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...watching baseball coverage over the past ten days, there’s a perception that Mets fans are upset that Kaz Matsui is hitting out of his mind in the playoffs…personally, nothing could be further from the truth…i always rooted for Kaz, even in his worst moments here…i still root for him…whether by virtue of media pressure, bad luck or injury, Matsui only showed flashes of the player he was hyped to be four years ago…however, i never doubted his passion for the game…i think we can all agree that Kaz had more than enough chances with the Mets, including a final one when Anderson Hernandez went down early last season…eventually, Jose Valentin emerged and Matsui never saw the field again…simply put, Valentin was a better fit to the mold of the 06′ team, providing veteran leadership and outstanding defense at second base…most importantly, Valentin could hang in there when turning a double play, which is something Kaz could never do consistently…
..i look at it this way…Matsui was essentially sent to baseball exile last June…he had to earn his way back to the majors last season by playing with Triple-A Colorado Springs…he signed a modest one-year deal with the Rockies last winter to be a role player with the club, not the star, a key distinction from his early days with the Mets…i can’t help but feel good for the guy today, no matter what uniform he is wearing…the fact that he was instrumental in sweeping the Phillies last week, even more so…
I take the opposite view myself.
Somehow, that doesn’t surprise me.
Also remember that Kaz in Colorado is 2 years separated from NYC. I don’t think anyone 2 years ago would be willing to wait this long for him to go on a run. He could also just be hitting a hot streak right now and be a bust next year.. Theres really nothing to regret for mets fans.
I always root for ex Mets if as a met:
1. They played hard
2. They were good guys with the fans, media and clubhouse
3. They left the Mets not by their own choice but because of a trade or because the Mets did not want them.
Kaz fits all 3, so I root for him.
4. they don’t go to the phillies, braves, or yankees
;)
may have to add the nationals and marlins to that list now too
It doesn’t bother me that he’s doing so well in the playoffs. Think about it. His stats on the road are very much like the stats we were used to him putting up. Overall his stats are nice because he does so well at Coors. It’s no wonder he did so well in a series where all the games were played at Citizens Bank Bandbox and Coors Field. Not to take anything away from him but he’s remained largely the same player he was when he left IMO.
You are correct. The same can be said for a lot of the players on the Rockies.
Home/Road Field Advantage has nothing to do with winning 18:19 though.
If I’m rooting for any other team left, I don’t want to see the Rocks until at least ‘08
Baseball coverage seems to think everything bothers Mets fans. As always they have no finger on the pulse.
I was outwardly rooting for Kaz during the series. It was awesome seeing him be an instrumental part in sweeping the Phillies. I have no ill will towards the guy. Some people just don’t fit in NY. It happens.
I can’t imagine any reasonable Mets fan being upset about this. The guy was awful when he was here and he had ample chance to succeed.
i feel good for kaz… i will even stand and applaud when his name is called the first time the mets play the rocks….
its good to see someone take advantage of a second chance.
The situation he was placed in when he came to the mets was one that was destined for failure…
absolutely. I give a lot of credit to the guy. He dealt with a lot of boos while he was here and never complained. It’s unfortunate that whenever he seemed to get on a roll with the Mets, he would get injured. He wasn’t the player he was hyped up to be, but he wasn’t as bad as he was made out to be either.
I will definitely give him an appreciative round of applause the next time he comes to Shea.
I’m not exactly happy for him. It just makes me shakle my head. Its typical.
The perception since the birth of this team was that the mets pinstripes were more like jailbars. When you left as a “never-will-be” you became a Hall of Famer. When you were mediocre here you left to become a solid contributor elsewhere. And when you came here as a megastar (san Mike Piazza and in some case Carols Beltran) you never ever lived up to your reputation. When you left, you were done.
Kaz is just another mediocre met to become a solid contributor who will put up career numbers at his new stomping ground. Can’t blame the stolen bases on the thin air either.
And when you came here as a megastar (san Mike Piazza and in some case Carols Beltran)
and Don Clendenon, Keith Hernandez, Gary Carter, Al Leiter, Mike Hampton, Cliff Floyd (career year with the Mets 2005), Carlos Delgado (career year with the Mets 2006), Moises Alou, Billy Wagner, Pedro Martinez.
