Hideki Matsui unlikely to re-sign with A’s

Since taking over as the A’s manager in the middle of the season Bob Melvin has said repeatedly that he’d like the team to re-sign Hideki Matsui, but he sounds highly unlikely to get his wish.

Melvin reiterated his desire for Matsui to return while speaking to reporters yesterday at the winter meetings, but general manager Billy Beane downplayed the odds of it happening and indicated that the A’s will turn to younger players in the designated hitter role.

Beane mentioned Chris Carter, Brandon Allen, and Kila Ka’aihue, each of whom have some flaws and each of whom are very capable of topping Matsui’s production at a fraction of the cost.

Matsui plans to play somewhere in 2012 at age 38, but hit just .251 with 12 homers and a career-low .696 OPS in 141 games for the A’s while being paid $4.25 million.

via Hideki Matsui unlikely to re-sign with A’s | HardballTalk.