Upper Deki!!!

loved that guy. what a career...on both sides of the globe!

Solid Yankee. Lots of big home runs. Hard to believe it's been a decade since he landed here, but I remember it like it was yesterday. Very exciting acquisition.
I'll never forget his apology after he got hurt, ending his consecutive game streak, and his final World Series in '09.

He goes down as one of the great fan favorites. I would have been okay with him trailing off for a year or two after the WS on our team, but something tells me that wouldn't really have happened; he'd be hitting in the clutch until the last day and walk off a hero.

Sad.

What a class act.

A real class act.

In a sport that too many people view as a manichean debate between "the numbers" and "the intangibles," one simple distinction rises above it all: good guy. There goes one of the goodest. Thanks for the memories and best of luck.

Derek Jeter: “I’ve said it numerous times over the years, but it’s worth repeating now. I’ve had a lot of teammates over the years with the Yankees, but I will always consider Hideki one of my favorites. The way he went about his business day in and day out was impressive. Despite being shadowed by a large group of reporters, having the pressures of performing for his fans both in New York and Japan and becoming acclimated to the bright lights of New York City, he always remained focused and committed to his job and to those of us he shared the clubhouse with. I have a lot of respect for Hideki. He was someone we counted on a great deal and he’s a big reason why we became World Champions in 2009.”

[6] You left out the last bit of that quote: "And Yo, that Japanese porn he passed me is WACK!"

さよなら、松井さん！ Huge news over here, of course.

Class act all the way. He fit this city and team like a glove. When nobody says a bad word about you, then you know you've done a lot of things right.

Now all that's left for him to do and make his life complete, a guest guest appearance on Casting Couch.

ah. he's a favorite. really liked that guy.

(jeez, i shouldn't refer to him in the past tense.)

but i was always a fan. seemed like a good guy.

[7] Pixelation is teh suck.

I'd like to see him take a job with the Yankees somewhere.

[11] i'm guessing not right field, though. ; )

hey mattpat - how did you make out in long beach? i was thinkin' bout you. i drove through your town over turkey day and it was still pretty devastated. my parents had friends from there stay with them for 10 days. hope you and your fam were/are OK!!!

Mats shoulda won ROY in '03. they gave it to angel berroa, most likely out of anti-yankee bias.

feh.

Got misty-eyed while watching the presser this morning.

[13] Don't knock it, he is the 64th greatest Royals player ever after all... and our bench manager was the one who made the decision that changed his season and propelled him to Rookie of the Year. The New Jersey Jackals are privileged to have a guy of that pedigree on their roster >;)

[14] - Hey Boat...ya got a link to that press conference?

Yankees considering one-day contract for Matsui to appear in a farewell at the Stadium.
Japanese paper (Hochi) quoted an unnamed source with the above.

Sorry, Abby. I watched it live on the morning new that my wife has eternally on. I don't even know what station it was. Try the NHK website.