It’s really a false perception, based largely on the debacle of the 2002 season.
Neither Floyd or Delgado had career years here. Go back and look at their stats again. As to the rest…I don’t fault most of them for not being mega stars here including Piazza because they all came here later in their careers. Leiter though might be the true exception. His best years were with us short of getting that no hitter for the fish
Ventura’s career year was with the Mets. And Piazza’s 2000 season equaled any he had with the Dodgers.
I think it’s just not true that players crap out with the Mets and do better when they leave. It has more to do with what age players are when they arrive in NY, as well as the ability to play under the spotlight, plus the fact Shea Stadium tends to depress offensive production.
Some players are crap for the Yankees too — ie, Pavano, Igawa, Javier Vazquez.
Olerud is another good example. Not career years perhaps, but he played consistently good baseball with the Mets.
Piazza and Mex both led their teams to the Series… I think that qualifies as performing to expectations.
Delgado- career year? .265? You mean WORST of his career? Except for 2007- which is the worst. Until next year- probably .235 for $15M. Maybe Matsui can come back and play 1b!
Sorry, I meant Cameron – both Cameron and Floyd had HR career years with the Mets (30 and 34, respectively).
My point was that this perception that players come to the Mets and their careers tank is demonstrably false.
What about his lackluster road stats that look much like his stats for the Mets?
kaz still sucks tho. his OPS+ is 87 this year.
maybe the rox will be drunk off his playoff clutchness and sign him to a multi year contract this offseason. good luck with his life time 83 OPS+!
Hard to root against this guy. Played with a ton of passion, just not very well for us most of the time. But he had some big hits, especially that first year.
I wish him well.
eh good for kaz, in my opinion hes still not that great probably an avg hitting 2nd basemen at best and thats while being in colorado. its not his fault that he was hyped up to be “ichiro w/ power”. blame that on the wilpons who didnt want to get real ichiro bc the posting fee was too high despite bobby valentine saying he was one of the best 5 players in the world….guess im still bitter about that one.
Kaz whould’ve blossomed under BV.
When the maga star from Japan failed in NY , It is the manager’s fault as much as the player’s.
Willie gets $$$$$ to Provide an environment to succeed .
Willie was a rookie manger than, still a rookie now.
just to remind you, Art Howe was the manager during Kaz’s rookie season. But it’s ok, we can overlook that. Obviously it’s Willie’s fault, just like global warming, the Iraq war, and cancer. Oh, and I don’t know if you heard, but Willie is also the illegitimate demon-child of Adolph Hitler.
some of you people really kill me sometimes.
haha wow im sorry my post led to this ridiculous comment that it was willies or even art howes fault that kaz failed. i guess clint hurdle or whatever his damn name is is the expert on reviving former japanese stars’ careers. give me a break it was no one persons fault, he buckled under the pressure of NY, not his fault bc alot of the pressure put on him was unfair, you cant really expect someone to be as good or better than ichiro, but it was fed to us that he was going to be our version of ichiro. he couldnt live up to these ridiculous standards and never recovered. not the managers fault.
ill ask again, gomets6091 is your name chris mulrain (sp)?
haha yea….I saw you asked that a few weeks ago, but I guess you didn’t see my reply. I also noticed you posted about being a Raiders fan, and to my knowledge, the only Mets/Raiders fan I know is Matt Cifichiello, so I’m wondering if that’s who you are?
For a star japanese player, to come to New York and fail miserably had to be a remarkably humiliating experience. And then to be left off the World Baseball Championship Japanese team had to be devestating to a guy who was truly a superstar in that country.
…and yet Kaz never complained. Never hid from the media. Never made excuses.
Yeah, he failed here.
But I wish him nothing but the best.
I still have my My Matsui jersey shirt, maybe I’ll dig it out.
Kaz has been out of his mind this post-season. Playing each game like it’s Opening Day.
excellent point and one that made me smile.
Good for Kaz, I never hated the dude, was just always really disappointed with him. He’s no bobby bonilla or anything like that.
