Matsui, World Series MVP, faces uncertain future

By Daniel Trotta

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Hideki Matsui drove in six runs in a World Series clinching victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday in what may turn out to be the grandest of exits from the New York Yankees.

Matsui became the first Japanese to be named Most Valuable Player of the World Series, batting .615 (8-for-13) with three home runs and eight runs batted in.

However, he faces an uncertain future following the completion of his four-year, $52 million deal. An already aging Yankees team may not be eager to re-sign the 35-year-old designated hitter, who has been slowed by injured knees.

As a free agent he will undoubtedly be of interest to some teams. Whether the Yankees will be one them remains unclear.

"Of course, that would be great if things turn out that way. I love New York, I love the Yankees, I love my team mates and I really love the fans," said Matsui after being presented with the MVP trophy by Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig.

The slugger came to New York in 2003 after 10 seasons with the Yomiuri Giants, and while he remains a towering figure in Japan he told The New York Times before the season that he had no thoughts of returning to play there.

"I'm certainly aware that I represent Japan in that sense as a baseball player. But more so in my mind I feel that I am a member of the Yankees. I'm a Yankee baseball player. So that's always in my mind more so," he told reporters through an interpreter after Wednesday's game.

The issue is not Matsui's hitting.

His 2009 season was excellent with 28 home runs, a .274 batting average and .367 on-base percentage -- numbers that many teams would covet.

But he has had surgery on both knees, slowing him to the degree that he no longer plays in the outfield.

There seems to be little chance he will return as an effective defensive player, and the Yankees have under contract a number of older players they would like to use at designated hitter to give them rest.

Matsui certainly helped his market value with his performance in the World Series, but Yankees general manager Brian Cashman declined to speak about whether he would attempt to re-sign Matsui, saying the team was too busy celebrating.

The business of baseball would come later.

(Editing by Peter Rutherford)