Angels skipper Mike Scioscia wondered if unfamiliarity might be part of the problem since Hideki Matsui has been facing pitchers in the Yankees series he hasn’t had much experience against.
Matsui wouldn’t rule that out as a possibility. But the former Yankee seems to think he’s 0-for-9 in his two-game reunion because of something more definitive.
“One thing I can say,” he said yesterday, “is they’re pitching me pretty well.”
Tipping his Angels cap was all Matsui could really do. After going 0-for-5 with a strikeout in Tuesday’s series opener, he went 0-for-4 with three more strikeouts yesterday. The only consolations were that he did draw a walk and the Angels won, 5-3.
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Matsui struck out twice and flied out against Javier Vazquez — a Yankee teammate in 2004 whom he had had three at-bats against coming in. The Angel DH then walked against Alfredo Aceves (first time facing him) before striking out versus lefty Damaso Marte in the ninth (nine previous at-bats).
It’s presumably frustrating for Matsui to struggle so badly against his old club. Though he insisted, “Regardless of who the team is, you want to hit and get some good results.”
Matsui’s obviously familiar with New York and was successful here for seven seasons, so it’s probably not as if he was awed by his return. That said, maybe it’s been difficult for him to be back here with everything involved.
“I think he’s enjoying it,” Scioscia insisted. “He’s learning some pitchers he hasn’t faced yet. . . . He’s just not squaring up the baseball right now. But he’ll hit.”
In his two games in The Bronx, Matsui has struck out against three different pitchers — Andy Pettitte (whom he never had faced), Vazquez and Marte. He also was retired by Mariano Rivera (never faced) and Chan Ho Park (seven at-bats). His only success came in Aceves’ free pass.
Matsui will be at it again tonight, facing Phil Hughes for the first time.