I have no hard feelings towards him, but I cant help but feel a bit of exasperation that he couldnt do it here.
He probably just needed to get out from under his own expectation of living up to that big contract. A fresh start.
why do you guys feel happy for him? He was personally my most hated met from 04-06!
….because Krusty, we’re humans and you’re a fictional character who is a bit of an a-hole.
yeah go eat ur own throwup and lick it, Matsui was my most hated Met! with his lil shiz type of stance he was a lil biiitxch and he defiantly had all of his chances to do well here! and he moved our beloved reyes to 2b matsui was a dweeb, why are you people happy for him? I hope he suffers, same goes for you hellbelly
lol
btw, i’d still trade “our beloved reyes” for Santana in a heartbeat.
are you serious? Okay what would the mets do next year when lets say any of the 4 other pitchers are pitching? I guess you could put Luis castillo with his balky knees leading off, or endy chavez. the mets sure don’t have that ace but they def have a great leadoff hitter. you can say waht you want about his off second half but on July 14th I bet you wouldnt have traded reyes for anything!
maybe a box of chocolates tho!
Kaz rocks…especially on opening day! I actually liked Kaz as a person, he just sucked as a player for the mets. He did come up with some big hits, but overall, his defense and offense were sub-par.
I must say that I am very impressed with his comeback. It shows a lot of character and passion for the game. Good for him…one of the reasons I’m rooting for the Rockies.
If he was doing it for a division rival then I’d hate him. But since hes doing it for the Rocks, I’m happy for him.
Didn’t mean my first post to be so tongue and cheek prejudice!!! Sorry!!!!
With me, I root for him because he clearly tried hard he just wasn’t that good. I’d imagine going from a pitchers park to a park that has the same ability to hold a homer as my Babe Ruth League stadium (right center was 370!) probably helped him a lot. Oh and the fact that a bad week in NY gets the same amount of press as the entire baseball season in Denver.
The lack of pressure helps him, plus the fact that Matsui played on some not-great teams at Shea whereas the 2-4 behind him is solid in Colorado…
I root for him like I root for any guy who clearly tried hard but wasn’t very good, unlike Roger Cedeno or Mo Vaughn.
Kaz took out Philly. I’m rooting for the Rox until it’s over
good fopr matz. he was a disaster for us but he tried all the time. he just was not that good. he still is not that good other than the coors field bump he got. He is a ml player or utility guy depending on the team, too bad we signed him like and decided it was like bringing keith hernandez over from the cardinals. kaz good luck. no hard feelings. not your fault we were wrong about you and dumped 30million on you with the corresponding expectations that you would be worth it
I hope Kaz gets the NLCS MVP and the Rockies go on to beat the AL team.
I don’t think the NY spotlight was right for him, and his skills didn’t translate very well to American baseball. I’m glad he’s happy in Colorado and it’s worked out for him.
I don’t care either way. I never held anything against him, and I think the Rox as a whole are kind of a cool story. The thing about him, though, is he really didn’t have all that great a year, but he has come through in October so far, so good for him I guess.
I always liked his hustle and attitude, but he was unfortunate to be with us at the wrong time for him. As has been pointed out, Valentin was a better fit at the time and Kaz was toast.
He’s shown a ton of balls to get back into the majors, he could have just packed his bags and headed back home, but that’s not his style. I’m really pumped for him that he’s doing well now.
I hope he, and Colorado, go on and win it all.
Lets go Mats!! :)
I think with the expectations that were placed on him it made it harder, especially in New York. He got a second chance and has definitely made the most of it. I doubt he would’ve ever succeeded in New York, especially with the fans giving him such a hard time. He basically had nothing to lose after being sent to Triple-A and now look. Never complained and held himself accountable for his terrible Mets career. I’m happy for him.
haha oh kaz, you everything you touch this post season turns to gold. Even the routine grounders.
This is a random note, not about Kaz, but I’m watching the NLCS right now, and I’m noticing that almost every fan in the stands is wearing the new D-Backs jerseys, not the purple and black that they’ve worn since ‘98. Now, I know those things are ugly as heck, but the fact that so many people are wearing the new ones leads me to believe there’s a lot of bandwagon fans out there. Didn’t these people buy jerseys back in 2001?
