| Brian Reynolds. 15th December, 2009 - 1:58 pm
 The reigning World Series MVP has found a new home with the Angels.
After seven strong seasons in the Bronx, Hideki Matsui signed with Los Angeles on Monday for a one-year deal worth $6.5 million.
Matsui will be the team’s full-time designated hitter in 2010, signifying the end of the Vladimir Guerrero era in Anaheim.
The 35-year old is one of the game’s most clutch and consistent hitters and will thrive in the middle of Mike Scioscia’s lineup.
In last year’s Fall Classic, Matsui had one of the most impressive series’ of all time. He hit .615 (8 for 13) with three home runs and eight RBI’s. He was awarded the MVP despite not starting in all three games in Philadelphia.
Godzilla slugged 28 home runs in 2009 while driving in 90 runs. He is a career .292 hitter with an OPB of .370.
The great thing for the Angels is that they get all of this production without breaking the bank. To sign one of baseball’s purest hitters for $6.5 million is an absolute bargain. It is very similar to the deal Bobby Abreu got from the Angels last year and it would make sense that Matsui would re-sign with the club after 2010 if his relationship with the team proves to be a good one.
Matsui was a fan favorite in New York and will soon be one in Southern California. It’s a fantastic signing for Anaheim, but the Angels need to continue to improve their roster.
The loss of Chone Figgins is going to hurt the team more than people think. Figgins had an OBP near .400 last year leading to 114 runs scored. With him no longer at the top of the order, there will be much fewer chances to drive in runs for guys like Matsui, Abreu, Kendry Morales, and Torii Hunter.
The Angels are also in need of an ace as Lackey is now a member of the Boston Red Sox. There are rumors circulating that the Angels may send Juan Rivera to Atlanta for Derek Lowe. While Lowe struggled most of last year, he is still a veteran pitcher and would provide as a band-aid for a club who lost its best pitcher.
The bullpen is an issue as well. The Angels would be wise to resign free agent Darren Oliver who has been superb late in ball games. Oliver, however, is receiving a lot of attention on the open market and seems unlikely to resign with the Halos.
The Matsui signing may be the steal of the off-season. Unfortunately, the problem is that the Angels have sat and watched as two of their rival teams have come in and snaked two huge pieces from their own club.
It’s a completely new team in Anaheim. With Lackey and Figgins now gone, Scot Shields remains as the only player that was on the 2002 championship ball-club.
Grade for the Angels: C-
This is a tough grade because Matsui is a scary hitter and to get him for just one year and $6.5 million is pure gold.
However, I'm taking the Angels offseason as a whole into account. There are much more pressing needs than a designated hitter in Anaheim right now. If they had missed out on Matsui, they could have easily resigned Vlad. But there really isn’t a replacement out there for Figgins and Lackey.
It's kind of like getting the third favorite thing on your Christmas list. It wasn't the best Christmas ever, but at least your parents got you something you wanted. It was on sale too!
--Brian Reynolds is a contributing writer for RealGM and a graduate of Emory University. He can be reached at Brian.Matthew.Reynolds@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter at BReynolds404. |
