Spring Break
Matsui's heroics bring back memories of basketball glory
Mike Mazzeo
Issue date: 10/12/07 Section: Sports
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Isn't it almost surreal as a sports fanatic when the player you least expect to deliver in the clutch comes through in a big way?
The Phillies had been getting that all season.
Antonio Alfonseca went from signing an incentive laden minor league contract to become a savior in the Phillies bullpen when Tom Gordon and Brett Myers went down with injury saving eight games for the Phils.
Kyle Kendrick went from a 4-7 Double-A nobody to a 10-4 No. 2 starter in the Phillies rotation.
The 29-year-old veteran, Greg Dobbs, became this year's version of "The Natural," Jayson Werth provided numbers he hadn't put up since 2004 with the Dodgers and J.C. Romero went from being placed on waivers by the Red Sox to post a 1.24 ERA with the Phils.
That's how the Phillies were able to capture the 2007 N.L. East crown, getting contributions from unlikely sources.
Unfortunately, they can pinpoint the ending of their season on a couple of rather obscure names that the average baseball fan might not know.
When you think of the Colorado Rockies you think offense. Names like Matt Holliday: Perennial Most Valuable Player candidate; Todd Helton: The face of the Rockies, who has been with the team since 1997; and Troy Tulowitzki: Colorado's rookie phenom at shortstop.
You would be hard pressed to come up with the name Kaz Matsui… or Jeff Baker.
Matsui was one of the most highly touted prospects in Japanese baseball just behind Hideki Matsui, who eventually went on to star for the New York Yankees.
He signed a 3-year contract worth $20.1 million to play shortstop in the Big Apple with the New York Mets. Matsui had starred with the Seibu Lions of the Pacific League and the Mets figured his productive numbers overseas would translate into productive numbers in the majors.
Unfortunately Matsui never lived up to his contract, and the only thing he did during his just over two year tenure in New York was struggle adjusting to major league culture and pitching, and of course the spotlight of playing in New York as he was ripped by the press.
The Phillies had been getting that all season.
Antonio Alfonseca went from signing an incentive laden minor league contract to become a savior in the Phillies bullpen when Tom Gordon and Brett Myers went down with injury saving eight games for the Phils.
Kyle Kendrick went from a 4-7 Double-A nobody to a 10-4 No. 2 starter in the Phillies rotation.
The 29-year-old veteran, Greg Dobbs, became this year's version of "The Natural," Jayson Werth provided numbers he hadn't put up since 2004 with the Dodgers and J.C. Romero went from being placed on waivers by the Red Sox to post a 1.24 ERA with the Phils.
That's how the Phillies were able to capture the 2007 N.L. East crown, getting contributions from unlikely sources.
Unfortunately, they can pinpoint the ending of their season on a couple of rather obscure names that the average baseball fan might not know.
When you think of the Colorado Rockies you think offense. Names like Matt Holliday: Perennial Most Valuable Player candidate; Todd Helton: The face of the Rockies, who has been with the team since 1997; and Troy Tulowitzki: Colorado's rookie phenom at shortstop.
You would be hard pressed to come up with the name Kaz Matsui… or Jeff Baker.
Matsui was one of the most highly touted prospects in Japanese baseball just behind Hideki Matsui, who eventually went on to star for the New York Yankees.
He signed a 3-year contract worth $20.1 million to play shortstop in the Big Apple with the New York Mets. Matsui had starred with the Seibu Lions of the Pacific League and the Mets figured his productive numbers overseas would translate into productive numbers in the majors.
Unfortunately Matsui never lived up to his contract, and the only thing he did during his just over two year tenure in New York was struggle adjusting to major league culture and pitching, and of course the spotlight of playing in New York as he was ripped by the press.
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