One of the things I always like seeing is Mets fans wearing old school jerseys like Alfonzo, Piazza, Ventura, Hundley, Strawberry, Gooden, etc. I don’t mean throwbacks (Seaver jerseys, for example), but legitimate jerseys that were bought when those guys were playing for the Mets. It shows that we have a significant non-bandwagon fanbase, and I like that.
*note: I’m kind of hypocritical, because I just bought a Wright jersey last season, and it’s my first and only nice jersey. But in my defense, I had tons of t-shirts from the ‘99-’00 Mets, but never had enough money to buy a nice jersey till last season, and I figured Wright was a good option since he’ll be around for a while and he plays the same position I used to play.
I wear my Mets jersey (black one, no name) because my kids bought it for me AND they didn’t like the fact that I was still trying to fit into my “The Magic Is Back” tee shirt from … 1983 (? can’t remember what year I bought it, but it looks pretty bad now).
haha….yea, I mean, I don’t have a problem with people wearing new jerseys, obviously. But I just like the fact that at Shea you see a good mix of new and old. But in Arizona last night, I didn’t see ANY old jerseys, which is hard to believe because they only started wearing the new ones this year.
you also didnt see PEOPLE IN SEATS! the game was not sold out!! unreal – cant sell out an LCS game, totally quiet, and oh yeah, throw things on the field. classy. its a shame that a cool young team like the dbacks has loser “fans”.
WHY ARE YOU GUYS HAPPY FOR HIM?! it’s not like he was floyd and had a freakin cool I dont give a crap personality! am I the only one who remember matsui Pus* *ng out on the dp ball back in may last year vs the yankees? or his broken triangle(i swear it was a broken triangle) or his neck pains after he “slept on it wrong” Matsui was a D-b*g in terms of his play, great you guys think he was a good hard worker and never whined WELL DUH! its not like Ming Chung wouldve interpreted how Matsui really felt, how he hated NY and was worse than John Rocker, face it EVERY Japanese import is considered quiet and just goes about their business. But come on puh leeze matsui said that he would not come to NY with a bloated huge contract unless the young 20 yr old SS with amazing defensive skills would move to second so his softball arm could play short and totally push back the mets. I LOATHE/DESPISE/HATE MATSUI!!!!!!!!!!!
I still think the neck issue was forced on him by management, a private benching so to speak.
I’m really getting tired of the media promoting this Rockies-D’backs series by suggesting the two teams are solid, respectable clubs. That has to be the biggest joke ever. The D’Backs game 2 starter is Doug Davis, who probably would be the Mets’ 6th starter; they don’t a single batter hitting over .300 or a player with 30 home runs. The Rockies’ #2 and #3 starters have 7 career wins combined- Pedro had four less than that this year, and he pitched one month! Aside from Helton and Holliday, this series really has no big names that a casual fan may be drawn to watch. Watching these second-tier teams in this round just makes the Mets’ collapse feel ever more painful. (who knew that was possible?) Imagine what we could be doing right now.
The Rockies would be destroying the Mets right now. I agree with what you are saying about the Diamondbacks, but the Rockies have been playing phenomenally the past few weeks. Besides Helton and Holliday, Tulowitski, and Atkins are really going to be special players. Give them a chance, they’re actually pretty fun to watch.
The Rockies have been playing phenomenonally since July 1. I think they were something like 51-30 over the second half. They play in the NL’s toughest division and were the best team there over the second half. They’ll win the NLCS in 4 (5 tops) and, I think, beat Boston or Cleveland. This is a very good team.
agreed. Anyone who doesn’t enjoy watching this Colorado team really doesn’t enjoy watching baseball. As upset as I am about the Mets not making the playoffs, the Rockies have taken a little of the sting out of it because I’ve enjoyed following them so much this past week. Originally, I wanted the Pads to beat them (I like Peavy a lot), but I’ve really come around on the Rockies, and am now pulling for them to go all the way.
