He was solid in 2003, a .287 hitter who knocked in 106 runs and had 42 doubles and 16 home runs. Last year, as a sophomore, he brought his average up to .298, his homers to 31, knocked in 108 and scored 109; he had a .522 slugging percentage and a .390 on base average.

This spring, he’s already leading the Yankees in home runs and ribbies. At the plate, he looks perfect, quiet, compact, patient. His balance is extraordinary and a short, quick stroke lashes line drives to every part of the field. That’s what Mattingly used to do. It’s what no Yankee has done since.

But what is about to set Matsui apart from everyone else on the Yankees is his ability to out-think pitchers. Mattingly in his day and Jeter now were see-the-ball, hit-the-ball batters. Both will take a ball that isn’t in the strike zone and drive it somewhere if they think they can get decent wood on it.

Matsui anticipates, and Joe Torre has said he’s seldom seen anyone as good at figuring out which pitch to look for. And as he’s gotten his reps in against American League pitchers, his internal data base has grown to the point where he knows what a pitcher is throwing before the catcher flashes a sign.

Especially in his first year and less so last year, he wore down toward the end of the year, his body accustomed to the 140-game Japanese season. But when the Yankees needed help the most, he rose to the occasion.

In the playoffs, the Red Sox have recently admitted that they didn’t have a clue how to get Matsui out. In the ALCS, while most Yankee bats were fading, Matsui hit .412 with 14 hits in seven games, nine for extra bases. He drove in 10 runs with those 14 hits.

There’s no better proof of talent that performance under pressure. And Matsui has consistently been as tough an out as there is with the game on the line.

Now, finally, he’s fully acclimated to the American game and the long season. He knows the pitchers, and they still don’t know him. He’s comfortable and confident, and he doesn’t have to worry about the pressure of the New York media – A-Rod and Jason Giambi soak up so much ink there’s not much left for the quiet man who looks perfect in pinstripes.

But this year, with or without an interpreter, you’re going to hear plenty from Matsui. Not in the interview room and not on the gossip pages, but at the plate.

Not since Mattingly have the Yankees have a hitter like him. He’s won three MVPs in Japan. This year, he’ll add the American version.

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