While I dream of the Cashman bringing back both defensively challenged- clutch hitting leftfielders, the facts are somehow that situation will not materialized. If I was playing it by heart, it definitely would be Hideki Matsui because the guy's been a Paul O'Neil like warrior and if things went right, could have won his 3rd championship this past October instead of only his first. Still, Haz-Mat has done everything any fan could had imagined back in 2003 and it kills me to think he will finish his career in some other uniform for one year.

Honestly, I wouldn't mind the Yanks think with their head when making crucial decisions like this Matsui v. Damon debate yet I refuse to accept the concept of choosing a winner in this debate over "who helps rotate the DH" concept!  It is ludricious to decide the future of next year's team when Matsui's only fault is he clogs up the DH spot for one season. Let's be frank, Damon is one lost step in his legs, from being as useless as Hideki is in the outfield and then Matsui, IMO, takes the lead in the comparison. Also, am I crazy to think that Matsui could play perhaps twice every ten games in the outfield next year? It's probably going to be his final year considering why no one has mentioned Hideki's interest in wanting to play more than next year. Right now he's playing it by ear, and how his knees feel, and I believe after a whole year as a DH; the door may be open to play Matsui 25-30 games in the outfield.

   Next vital point that goes into my fiery blue-tinted debate is my personal spin on the stat of WAR. As most know it means wins above replacement, and although Johnny's WAR last year was slightly better than Hideki's (3.0 to 2.4) that doesn't mean Hideki produces more wins. In my opinion, the one ability that Hideki trumps anything Johnny has is his ability to protect Alex Rodriguez in the lineup. No one else can do it and there is no replacement out there on the free agent market to the void either. Unless Brian and pals want to fork over $100 million to the highly overrated Matt Holliday, I don't see any other way we can fill the void. We all love Jorge and his bat remains a solid B+ for a catcher and in our 6th or 7th slot in our lineup, but for the batter whose supposed to protect Alex; he doesn't come close to the threat of Godzilla. Ironically, Cano is talented enough to be that threat but, his drastic problems with RISP prevents him from contributing in the 7th slot let alone in the all important A-Rod slot protector.

      Unlike Matsui, Johnny's #2 slot can be replaced in several ways that are suitable for a defending champion both in-house & out-house. First, we could use either the excellent OBP & pitch-count threat of Swisher -OR - use the excellent contact hitting whose only getting better and seldom strikeouts (less than 10% this past year) Robinson Cano. If the Pinstripe Front Office decides to replace Johnny's bat with someone more adaptable to the leadoff order there is the trade possibility for Curtis Granderson or signing the somewhat under priced Chone Figgins. Any of these options are more viable & effective than potentially replacing Hideki with a defensive specialist/ no bat player like Ramiro Pena, Brett Gardner, etc. OR having to pay the pricey & overrated Holliday.

     In the end, the best hope the Yanks have in repeating next year is to resign both players to one-year deals and for the true future plans of this team to be activated NEXT off season. Let the massive changes to get younger, more athletic, and versatile happen after more attractive replacements become possible next November with a free agent like Carl Crawford and the much heralded outfield prospect, Austin "Action" Jackson. Please Yankee management let the Universe have two fan, and clubhouse, favorites back for final swan song on a team that it is about to go from focusing on the Core Four to recognizing the Posse of the Farm- the Joba, Hughes, Montero, Cano, & Jackson. As many are excited to welcome the new age of Bronx Bombers, I would be elated to watch the Old Gang of- Andy, Damon, & Hideki- have one legitimate chance to win another championship & have a truly worthwhile season of baseball. Don't ruin that because of a few pennies, impatience to execute a grand plan or, Mo forbid, to allow the DH spot to become a rest stop for our decrepit Bombers, who obviously could survive it up one more year. One more year, let it happen Yankees- Damon, Hideki, Andy- they did sort of win the last World Series title, ya'know ;-)