And look, I love the Mets as much as anyone, but the Phillies beat the Mets 8 straight, and then got swept by the Rockies. Do you really think the Mets could have done much better?…I do think they could have at least cracked the Mendoza line as a team, but I seriously doubt they would have beaten the Rockies, especially the way the 2 teams played over the last 3 weeks
agree, and even though i am rooting for the rockies it is hard to root against the dbacks. just seeing all these young guys out there having a blast playing good baseball is refreshing. also, with stats that bad and yet that many wins in the NL west, and taking out a very good cubs team no problem, that’s some good management there.
p.s. the dback pen’s 0.00 ERA in the NLDS was something i couldve dealt with pretty OK for the mets!!!
and kaz continues to roll…
krusty, I don’t wish him ill because it wasn’t that he was dogging it, he just…sucked while he wqas here. maybe it was expectations, cultural, who knows…but it wasn’t like he didn’t try.
Willie F#$%&$ed Kaz by benching him for his Yanks boy Cairo.
Escape from Willie will be the title of his autobiography.
I get on Willie for lots of things but be fair. Kaz was flat out awful in his tenure for the Mets. Cairo was awful as well.
It’s like fear factor when you get to eat something disgusting or your second option of eating something disgusting.
Yup seconding the Stache here. I can tell you I was excited when they switched Kaz for Cairo or whoever it was. I had seen enough.
No need to jump on Willie here.
I agree, Stache. I was ecstatic when Kaz was traded, because he had become an impossible player: he was booed constantly for everything, and his performance was just terrible. Like you said: the green turd or the brown turd?
well i’m glad for kaz, he found a place he fits in and hes playing great, and he destroyed the phillies season so good for him
but my god this nlcs is so BORING. this doesn’t feel like a playoff game what-soever. colorado looks great though. wish we could pitch like that!
I can’t understand why anyone cares about Kaz Matsui. I’m happy that he helped kick ass against the Phillies and beat them, but otherwise he’s a non issue. He sucked as a Met, had no discernable personality, was frequently injured, and short of opening day gave us nothing to cheer about. But for people to act like they’ve been actively rooting for him since he left the Mets, come on lets be real. This isn’t Mike Piazza or something. I think once Matsui was gone most people just breathed a sigh of relief and moved on, and didn’t really think about him again (unless the Mets were facing the Rockies).
I think what this comes down to is that with Matsui playing well at least we can understand why the Mets signed him. Because personally, watching him everyday, he never gave me any reason to figure that out before.
Very happy for Kaz. The guy was booed excessively here, and in my opinion, undeservedly. He was never a jerk and there was never a time where I thought he was dogging it. I just think he was not as good as we thought and didn’t adjust quickly to the bigs.
Surprised we’re not killing Omar for trading him for Eli Marrero.
Go Rox.
D.J.
Your post is well written and I agree with you 100%.
I hope that Kaz will continue to do well throughout the Post Season and for the rest of his Major League career.
I agree that Kaz sucked as a Met but it is good to see someone make a comeback. I give him credit for picking himself up and getting back at it. Good for him he deserves some success…..Watching this series I cannot help getting sicker about the way the Mets blew it. Not to rehash it again but I am so depressed that we still ahve to deal with laid back even keel willie the loser…Even when you see other managers do little things with their teams I wonder how willie would handle certain situations. In last night’s game when the fans started throwing things at the rockies players, clint hurdle took charge and he went on the field and pulled his team off very aggressively. No way willie would do anything in that situation but stand in the dugout with that same look on his face and he would not have done what clint hurdle did. Willie is just a joke and I am amazed management did not fire him. We unfortunately are in for more of his dull, lifeless management style in ‘08…..sucks…..
I have admitted that we have Willie Randolph as our manager in 2008.
How can we adapt our team to Willie Randolph?
Willie is a veterans manager. Reyes and Wright are veterans. I don’t care if either can grow a full beard yet, they have multiple seasons under their belt.
My fixes to accomodate Willie’s Style:
Loduca is very vocal, and I do not believe that Willie thinks he has his back. Jason Kendall is an OBP machine and could bounce back in 2008. Good in the 2 hole, share with Castro
Delgado is still at first. he knows how to play the game. Plus he makes a lot of money
Resign Castillo. The guy can still turn 2, plus he can move the runner over or bunt for hits. More good than harm.
