Hideki Matsui vs. Clete Thomas

So the Rays are about to sign Matsui to a minor league deal.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/0...ki-matsui.html

I get that he's 37, but I suppose there's no way we could have used him as a 4th OF or DH. I suppose anyone nicknamed "Godzilla" isn't scrappy enough for the Twins roster.

Matsui can no longer play the OF, and the Twins already have a full time DH at this point...

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Originally Posted by SpiritofVodkaDave

Matsui can no longer play the OF, and the Twins already have a full time DH at this point...

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Some would say none of our actual 4th OF can play OF either. Because isn't Clete our 3rd outfielder now?

The easy response is that he can't play CF, which was the primary requirements for Clete's/REvere's roster spot. But Matsui could conceivably be on the roster instead of Burroughs. (Or, a 13th pitcher, obviously.)

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Originally Posted by SirLoin

Some would say none of our actual 4th OF can play OF either. Because isn't Clete our 3rd outfielder now?

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Matsui would make Doumit look like Willie Mays at this point.

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Originally Posted by John Bonnes

The easy response is that he can't play CF, which was the primary requirements for Clete's/REvere's roster spot. But Matsui could conceivably be on the roster instead of Burroughs. (Or, a 13th pitcher, obviously.)

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Burroughs can at least fill in at 3rd base and may have some shred of an upside left. Yeah, obviously anything would be better than a 13th pitcher but this is basically the same as saying in 2010/2011 that "X player would be better than having on the roster then Drew Butera/Rivera 3rd catcher"

If the Twins were actually a contending team like the Rays this year, then yeah I see why you would take a chance on a Matsui or something, but a rebuilding team has no business picking up a guy like Matsui. Especially when DH is already filled up.

Yeah, pretty much zero interest in Matsui at this point. he'd be a Jim Thome type, without that kind of power.

I don't think the Twins want a full-time DH at this point. It's going to be months, if ever, that Morneau can be a full time 1b again, and if we want to keep Mauer, Doumit, and Willingham's bats in the lineup everyday, they're going to need to be able to DH every once in awhile.

Even exploring the possibility of having a full-time DH while you are carrying 13 pitchers because of all the holes and question marks seems somewhat insane.

Definitely too much of a log jam of people who need at bats at DH to consider a guy who would not play in the field.