MLB Free Agent at the End of the Season: Hideki Matsui

As Hideki Matsui looks toward his impending free agency, he's got to feel good about things. He's proven to the baseball world once again that he is one of the premier hitters in the American League and despite all the talk of injuries, age, and decline; Matsui can still rake with the best of them and should be in line for a nice contract. How will Matsui's tremendous 2009 season translate on the free agent market? Let's take a look: The Case for MatsuiProductive hitterWhen Matsui is healthy and able to play, there's no doubt that he can hit. This season, Matsui has put up some big numbers in the heart of the Yankees lineup: .280, 25 HR, 85 RBI, .370 OBP, .886 OPS. And those numbers don't even tell just how good Matsui has been this season: he's been equally productive against lefties and righties (.276 v. .281) and has been great with runners in scoring position (.313, 8 HR).Sure Matsui is getting up their in age (he's 35), but his numbers at the dis...