Little Matsui Steps Up

In the classic samurai film Yojimbo, rival factions bid for the services of a mercenary who has wandered into town. To which side will this mysterious swordsman give his allegiance? Kazuo Matsui is baseball's yojimbo , a free agent from Japan with more suitors than a Muromachi-era princess. No fewer than nine major league teams—including rivals the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox—are reportedly in the running for the services of the 1.75-m shortstop. The question brewing on hot stoves on two continents is not just where this bat-and-glove for hire will wind up but also whether he's willing to...