Domo Arigato

[Guest Edgy DC]

The Post has been reporting for two hours that the Mets are on the brink of trading Kaz and noboody's posted it here.

http://www.nypost.com/sports/mets/67241.htm

You stupid soccer fans.

[HahnSolo]

Wouldn't Sayonara be the more appropriate, albeit cliched, thread title?

[metirish]

WOW....Kaz gets eight round-trip business class plane tickets to Tokyo , anyway soyonara Kaz.

[Guest OlerudOwned]

I heard it as a mere rumor before and didn't feel like rumor mongering.

So I guess Eli heads to Norfolk eventually, since there's a guy named Nady who can also play 1st base and the outfield.

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

]The Rockies are willing to take this risk because their scouts had loved Matsui as a player in Japan, also valuing him at about the same level as Hideki Matsui. They are hoping outside of the stressful environment of New York that Kaz Matsui can regain some of those skills and help, particularly, as a lefty bat off the bench.

That's exactly why the Mets signed him!

(I'm referring to the first quoted sentence, of course.)

[metirish]

Just to open the can of worms again, did the Mets actually have scouts look at Kaz or did they take the word of Fred Wilpons son who lives in Japan.

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

Domo arigato gozaimasu, Matsui-san, demo anata wa jouzu ja arimasen.

[Elster88]

metirish wrote: Just to open the can of worms again, did the Mets actually have scouts look at Kaz or did they take the word of Fred Wilpons son who lives in Japan.

Plenty of teams wanted Kaz. Surely you remember Bobby V's comments too.

[metirish]

Yeah you are right Elster, I have selective memory it seems.

[Elster88]

What's the point of this trade? To get him off the 25-man? If we're paying the difference anyways...

I guess getting him off the 25-man is reason enough.

[Centerfield]

Does Marrero offer anything that Matsui doesn't? If we're going to be paying him anyway, it seems like we're only trading away upside...no matter how improbable or remote that upside may be. I guess at least it gets the negative energy away from the team.

His struggles aside, I felt bad for Kaz...and it was really nice to see him smiling when he was producing earlier this year. I liked the guy...I wish he didn't suck.

I hope he finds his swing in Colorado. Because if it ain't there, it ain't anywhere.

[Elster88]

Yeah that's what I was trying to say too.

I feel pretty much exactly the same.

'Course, maybe he will be happier away from the assho boo-birds. Would he rather play on a playoff team and endure for the next few months, or go live a happier life in Colorado.

[Guest KC]

>>>(Eli) is not Matsui, whose Met career would end as an expensive, emotionally draining disappointment<<<

True enough, now the rags can concentrate on Milledge's character flaws.

>>>the Mets had expected Kaz Matsui to be their answer to the Yanks' signing the previous year of Hideki Matsui<<<

Same last name ... other than that, I say horse shit. Horse shit.

>>>he was brutal on defense at short to the point where he had to be moved to second base<<<

THAT'S why they moved him? I was always wondering.

>>>The Rockies are willing to take this risk because their scouts had loved Matsui as a player in Japan, also valuing him at about the same level as Hideki Matsui<<<

Did the Rockies hire all those scouts the Mets fired?

>>>They are hoping outside of the stressful environment of New York that Kaz Matsui can regain some of those skills<<<

That and the rarified air? They should check his contact prescription too,
maybe feed him more carrots.

[Centerfield]

For what it's worth, Colorado isn't out of it by any means. Only 4.5 back starting play today. Trades like this make me think of worst-case playoff scenarios. So far, I've got:

1. Rockies beat Mets in NLCS behind Kaz's HR in Game 7.

2. Julio throws 4 perfect innings as DBacks eliminate Mets in 13 innings.

3. Benson wins Games 1, 4 and 7 of World Series to lead O's past Mets.

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

At least we know all three won't happen! (At least, not all in one year.)

One thing Eli can provides that Kaz doesn't is that he can catch. It would be nice to have a third catcher on the team; it would allow Willie to use Castro (or Lo Duca) as a pinch hitter when or if needed.

[Centerfield]

="KC"]That and the rarified air? They should check his contact prescription too, maybe feed him more carrots.

I can't believe no one has ever looked into this. You watch him for 5 minutes and he looks like a guy who is having trouble with his vision.

It would suck if, during his flight to Colorado, Matsui discovers that the root of his problems was that he accidentally switched his right and left contact lenses three years ago.

(There is a joke about Asians mixing up there R's and L's in there somewhere).

[A Boy Named Seo]

Eli Marrerro would be the third Cuban-born Met on the 25. Will he stick or head to Norfolk? Will Milledge be around a while?

[Elster88]

I just sprayed Coke all over my monitor. Thanks, CF.

[Frayed Knot]

They did look into (no pun intended) his vision problems in his first year here.

I think what Marrero would provide is a decent bench presence that they don't think Kaz will be. One problem with giving Valentin the full-time (or mostly FT) job is that he was your primary threat to hit a long-ball off the bench and now he's not there. Not that Eli is any great threat these days - his best season came 2 years back with (of course) Atlanta - but he does provide some versatility.

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

]>>>the Mets had expected Kaz Matsui to be their answer to the Yanks' signing the previous year of Hideki Matsui<<< Same last name ... other than that, I say horse shit. Horse shit.

Actually I think the Mets had the same level of intere$t in Mat$ui as the Yank$ Mat$ui -- that is, as a can-opener to lucrative A$ian TV Market$.

[Guest KC]

JD: >>>Actually I think the Mets had the same level of intere$t in Mat$ui as the Yank$ Mat$ui -- that is, as a can-opener to lucrative A$ian TV Market$.<<<

Sure. Shinjo too. I was more reacting to Joel trying to make it sound (and
maybe I'm wrong and he means what you mean, although I doubt it) that the
Mets were once again trying to keep up with the Yankees.

[Guest ScarletKnight41]

Again, I remember how high Bobby V was on KazMat.

Sure, we had high expectations from him. But we had reason to believe that he'd live up to a larger percentage of them.

I'll miss those Opening Day home runs, but not much else.

[Zvon]

]The Rockies are willing to take this risk because their scouts had loved Matsui as a player in Japan, also valuing him at about the same level as Hideki Matsui.

.......and they are willing to admit this?
Yikes.

Good luck to Kaz.

[Guest martin]

it seems like kaz's weird eye-bulging and jaw/throat shenanigans got worse over time. i dont really understand what is going on with that fellow.

i still like him and wish him the best though. kaz matsui, don't ever change.

[stevejrogers]

Kazuo Matsui. You were a hideous shortstop, you couldn't hit a lick.



You ARE the weakest link!

GOOD BYE!

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

I hope Kazoo kicks ass in Denver.

[Guest ScarletKnight41]

Steve - ROFL!

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

Have some class, you haters.

[Guest ScarletKnight41]

I don't think of myself as a hater. I've never booed the man, and I've always rooted for him as a Met.

But damn, he's been a disappointment.

[Guest KC]

I rooted for him, picked on him a bit too.

At the beginning of the season I'm sure I posted something like, "give him
45-50 days and if he still stinks to cut bait." I got my wish.

The man's AB's sometimes were just painful to watch. You can't hit a base-
ball effectively when both feet are off the ground (except maybe in Colorado).