You can sing the praises of Cervelli for his clutch hit and pie in the face today. You can talk about Gardner the X factor on the bases, stealing second before being sacrificed to third and setting up the Cervelli walk-off in the bottom of the ninth. Sure you can.But today's game was won by Godzilla.
Suzan Waldman asked Matsui after the game if he had ever been pinch hit for while in Japan. She said that Godzilla smiled and said, "I don't think so".
That's the kind of player Matsui was in Japan. You didn't pinch hit for Hideki Matsui.
I'm not saying the Sayonara Kid is still that kind of superstar player. But what I'm saying is that even at 35 and with bad knees, Matsui is a devastating weapon at the plate, able to take pitches , work deep counts, hit for average, power, sacrifice, and crush lefty pitching just as often as right handers. Don't get it twisted. Hideki Matsui is still one of the most skilled and dangerous hitters in the world. And when he gets going it seems like he just flattens the other team in a glorious, fiery rampage!
Today he laced a base hit to right field that put the Yankees ahead 2-0. And then when they were behind 4-2 in the 8th inning, it was Matsui who delivered the tying blow off the lefty reliever, a rifle shot that rocketed over the fence in right and several rows deep. That set the stage for Cervelli, who smoked a fastball through the infield to win the game, earn the pie facial, and deliver the Yankees their 14th walk-off win this season.
But again, this was Matsui's game. As long as his knees hold up, Matsui should be a Yankee now and in the foreseeable future. I mean, if he were gone wouldn't you miss all the silly Godzilla pictures each time he wins a game for them?
Current record: 94-53
AL East magic number: 11
Home field magic number (Magic number over the Angels): 10
Games remaining: 15
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