M's Notebook | Japanese legend Kaneda welcomes Matsui into club

NEW YORK — It isn't every day one gets to talk to an actual, living 400-game winner.

But the opportunity arose before Sunday's game when, passing through a tunnel adjacent to the visitors' dugout, was all-time Japanese wins leader Masaichi Kaneda. The 73-year-old was at Yankee Stadium, preparing to welcome New York slugger Hideki Matsui into the Japanese "Golden Players Club" — akin to a Hall of Fame — for collecting his 2,000th professional hit.

Matsui had 1,390 hits in Japan and 609 with the Yankees heading into Sunday's game, then collected his 2,000th overall on a sixth-inning fly ball dropped by Mariners left fielder Raul Ibanez. The play was initially ruled an error but later changed to a double.

Standards for inclusion into the Golden Players Club, which has 45 members, including Ichiro, are 2,000 hits for hitters and 200 wins or 250 saves for pitchers. Kaneda had no trouble reaching that threshold, posting an incredible 14 seasons of 20 wins or more, along with 4,490 career strikeouts, two no-hitters and a perfect game.

His secrets to such success over 20 pro seasons from 1950 to 1969?

"A great body, a great work ethic," he said through a translator, patting his flat stomach for emphasis. "As far as practicing and everything on that note, to be able to take care of your body. Eat well, rest well, practice well."

Kaneda then lifted his leg onto the dugout bench and stretched down to touch his toe.

"Although my knees have been damaged a little from playing baseball," he said, "I still take care of my body every day."

The onetime hard-throwing lefty doesn't regret playing in an era where Japanese players were not highly sought after by major-league teams the way they are today. In fact, Kaneda says former Yankees manager Casey Stengel once came over to scout him.

"Because it was just after the war and also the language barrier, those are the reasons I didn't get a chance," he said.

Kaneda presented Matsui with a ceremonial Golden Players Club jacket after the game. He said he's proud of the Japanese players making their mark here.

"It's a fantastic thing," he said. "It's very important. You feel how important major-league baseball is and also how important Japanese professional baseball is. People have made my dream a reality now. So, I'm very happy about that."

Green called up

Seattle recalled relief pitcher Sean Green from Class AAA Tacoma to take suspended pitcher Julio Mateo's roster spot. Green was in the Tacoma clubhouse at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, about to take the field for a home game, when he was told to head for the airport.

"They told me a half-hour before the game started that I needed to get my stuff and be at the airport in a couple of hours because that's when the plane was leaving," said Green, who made his flight and arrived in New York at 3 a.m. Sunday.

Green pitched the eighth inning of Sunday's game. He gave up a hit, a walk and made a wild pitch, but didn't allow any runs.

Notes

• Designated hitter Jose Vidro had two of Seattle's four hits, upping his average to a team-high .314. Richie Sexson went 1 for 3, lifting his average from .148 to .154.

• Carl Pavano, the Yankees' oft-injured pitcher, could need elbow surgery that would sideline him for the rest of the season, the Associated Press reported.

• The Mariners have played more short series than any other team in baseball this season. Scheduling quirks and rainouts resulted in the Mariners playing seven different teams in 11 days from April 22 to May 4. The last club to do that was the Chicago White Sox in 1966.

Geoff Baker: 206-464-8286 or gbaker@seattletimes.com.

Read his daily blog at www.seattletimes.com/Mariners

For the record

Streak: L2

Home: 8-6

Road: 5-7

vs. AL West: 7-5

vs. L.A.: 0-3

vs. Oakland: 4-1

vs. Texas: 3-1

vs. AL East: 2-4

vs. AL Central: 4-4

vs. NL: 0-0

vs. LHP: 4-2

vs. RHP: 9-11

Day: 6-5

Night: 7-8

One-run: 2-4

Extra innings: 0-0