Matsui great, but not most valuable in World Series

November 5, 8:15 PMNew York Yankees ExaminerPete Sabatini

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New York Yankees' Derek Jeter, left, and Mariano Rivera look
at the championship trophy.
(AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

There’s no question that Hideki Matsui had a monstrous Game 6 of the World Series.

His six RBI on a homerun, double, and single elevated his series average to .615 and brought him to eight total for the series.

Before Game 6 no one even had Matsui on their MVP radar.

Big-time numbers in Game 6, no question, but I contend that he wasn’t actually the most valuable player in pinstripes for the entire series.

Watching Hideki raise the trophy with that typically subdued smile beaming through with pride as he answered awkward questions about his expiring contract through his interpreter warmed the heart, no doubt.

That being said, Matsui started only three of the six games since his rickety knees limit him to DH duty – the same reason he may not be a Yankee in 2010.

His eight hits in 13 at bats are impressive for a three game series, but the team played six.

Because of his limited mobility he created a liability with his absence from the starting lineup in the three games played in Philadelphia.

Mariano Rivera took the mound in four of the six games, pitching 5.1 scoreless innings, converting both of his save opportunities, and giving up just three hits – this against the best slugging team in the National League.

I may be letting the overall impressiveness of Rivera’s dominance in the entirety of the postseason influence my judgment but his impact on every game goes beyond what Matsui was able to do in the World Series.

In the games Rivera did not appear, his presence could be felt looming in the bullpen to lock down any lead the Yankees could get.

The Phillies could find no way to get at Rivera and seemed visibly frustrated trying.

Like no one else, Mariano can control a baseball game just as he did in four of the six games of the 2009 World Series.

Check out Paula Duffy on Matsui as an MVP of a different sort.

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