Matsui becomes 1st Japanese-born World Series MVP
NEW YORK (AP)—Hideki Matsui(notes) took a meaty cut, watched the ball fly and winced when it hooked a foot foul.
That’s about all that went wrong for him.
Matsui put the world in World Series MVP, earning the award by homering, doubling, singling and driving in six runs Wednesday night as the New York Yankees beat the Philadelphia Phillies 7-3 to claim their 27th championship.
Matsui became the first Japanese-born player to win the award that started in 1955. He hit .615 (8 for 13) with three home runs and eight RBIs. His performance in Game 6 matched the record for RBIs in a Series game. No one, however, had done it in a clincher.
Getty Images - Nov 5, 12:33 am EST
Getty Images - Nov 5, 12:33 am EST
“It’s awesome,” Matsui said through a translator. “Unbelievable. I’m surprised myself.”
Standing on a podium in shallow center field, Matsui waved his new championship hat and shook hands with commissioner Bud Selig. Matsui won three titles in Japan and was eager to celebrate his first in the Bronx.
“I guess it’s hard to make a comparison. When I was in Japan, that was the ultimate goal. Being here, winning the World Series, becoming world champions, that’s what you strive for here.”
“You could say that I guess this is the best moment of my life right now,” he said. “It’s been a long road and very difficult journey.”
Matsui’s two-run drive off Pedro Martinez(notes) in the second inning put the Yankees ahead for good. Nicknamed “Godzilla” back home, Matsui sent a shot to right field that banged off an advertisement on the facing of the second deck— fittingly, it was a sign for the Japanese company Komatsu, which makes mining and construction equipment.
After his hard foul, Matsui added a two-run single in the third and lined a two-run double off the right-center field wall in the fifth. The giant videoboard in center field showed fans holding Japanese signs and while the sellout crowd roared, he stood placidly at second base.
Fans cheered when Matsui’s feat, matching Bobby Richardson’s 1960 mark for RBIs in any Series game, was posted on the scoreboard.
Matsui drew a standing ovation when he came to bat in the seventh, and chants of “MVP! MVP!” bounced around the ballpark.
“He hit everything we threw up there,” Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said.
Praised Yankees captain Derek Jeter(notes): “Man, he looked like he wanted it bad, didn’t he?”
“Matsu is one of my favorite players, one of my favorite teammates. He comes ready to play every day. He’s a professional hitter,” he said.
Watching Game 6 on TV in Tokyo, Masanori Murakami echoed that sentiment. He was the first Japanese player in the majors, in 1964 with San Francisco, and fully appreciated the magnitude of Matsui’s honor.
“Ichiro Suzuki(notes) has had many accomplishments, but they’ve all been in the regular season. As the first Japanese to win an MVP in the World Series, this is a great accomplishment for Matsui and will have a huge impact,” Murakami said.
“New York is a tough place to play, so this is a great achievement for him given all he has been through with injuries and missing time,” he said.
Yankees outfielder Nick Swisher(notes) hollered Matsui’s name during the clubhouse party.
“Matsu,” Swisher yelled. “They’re partying in Tokyo tonight, I know that. Man, what a great job Matsu did for us, been coming up clutch for us in situations all year long. He deserved that MVP trophy. There’s no doubt about it.”
An outfielder by trade, Matsui hasn’t played the field since June 15, 2008, because of bad knees. He hit .274 this year with 28 homers and 90 RBIs, and wasn’t much of a force in the AL playoffs against Minnesota and the Los Angeles Angels.
That changed against the defending champion Phillies.
Now strictly a DH and pinch-hitter because of his knees, Matsui accomplished a lot in a hurry. His 13 at-bats tied Baltimore’s Rick Dempsey in 1983 for the fewest by a Series MVP (nonpitchers only, naturally), according to STATS LLC.
Matsui became the first player to win the award as a full-time DH in the Series. Toronto DH Paul Molitor played in the field when the Blue Jays won the 1993 title.
Matsui’s eight RBIs were the most in a World Series since Reggie Jackson had the same total in 1977 and 1978.
“Just wonderful,” Jackson said. “He struggles to play the field now. Great, great player. Represents his country well. He’s a gentleman. He’s a class act. Great player and to put on a performance like that in what may be his last time in Yankee Stadium, you just tip your cap and enjoy it.”
Matsui left Japan and signed with the Yankees in 2003. At 35, his greatest achievement might’ve come in his final game in pinstripes.
This year wrapped up Matsui’s $52 million, four-year contract. It remains to be seen what the aging Yankees will do with him. Whatever happens, he certainly left his mark.
