know Barry, and I love that about you
Man, I wish Bonds wouldn’t cause a circus anywhere he went (especially NY)…but take away the distractions and he’s the perfect fit for filling in for a half year for us. He would just join in the DH/LF platoon role that Matsui had. Just shut down Matsui for the year and bring on Bonds. He might actually be a step up production wise too…even if he is a shadow of his former self, opposing teams would still pitch around him half the time and create better pitches for the rest of the lineup. Too bad it won’t happen due to all the extra crap that would come with signing him. *sigh*
Who else is an option to fill that void?? Usually we make a mid-season move that lights a fire in the team and we make the playoffs in the second half. I must admit, I feel we need to make the post season at all costs just because this is the final year in the stadium. Wouldn’t it be great if we won the WS this year?? We ain’t doing it with Melky and Gardner that’s for sure (not to mention our starters…but that’s a whole ‘nother can of worms).
1) Hall will piss and moan if he doesn’t play everday. He’s back to everday in Brewtown.
Is that an issue right now ?
2) More importantly, you want to pay him $15.2M thru 2010?
Just tell him it’s Mother’s Day and give him a pink bat
3) Why on earth would the Brewers want a crap bag like Betemit? Salary dump?
That and they want to move him.
Bonds has surely been blackballed if even the Yankees won’t sign him. Smacks of collusion to me. The man can still hit.
Francis Bill Hall is black too get away from the drug that is Barry Bonds.
Brandon:
Doesn’t seem like Cashman’s thing to trade for a low OBP guy who’s a little overpaid. He’s not much of an outfielder either. He probably should be a bench guy but he’s not paid like one.
Also think Milwaukee would seek pitching rather than garbage in return.
Funny all these posts about Bonds and drugs but Giambi is a golden boy now. And didn’t the Yankees hire Steve Howe after multiple cocaine binges? The hypocrisy is just rampant.
Bill Hall’s splits remind me of Sexson’s against righties/lefties…
Yanks should see what the Marlins would take for Josh Willingham.
It all begins and ends with starting pitching. Great pitching shuts down great hitting. The offense would not be as much of an issue if the Yankees had a least 1 great starter. Right now they have 1 good starter in Joba, who keeps them in games whenever he pitches, Mussina is good, Petitite is inconsistent, good and average, after that the yanks are bad. Sometimes their hitting can bail out a bad start. If they had at least 1 lights out starter it would take pressure off the inconsistent offense. The offense is not that good we know that, and they are in a spot where there may not be a quick fix for the offense, they may be able to grab a top flight starter but you got to give up something to get something
Yanks should see what the Marlins would take for Josh Willingham.
my guess is a few BP arms, he’s the type of guy we haven’t acquired since 96′
trade melky,olendorf for nady,trade matsui,dh damon and put nady in left,get an ace,first baseman.the yankees don’t have the potent offense to cover the pitching problems.they should let mussina,pavano,hawkins go,bring pettitte back as the 4th starter at a lot less money,bring abraeu back for less money,bring farnsworth back.build a great pitching staff and bullpen.can you imagine sabathia,wang,joba,pettitte,hughes with brackman,sanchez,betances,mcutchen,heredia,acevez waiting in the wings?
Brandon -
He’s certainly an upgrade over Melky and Gardner. And we wouldn’t have to give up a lot in return. Decent OBP. Works counts.
H I agree thus he’s the type of guy we haven’t acquired since 96′
OK Brandon. Now I hear ya!
Willingham has a bad back, though–he’s battled that for 2 years now, and missed a chunk of time this year to it. When he’s healthy he can hit and he would be a nice addition, for sure, though.
I’m going to go with Joe Sheehan’s (of Baseball Prospectus) analysis on this one, rather than Pete’s. Joe is of the mind that Barry can help any team, including American League teams. That is, his fielding isn’t as bad as you think it is. I love Pete’s reporting, but I’ll leave the analysis of whether Bonds will supply more runs with his bat than he’ll take away with his defense and base running to the experts.
Uh Pete, you play him in Matsui’s spot since he is uh, injured and not going to play for the foreseeable future. And you would send him to Tampa for two weeks to get his timing to be a DH.
And all he did last year, when he was clean, was hit .276 with 132 walks (132!!) and a .480 OBP (unreal!) and 28 HR’s on a GD terrible team where he had to play the field everyday.
Plug him in after Jete and before A-Rod and Big G and see what happens to our run scoring issues.
Two words: Raul Ibanez.
He is a left fielder (although his range sucks- that shouldn’t make him different form any other Yankee left fielder), hits left handed, hits lefties well, and has decent numbers with RISP.
More importantly he is in the last year of his contract so they wouldn’t have to give up an arm and a leg to acquire him with Seattle knowing he will be back next year.