I’m not so sure Hideki Matsui got the kind of love he deserved for his incredible Game 6 performance and otherwise outstanding World Series against the Phillies. Most of the focus on the FOX postgame show seemed to be about the Yankees quartet of Jeter, Pettitte, Posada, and Rivera winning their fifth rings with the Bronx Bombers, but to me there’s no doubt that Matsui was the star of the show. Matsui single-handedly destroyed Pedro Martinez and catapulted the Yankees to victory. Honestly, 6 RBIs in a World Series clinching game? He was Pedro’s worst nightmare and the game-changer. And it wasn’t even limited to Game 6 either; Matsui did the exact same thing by hitting the tie-breaking home run in Game 2.
Even in Philadelphia where he couldn’t play the field for three straight games, Matsui took advantage of his opportunities going 2-for-3 in pinch hit spots, with a home run in Game 3. I had the feeling entering Game 6 that if the Yankees closed out the series on Wednesday night, the MVP would go to the player who had the biggest game. Without a doubt, that was Matsui, and now he’s cemented in history for a clutch performance that rivals Reggie Jackson. You get the feeling that maybe if he didn’t require a translator his face would have been more omnipresent but either way Matsui let his bat do the talking.
By the way, it was about time the Yankees won a World Series. Those dedicated fans shouldn’t have to wait so long between titles — they deserve to win more frequently.
