Was Johnson healthy choice over Matsui? Let the debate begin

TAMPA, Fla.

Brian Cashman, 42 in human years but roughly 126 in Yankees years, nodded and smiled in recognition of the scenario:

The Yankees choose Player A over Player B, and the media and fans spend the rest of the year (and beyond) tracking the performances of the two players. Perhaps Cashman even receives some criticism along the way.

So in the grand tradition of Gary Sheffield vs. Vladimir Guerrero, Kei Igawa vs. Ted Lilly and Phil Hughes vs. Johan Santana, we bring you "Nick Johnson vs. Hideki Matsui."

"He wasn't picked ahead of Hideki," Cashman said Tuesday, nodding toward Johnson's locker. "I never did that analysis. Just all of a sudden, Hideki got the screws put to him by the Angels. I think from his perspective, if he didn't take that deal, and he didn't get a deal with us, he'd have no deal. But it'll be compared nonetheless."

It is, after all, one DH replacing another. The Yankees had reservations about bringing back the immensely popular Matsui due to his history of knee problems. So with Johnny Damon (yes, him again) still available, the Yankees - given four hours or so to decide on Dec. 13 - told Matsui they wouldn't match the Angels' one-year, $6-million offer.

And when Johnson put a similar squeeze on the Yanks four days later, the team, frustrated by Damon's demands, signed their former first-base prospect for one year and $5.5 million.

Johnson enters this drama with his own subplot: He is baseball's Inspector Clouseau, arguably the game's most accident-prone, good player. He has played in more than 100 games only four times in eight big-league seasons, and that doesn't count his missing all of 2000 with a right hand injury.

"He's been injury-prone, period. That's the truth," Cashman said. "But hopefully - it's a little bit of a gamble - he'll play DH now and maybe that'll give him a chance to stay healthy. We'll see. There's nothing indicating a predisposition to anything in particular. His history has been his history."

Now 31, Johnson understands the questions and comparisons. He has been working with the same trainer, Jeff Boe-Hagelis, for the past eight offseasons in Sacramento. He also works with a physical therapist, Greg Parry, and has a cook prepare his meals, although he treated himself once to Burger King since his arrival in Tampa. "My body feels good," Johnson said.

Boe-Hagelis has worked with other major leaguers, including the Cubs' Derek Lee and former Met Fernando Viña. In a telephone interview, Boe-Hagelis said, "It's not about how strong Nick is. It's about being healthy and eliminating things that are red flags."

His client is "naturally super-tight," Boe-Hagelis said, so they spent the winter working on flexibility. Nevertheless, many of Johnson's injuries have resulted from situations that can best be described as fluky. Said Boe-Hagelis: "I think the randomness negates being able to prevent it."

He may not say much to the media, but Johnson fully gets what he's entering - the comparisons with Matsui, the doubts about his durability and the scrutiny that will result from both.

He played for the Yankees from 2001 through 2003 and he badly wanted to come back here. "I enjoy that, everything that comes with it," he said. "I don't know what it is, but I enjoy that."

It's buzz, heat, energy - the stuff that really doesn't exist in Montreal, Washington or Miami. It's willfully entering the "Johnson vs. Matsui" debate, understanding the stakes and trying to make both you and your general manager look good.