Hideki Matsui recovering from surgery will not play in World Baseball Classic 2009

Hideki Matsui recently had surgery which means he can't play in the 2009 World Baseball Classic. This should be obvious to the movers and shakers in the WBC shake-down, but Brian Cashman sent an email in reply to Newsday's Ken Davidoff stating that Hideki would not be playing. The sales pitch (noted on this blog leading up to the 2006 WBC) includes the idea that one must play in this thing, it's inevitable because everyone else is, it's global, everyone must sacrifice selfish interests. No matter what. It's the same 'guilt' sales pitch the man-made global warming profiteers use, ie, if you don't get on board you're selfish, the program is "inevitable," everyone else agrees so if you don't you're unbalanced, etc. Nobody has to do anything.

• (Newsday): "In 2006, Matsui upset not only Japanese fans but major-league and Players Association officials, who wanted Matsui and Ichiro to co-headline Team Japan.

• Players Association COO Gene Orza attempted to demonize Matsui publicly for his lack of interest in the event.

Matsui should avoid all of that agita in 2009 as he quietly prepares for what

• could be his final Yankees season.

He won't be a lightning rod of controversy. He'll just be another player trying to get healthy."

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