Hideki Matsui season is over.
MLB Baseball NewsHideki Matsui season is over.
The New York Yankees’ slugger will have surgery on his ailing left knee Monday instead of traveling with the team to Toronto.
Sidelined from June 23 to Aug. 18 because inflammation in the knee, Matsui was 1-for-3 with a single and a run Sunday night in New York’s 7-3 victory over Baltimore – the final regular-season game at Yankee Stadium.
The outfielder-DH finished the year batting .294 with nine homers and 45 RBIs.
Previously, Matsui said he didn’t want to have surgery until the Yankees were out of the playoff race. New York would be knocked out with one more loss or a Boston win.
Matsui has said the operation will be similar to the one performed on his right knee Nov. 14, which delayed his spring training debut this year until March 9. This time, he expects to be ready for the start of spring training in February 2009.
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Bernie back! Williams returns for Stadium finale.
Bernie Williams jogged to his old spot in center field, filling out those pinstripes nicely with that familiar No. 51 on his back.
For a minute, it seemed as though he must be back in the starting lineup.
Williams returned to Yankee Stadium for farewell festivities Sunday night, his first trip to the old ballpark since New York let him go after the 2006 season.
“I think it’s no question in my mind that I had to be here,” he said. “I figured this is a good time.”
Williams was the final ex-player introduced during a 65-minute pregame ceremony, drawing one of the loudest ovations from the sellout crowd. He tipped his cap twice and waved to fans, joining six Hall of Famers, among others, on a field dotted with Yankees greats in full uniform.
“I feel as nervous as I was before a playoff game, just to see the reaction,” Williams said before the ceremony. “It’s going to be a very emotional moment for me.”
Steady in center from 1991-2006, Williams helped New York win four World Series championships and six American League pennants. Always a fan favorite, he made five All-Star teams, won four Gold Gloves and was selected MVP of the 1996 AL championship series.
As his legs and shoulders began to fail him, Williams wound up with a diminished role late in his career. The Yankees offered him only a minor league contract to come to spring training in 2007, but he turned it down even though he hasn’t ruled out the possibility of playing again.
Now 40, Williams said he harbors no ill feelings toward the organization.
“I don’t think there was any bad blood between me and the Yankees,” he said.
But he didn’t want to come to the stadium previously and be a distraction.
“It was hard for me because I missed the game a lot,” he said. “It was just a matter of trying to stay away for my peace of mind, also.”
When he arrived by car Sunday, Williams had his driver take a lap around the ballpark so he could soak in the scene before he got out.
He counted off several fond Yankee Stadium memories that stand out – including hearing Paul Simon sing “Mrs. Robinson” in center field and a curtain call he took in his shower shoes and undershirt after winning the 1998 AL batting title.
“Definitely my home away from home,” Williams said, adding that he might be interested in a future role with the club. “There’s a part of me that feels very sad about watching this stadium go.”
An accomplished guitarist, Williams was asked what piece of music would be appropriate for Sunday night.
“A very sad rendition of ‘Take Me Out to the Ball Game,”‘ he said.
Monday, September 22nd, 2008 at 10:00 pm and is filed under MLB Baseball News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.
