<div><p>Japanese slugger Hideki Matsui, the World Series Most Valuable Player for the New York Yankees, has signed a one-year contract worth 6.5 million dollars with the Los Angeles Angels.</p><p>The deal sends the 35-year-old free agent designated hitter to the AL West division champions whom the Yankees defeated in the first round of the playoffs on their way to a record 27th Major League Baseball crown.</p><p>"I'm very excited," Matsui said through a translator. "This is the beginning of a new journey for me. I'd like to do my best in every way I can to bring another world championship to this team since they won in 2002."</p><p>Matsui batted .274, belted 28 home runs and drove in 90 runs for the Yankees last season, when he made 13 million dollars, then went 8-for-13 with three homers and eight runs batted in during the championship series.</p><p>"We are excited to have a player with talent that Hideki brings," Angeles general manager Tony Reagins said. "He is a professional hitter and we look forward to seeing him in an Angels uniform in 2010."</p><p>The Japanese star matched a World Series record by bringing in six runs in the decisive sixth game as the Yankees defeated defending champion Philadelphia four games to two in the best-of-seven final.</p><p>The Yankees decided to release Matsui, who spent seven seasons with the club, making 52 million dollars over the past four years.</p><p>Matsui becomes the second Japanese player for the Angels, after pitcher Shigetoshi Hasegawa who departed in 2001, even though he had loved being a Yankee so much he stayed away from Japan's World Baseball Classic championship squad in March to better prepare himself for the Yankees season.</p><p>"There was a certain level of attachment there, but this organization had welcomed me with open arms and understood my goals and desires," Matsui said.</p><p>Matsui will return to the Bronx next April 13, however, as the Angels play in New York's home opener in 2010 and the Japanese star will be on hand to claim his own championship ring, albeit while not wearing the famed pinstripes.</p><p>Matsui figures to replace Vladimir Guerrero at designated hitter for the Angels, who have won division crowns in five of the past six seasons but have not reached the World Series since winning it in 2002.</p><p>"He's a left-handed hitter that can play against anyone," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "The impact he will have on our lineup, it will be felt right away."</p><p>In an internet posting at Huffington Post, Matsui's agent, Arn Tellum, said that Scioscia wants Matsui, who has a history of knee troubles, to play as a left-fielder once or twice a week in addition to designated hitter duties.</p><p>"It's going to be contingent on his health and how Hideki feels," Scioscia said. "It's much more important for us to have his presence in the lineup swinging the bat everyday than it is to try to ask him to go play the outfield if it's something he's not ready for.</p><p>"That being said, we're a much deeper team and have many more options if he can go play the outfield whenever we need, 2-3 days a week."</p><p>Matsui had no sleep on Sunday night while pondering his chances of staying with the Yankees before signing with the Angels, Tellum said.</p><p>"In the end, Hideki chose to accept Angels offer rather than wait for Yankees to decide whether they wanted to bring him back," Tellum said.</p><p>"Failure to act quickly might have caused LA to withdraw its offer and forced Hideki to sign with a weaker team, thus forfeiting a shot at another World Series."</p><img src="http://admatch-syndication.mochila.com/images/ad.gif?aid=65580322&bid=informcom" /></div><div id="copyright"><div>

Copyright 2009  <a href="http://www.afp.com/english/links/?pid=copyright">AFP Global Edition</a></div></div>