Matsui to the OF in Game 3?

October 30, 2009 by Jason@IIATMS

I’ll miss having Matsui’s bat in the lineup when the Yanks venture down the NJ Turnpike in Game 3 tomorrow. However, I can’t endorse this idea:

“That’s something we’re going to have to talk about,” Girardi said of using the 35-year-old Matsui in the outfield for the first time this season. “We’ll see how he’s doing. We’ll have to see. We’ll make a decision when we get there. We have all day to think about it [during Friday's off-day.]“

Despite the ice wrapped around both his knees, Matsui, who went 2-for-3 and reached base three times, was confident his legs could hold up in the outfield at Citizens Bank Park.

Does that sound like a smart move? Granted his bat is worthy of starting, but at the expense of the defense? And would he play LF (bumping Damon to RF or the bench?) or RF (bumping Swisher or whoever else Girardi would otherwise start)?

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And remember, even when he was “healthy”, or “healthier” than he is now, Matsui was NEVER a good fielder. To wit, his UZR since joining the Yanks in 2003:

2003: -21.7
2004: -25.4
2005: -10.8
2006: -3.8
2007: -7.6
2008: -2.5

Not exactly sparking, eh? If he plays LF, bumping Damon to RF (which, by the way, is a bad move unto itself), his UZR’s aren’t much better for his career as a LF’er:

2003: -17.7
2004: -24.8
2005: -1.6
2006: -3.8
2007: -7.6
2008: -2.3

Not a positive number in the bunch. Sure, his offense can compensate for his defense, to a degree, but in what might be a tightly played, close game, would you really want to add a sore-kneed player who hasn’t played the field since 2008?

Not me. What do you think?

Suggested related reading: World Series head-to-head: OF/DH, which includes the table below: