We at the EWC are delighted to see Kazuo Matsui finally realizing the talent that made him a superstar in the Japan league before his trip to the majors.  After a dismal season and a half with the Mets, where he managed on ly 9 steals and a sub .300 OB% in 125 games and looked to be headed the way of So Taguchi, Matsui pieced together a great second half in 2006, and started looking like the player the Mets were hoping to get when they signed him from the Seibu Lions.

Matsui was a legit 30/30 threat in Japan-in his best (2002) season with Seibu he belted 36  home runs and stole 33 bases while slugging .617.  I had the privilege of watching him play in Japan during the 2000-2001 season, and it was clear he belonged on the big stage of MLB-his production in the NPB rivaled Ichiro’s at the time.   So naturally it was saddening to see him blowing his chance in the bigs.

However, Kaz turned it around completely in 2007, hitting .292, stealing 34 bases and scoring 84 times in part-time duty with the Rockies.  His pivotal game 2 grand slam officially announced that the Matsui we had all been expecting has arrived on the scene.

Omedeto Gozaimasu.