Hideki Matsui loves New York.
The former Yankees great penned a love letter to the city in The Players’ Tribune on Tuesday, reminiscing of all the special moments he has had living in the Big Apple during and after his Yankees career.
But there was only one moment that made him nearly cry on the field at Yankee Stadium — and it was while he was a member of the Los Angeles Angels.
It was at the Yankees’ home opener in 2010 — fresh after Matsui led them to a championship as World Series MVP in 2009 — during the team’s ring ceremony.
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Matsui watched from the visitor’s dugout with the approach that he is there as an opponent and will receive his ring as an Angels player — no longer part of the Yankees family.
When Matsui heard his name called he jumped out of the dugout to receive the ring to a loud, cheerful ovation from the fans.
“At that moment, all the emotions I had suppressed came overflowing at once,” he wrote. “I was about to tear up on the field for the first time ever.”
What made the moment even more special for Matsui was that the Yankees players rushed over and mobbed their former teammate on the field.
“It was like the moment I hit a walk-off home run,” he said. “Alex Rodriguez, Mariano Rivera, Robinson Cano…and at the end, Jeter congratulated me and rejoiced in the reunion.”
Of course, as many fans recall, Matsui did not actually receive a real ring.
Jeter played a prank of his former teammate by swiping the real one with a replica that was given to the fans at the stadium that day.
When Matsui was announced as part of the Angels starting lineup, manager Joe Girardi ran over to him to give him the real thing.
“I still vividly remember the Angels’ manager, Mike Scioscia, who was watching the exchanging up close, laughing out loud,” Matsui wrote.
Matsui continued in his letter to write about his appreciation for Jeter as well, who welcomed him to the team with open arms upon arriving from Japan in 2003.
“Jeter treats others well and never makes them feel uncomfortable,” he said. “The more I got to know him, the more solid the impression became.”
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