The Rockies And Kaz Matsui

The Rockies would like to improve upon Melvin Mora, which is understandable, given Mora's age and bat. But that doesn't mean bringing Kazuo Matsui back is the answer for the Rockies, who are interested in the infielder. Matsui was fantastic during his first stint with Colorado, hitting .300/.353/.426 on his way to a $16.5MM deal with Houston. But two and a half years later, the Astros are about to release him because he's a different player. Matsui remains an efficient base stealer and UZR suggests his recent defense has been average, but his .141/.197/.155 line would not represent an upgrade from the Rockies' current option. At 38, Mora is not likely to rediscover 25-homer power, but his .250/.308/.350 line is tolerable for a utility player. Mora's value comes from his defense; UZR rates him as an average defender, and he is versatile enough to play around the infield. Replacing Mora with Matsui would leave the Rockies without much def...