Yomiuri Giants owner Kojiro Shiraishi said Thursday it might be difficult to have former Giants and New York Yankees slugger Hideki Matsui back this season as an instructor during spring training.
Matsui, who worked as a spring training coach with both clubs last season, spending roughly two weeks with the Giants during their stay in Miyazaki before taking part in the Yankees' camp in Florida.
"We've been told it could be difficult," Shiraishi said of Matsui performing an encore this year. "It will depend on his adjusting his schedule."
Although he lives in New York, Matsui would be a strong candidate to manage the Giants in the future, should he desire to.
Asked in December by Kyodo News whether he would like Matsui back as a spring instructor in Florida, Yankees manager Joe Girardi said the popular Matsui was always welcome at any time.
"We love having him around, wherever it's in the course of the season, whether he's walking in our clubhouse and being around the guys, whether it's in spring training. He's a real pro," Girardi said.
"And he has a lot of information that he can pass on to younger players, to older players, about how to play the game and how to approach an at-bat, how you hit through a long season. Matsui was one of the favorites in the clubhouse, as well."
The skipper said Matsui's limited English skills would not prevent him from coaching in the United States on a full-time basis.
"I'm sure people could figure it out some way," Girardi said.