The Yankees haven't asked Hideki Matsui to waive his no-trade clause and accept a deal to San Francisco, but there were strong indications last night he wouldn't stand in the way of a deal if presented to him.
When the Giants asked the Blue Jays about outfielder Alex Rios last week at the Winter Meetings, they contacted the Yankees to see if Matsui was available. According to several sources, the Giants weren't told no.
Asked last night if Matsui had told the Yankees he would accept a trade, Hank Steinbrenner danced around the touchy topic.
"I don't want to get into that stuff," Steinbrenner said. "I don't want to make any type of comment on that."
Listen closely to the silence and it's easy to reach the conclusion that the Yankees are contemplating trading Matsui for pitching help. They likely can't get right-handers Tim Lincecum or Matt Cain from the Giants, but lefty Johnathan Sanchez could be the start of a Giants package. Four of Sanchez's 33 appearances last year were as a starter. He was 1-5 with a 5.88 ERA.
"There is nothing to comment on, nobody has come to us," said Matsui's agent, Arn Tellem. "At this point it's hypothetical and I am not going to comment on hypothetical."
With Johnny Damon in left and Jason Giambi as the designated hitter, Matsui's playing time would be reduced and could be the reason he wouldn't stand in the way of a trade. In order to approve a trade, the 33-year-old, who is owed $26 million across the next two years, could seek an extension from the Giants.
On the surface, trading Matsui, who is coming back from recent knee surgery, would mean the Yankees would be retaining Melky Cabrera, a key part of their discussions with the Twins in the Johan Santana talks. However, the Yankees have an interest in free-agent center fielder Corey Patterson.
As for where Santana and the Athletics' Dan Haren will land, Steinbrenner was open-ended.
"I don't think anything will happen soon, but it could," said Steinbrenner who insists Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy won't be pack aged together for either stud pitcher.
The Red Sox continue to talk to the Twins and the Yankees are monitoring what is happening with Santana and Haren.
Matsui's knee problem, which required daily treatment from the opening of spring training, forced him to DH in 32 games last season when he batted .285 (his lowest as a Yankee) and hit 25 homers. The knee didn't keep Matsui from driving in 103 runs, the fourth time in five years he plated 100 or more. Matsui was on the disabled list in early April with a left hamstring injury and missed a dozen games.
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