You really can't ever win if you are a General Manager...

Sign Andy P, you get praise.

Let Hideki Matsui slip away, people crap on you. Allow me to pile on.

I don't doubt that Mideki Matsui will be in the Hall of Fame - not so much for his numbers - which are solid but not Hall worthy, but for how he changed the game.

When Matsui played in Japan, he was the best player in the league by far. A three time MVP, he hit over 300 home runs. But, its Japan, right? The equivalent of "solid" AA baseball in North America. It is true. He was the Japanese Babe Ruth - if for no other reason, he was 6'2 and 230 pounds. His Nickname, Godzilla, is because of his size and an unfortunate skin condition. But in Japan, 6'2, 230 sticks out a little bit.

But, then he left Japan. He signed with America's team, the New York Yankees. I remember joking at the time that it was the newest Japenese import, and about as durable.

He wasn't the first, and when everything is said and done, he won't be the best - an honour reserved for Seattle's Ichiro (who is probably going to end his career in the top five total hits of all time) - but he was the biggest deal. It was the Japanese equivalent of Gretzky to the Los Angeles Kings. In fact, to this day, advertizing prices peak and the Japanese media follow Mr. Matsui where he goes.

And oh yeah - he can flat out play. Sure, he can't play outfield anymore - but he can still hit. He gave the Yanks a solid seven years. And, they let him get away for less than half of what he was making this year? Whaaaaa? he only signed a one year deal- we couldn't chance a one year deal?

They say it was because of his knees- that he wasn't durable.

Winning the world series MVP? Game Changing. I am not sure the Yanks have had a better clutch hitter in the past decade.

I am pretty sure that Matsui will play in Japan again. He will go back and be just as dominant as he was when he left. He deserves to be in the Hall of Fame for his play in Japan, and being the man who made playing in the MLB a Japanese dream. He is as much of a trailblazer as other players who came before him to break down barriers.