TAMPA – Hideki Matsui still plays for the Yankees, just in case you needed that information. The highest-profile athlete in an entire country is the lowest-maintenance player in baseball’s most glamorous clubhouse.

You might say it’s the language barrier, but nothing much is lost in translation to Matsui.

“I’m aware of everything going on,” he said through his translator, Rogelio Kahlon, when each Yankees controversy was ticked off. Jason Giambi, check. Vitriolic Red Sox quotes, check. The perception of a cold war between Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez, check.

Matsui has an antenna for such things. As Yankees assistant GM Jean Afterman said, “He grew up on the Yomiuri Giants as the most covered player on the most covered team.”

Nothing changes at Legends Field for Matsui. He is still the most covered player on the most covered team. Whatever attention Randy Johnson is getting, or Alex Rodriguez or Derek Jeter, it pales when compared to Matsui.

Rey Sanchez – Rey Sanchez, for goodness sake – whined the other day about the number of media near his locker speaking to Gary Sheffield. Meanwhile, Matsui does a separate session for about 65-70 Japanese media members daily. Seven days a week. No breaks. No whining.

He also is always cordial and readily available to the American media. Just what is there to ask? Matsui is the Pete Sampras of the majors – excellent and so solid as to be vanilla.

“No one even knows he’s here,” Yankees clubhouse manager Lou Cucuzza Jr. said. That was spoken with affection and admiration for a star without airs.

Again, there is nothing lost in translation. In any language, Matsui’s strengths, beyond his skills, are dependability and professionalism. This guy shows up to work every day, literally. He has played in 1,575 straight games. He always is mentally and physically prepared to perform.

Under Joe Torre, the Yankees have wanted to portray a style that honors their heritage: Show up ready every day to play well, but never show up the opponent. Matsui embodies that as well as any player who was drafted and developed in the organization.

“You couldn’t ask for a better Yankee,” said Afterman, whose ties to Japan helped facilitate Matsui’s signing.

GM Brian Cashman added, “He’s the mold. If you can make up your 25 guys, you would take a lot of ingredients that make up Hideki Matsui. You would take him on the field every day. You would take him in the clubhouse every day. I wouldn’t make as much money if that happened because my job would be so much easier.”

Ah, yes, money. Matsui has a contract expiring and the Yankees and his agent, Arn Tellem, plan to talk this spring. A case can be made that Matsui deserves as much as injury-prone J.D. Drew’s five years at $55 million because whatever he lacks in Drew’s explosiveness Matsui more than compensates for by never missing games. Expect the deal, however, to fall more in the three-year, $30 million area, a good marriage extending without rancor. This is Matsui, after all.

But the Yanks should get it done now. I suspect Matsui, whose offense improved a grade from Year 1 to Year 2, is like Luis Gonzalez in his prime and is about to take another positive step. With Bernie Williams’ dubious defense and body, Matsui might enhance his worth further by playing more center field. And, with all the craziness ensnaring the Yanks, Matsui’s low-maintenance persona also inflates his value.

“I think he is a great player,” said Toronto GM J.P. Ricciardi, who has watched Matsui bat .331 in 38 games against his team the past two years. “He uses all fields when he hits. He hits tough pitching. He hits for power. He hits left-handers. He hits in the clutch. He’s a very good, aggressive left fielder. He’s a good, heady baserunner.

“He stands for all you want to see in a player.”

—

Cashing in

Hideki Matsui is in the last year of a three-year contract he signed when he joined the Yankees. As a possible free agent, Matsui could command a new deal similar to the five-year, $55M pact J.D. Drew got this offseason from the Dodgers.

Here’s a look at how Matsui’s average season compares to Drew’s:

MATSUI — DREW

2 Full seasons 6

30 Age 29

162 G 121

604 AB 397

96 R 77

177 H 113

24 HR 20

107 RBI 60

.292 AVG .285

.371 OBP .386

.477 SLG .504