LF: We need a compliment to Moises. How about Luis Gonzalez? He’s always been a gamer, a stand up guy, works well with the media, has a ring.
RF: I have trouble -putting a rookie in RF. Willie has a shorter attention span than I do when it comes to kids. Jose Guillen would work for me. A .280 hitter with proven 20 HR+ power. Not prone to take a walk, good for a #7 hitter.
SP: Pedro is money
Maine & Oliie are close to being my 200 IP guys.
We have a load of talent in Humber, Pelfrey, Guerra, Mulvey, Milledge, Gomez and Fmart. And lets face it: Willie will let them collect splinters before playing them on a long leash.
What will it take to get Kazmir? Santana? Blanton? Haren? Cain? Two or three guys that Willie will be uncofortable palying for two inning eaters is the best way to neutralize Willie’s weaknesses.
If we can keep bullpen innings low, it would save Willie from having his greatest weakness exploited: managing a bullpen
1) Castillo hits in the two hole
2) Kendall’s OBP is okay at .375, but he would probably hit in the 8 hole, not the two hole.
3) Moises, Moises, Moises…please stay more healthy
4) What rookie would start in RF? Milledge is no longer a rookie in my book.
5) Jose Guillen is not a good clubhouse guy
Why not sign Adam Dunn?
Does he strike out a lot? Yes.
BUT…..
Does he walk a lot? Yes.
Does he hit a lot of HRs? Yes.
Does he have a high OBP (career .381)? Yes.
Can he play OF and 1B (after Delgado is Delgonno after 2008)? Yes.
He does have a club option for $13m, so he may be unavailable. But, he the Reds turn it down…why not? He’s 27 and would provide tons of protection to Beltran and Wright.
I don’t think Dunn will be available.
Milledge isn’t a rookie, but Willie plays him like one
If the Reds pick up the option, he won’t be. But, I’ve done a few searches and the Reds don’t seem dead set on picking up the option.
It drives me crazy the way Willie plays Milledge. Let the kid play everyday and let’s see what he has.
But this is what we have in Willie. My plan is to try to willie-proof the team
Kendall, Castillo and Gonzo? 2001 called, they want their all-star team back.
Seriously though, I’d much rather have LoDuca behind the plate. He WANTS to be here and brings a scrappy determination to the team.
Jose Guillen brings problems with him everywhere he goes. Maybe I’d trade for him after the all-star break when he gets sick of playing on his first half team. I also thing Milledge will give you very similar numbers over a full season, for a lot less money. I’d really like to keep milledge around and watch him mature.
I really like Castillo, I just worry about his knees. His defense seems to be slipping a little, but he’s certainly better than AVG.
Kaz Matsui should actually thank NY for putting him in this position. Why? b/c mgmt held on to him FAR longer than they should have and that unnecessary length of time allowed Colorodo to grab him when they had a need.. He was a complete bust here and I completely hated him and the opportunity cost he carried by clogging up the roster and not contributing. One can honestly argue that he set our organization back a year or 2 by his crappy performance, overblown contract, and his impeding upon the development of Jose Reyes.
Regardless….he is just the most recent living breathing example of how hard it is to actually play in NY. We see examples like this in October very often. Are Matsui’s contributions to the Rockies any different than Bonilla’s contributions to the playoff teams in Baltimore of Florida? It’s just the way it is.
But the Matsui situation has got a greater share of irony, b/c I’m shocked that he has succeeded. And for that, I’m not rooting for or against him.
Kaz tried hard here, he moved over to second base, he never complained, maybe he felt the pressure of being in NY with a multi-million dollar contract. Good for him…
A fellow at my job noted this with signs in the office:
Kaz Matsui-IN
Hideki Matsui-OUT
I feel neutral to maybe a lottle happy for Kaz……mosly I am just impressed and shocked any of you can stomach watching the playoffs. I watched the Skanks get eliminated and the last coupld of innings of the Philthies gtting eliminated….beyond that, i just am too shattered from the Mets season to watch the playoffs at all.