Matsui's return means bench for Gardner

The Yankees are expected to get Hideki Matsui back tonight after missing him for about two months. What will Godzilla’s return mean for the team as it makes its final push for a playoff spot? Well, for starters, I’d think that Brett Gardner heads back to the bench, Justin Christian heads back to the minors and Johnny Damon heads back to center field, opening up the DH spot for Matsui. Matsui has been one of the Yankees’ most consistent run producers during his years in the Bronx, and he was having another productive season at the plate before his knee injury sidelined him in June. Adding a bat to the middle of the lineup (I’d bat him fifth) can only help the Yankees right now, especially the way they’ve been hitting (or not hitting, as it were) with runners in scoring position. This isn’t going to be an easy week for the Yankees. Three games in Toronto - two of them started by AJ Burnett and Roy Halladay - are no easy task, and even though the Orioles are in last place, Baltimore has ... (link)