Thank you for the moment of silence.
For Yankee fans these two departures, especially the one by Mr. Matsui, brings a deep feeling of loss. Like losing a friend. They will be missed, that's for sure.
But Yankee fans, do not despair. Our heroes went out on top. And with their departures brings new opportunities for new heroes to emerge next year, ballplayers who will captivate and excite and inspire just as Damon and Matsui once did.
Enter Curtis Granderson and welcome back Nick Johnson. Some fans have been unhappy about the moves, sure that the Damon and Matsui combo must be better than Granderson and Johnson. But I'm not so sure about that.
On replacing Damon with Granderson: Granderson is not as well-rounded a hitter. But he's a lefty with power and just as much speed as Johnny. He is a massive upgrade defensively. And according to reports he gets along with the others in the clubhouse just as well as Mr. Damon did. Because of his age, I think the Yankees made a fine move here.
On replacing Matsui with Johnson: There's no doubt that Matsui is an almost un-replacable elite hitter. But Nick Johnson ain't bad. In fact Johnson has consistently been over .400 in on base percentage during his career, a benchmark that Matsui has never attained in MLB. Matsui has more power but Johnson is even more patient, and can play the field, giving other regulars a rest. It will be great to have him back in pinstripes.
So long, Matsui and Damon. We wish you well.
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