“I hope so. I hope it works out that way,” he said. “I love New York, I love the Yankees.”
AP Sports Writer Jim Armstrong in Tokyo contributed to this report.
Pinstripe Alley
The Good Phight
218 Comments
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ps. that mis-read by Vicotrino on the short hop in the 3rd inning was a HUGE mis-cue that opened up the inning.
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Get your facts straight too, Ichiro and Matsui can speak english, but prefer to use a translator for a couple reasons. 1. Pride in not being able to be speak english well enough to be made fun of by others (for having a thick accent) or to adequately convey their message. 2. Pride for their home country watching. In Japan everything is translated into Japanese; why should one of their players have to be translated too?
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I laugh at the fact you call me a racist when i said nothing about Matsui being Japanese, what I said is that it is a shame that a person with the arrogance to come play an American past-time doesn't even take the time to learn the language. You have no right to call me a moron you fool. Read the text cautiously next time and think before you get all enraged and post a comment that makes no sense.
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No we wouldn't cry you moron, because we, unlike you losers, know how to take our losses. We just know that if we wouldn't have won we could come back any other year and win again...it's in our history, you idiot!!!! Or did you forget the 27 is a bigger number than the little measly years Philly has won!! Please, give me a damn break!!! This is not Tampa Bay they played you jerk, this is the Yankees, the biggest and best in the league. Stop whining, deal with the win and move on!! and if you don't like it, too bad, so sad, get off this post!!! Glad your Phillies lost, they need to learn respect for who the hell they're playing and so do you and the rest of you jealous losers!!!!
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A true World Series.
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Not only are you a typical hater like the rest of these losers, but you're also a racist!! Wake up and welcome to American baseball in the 21st century you jerk!!! There's no room for a ludicrous bull@#$% comment like that. Who the @#$% cares if he or any other player is a foreigner as long as he can play!! This is the guy that worked it out for the Yankees all season and especially last night and was named MVP and yet you disrespect like this????!!! Grow up and get the hell off this post, you moron!!!
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Just because a team has the most championships in sports history is not a reason for everyone to hate them and I'm not even a Yankee fan!
Btw, the article says Matsui had 6 RBIs in 6 games but he actually had 8. Someone needs to proofread these articles, either that or know their facts.
Neway, congratulations Yankee owners, manager, coaches, players and fans!!
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The Indians never had Santana on their team....he only played for MIN and the NY mets
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The Indians never had Santana on their team....he only played for MIN and the NY mets
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Utley had 6 hits in those same 21 at-bats. Matsui had 8hits in his 13 at-bats.
Utley's team lost. Matsui's team won.
There's not even a question as to who had the better series; it's utterly ridiculous and dumb to try to argue that Utley was better when Matsui had the same number of RBI's in half the at-bats, MORE hits, and whose team actually WON the series rather than Utley, whose team LOST.
More RBI's per at-bat. A better batting average. Won more games. That's the comparison between Matsui and Utley. And by comparison I mean no comparison at all.
Any Phillies fan who says Utley deserved it, in light of those statistics, is an absolute moron.
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FACT: New York Yankees Payroll more than 25% higher than next largest in MLB and the 3 free agents signed by Yankees before 2009 season have combined annual salaries greater than entire payrolls of lowest 10 payrolls in MLB.
OPINION: Yankees didn't buy a Championship.
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The Phils have a great team, and will return. I know the Yankees respected them.
And to those that still think the Yankees buy championships:
There are 32 teams in the NFL, and 30 each in Baseball, the NBA, and NHL. That means there are
122 different owners and ownership groups.
Many owners refuse to spend the money, like the Indians Larry Dolan, who at one time had a starting rotation that included Cliff Lee, C.C. Sabathia, and Johan Santana, but let them all go because keeping their money is their goal.
Some have the money, but have no clue what to do with it, like Daniel Snyder, who couldn't run an Afghan fire dept.
And some spend it and manage ti wisely, yet they have to rely on their players and coaches, like Jerry Jones Cowboys.
But lat time I checked, all 122 had a checkbook with a pretty good surplus.
At least Steinbrenner and Jones care about winning, their product, and the fans.
Good series, Phillies fans. Prolly see you next year. ( I know the METS wont get in your way!)
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I really hope he comes back next year. I'd love them to find some way to get him back on the team. Team may be full since Posada can't catch every day and will need DH time. But he deserves to come back.
THE NEW YORK YANKEES ARE 27 TIME WORLD CHAMPIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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