Daisuke Matsuzaka posted by Seibu Lions

[elsrbueno]

Why is Matsuzaka the "easiest" to land because all it takes is loot? Isn't that true of Zito and Schmidt as well? And, I see Matsuzaka requiring the most loot to land when you add in the length of contract he'll be seeking due to his age, agent (Boras), and posting fee. Sure, they forfeit a draft pick for either of Zito or Schmidt, but they've had so many early round extras the last two years that I don't see that as a huge issue. For the total money it would take to land Matsuzaka, they could probably get Schmidt for less commitment time and Ted Lilly or Vincente Padilla. The team needs more than one SP in my mind.

 

Don't forget to consider this either. The brilliance of his stuff is aided by the smaller, lighter ball in Japan. A bigger, heavier ball can't be thrown as hard or with as much break. Also, his brilliant command has been with a larger strike zone. I'm skeptical of his command until I see him do it with regular AL umps calling the game.

 

I'm not saying this kid doesn't have talent, but I do question the level of hype he's getting right now. Look at Irabu's numbers before he came to the MLB. They are similar to what Matsuzaka is doing now. That should be a big red flag.

 

I have to agree with ORS about my skepticism of Matsuzaka. It has been said by a ton of people that the Japanese Professional Baseball League can be compared to AAA numbers when they come over. How many pitchers have mid 2's ERAs in AAA and don't translate it to the major leagues?

 

Also during the WBC Japan was in the middle of its season, meaning their players were in mid-season form while all the North American stars were still in Spring Training form. It seems to me that Matsuzaka could be counted on to be a #3 at best until he proves he's something better.

 

That having been said, Zito and Schmidt are probably #3's too (maybe #2's) at this point. At least Zito has pitched well in the AL before (unlike Schmidt) but Schmidt's power stuff IMO would translate better to the AL East than Zito's.

 

The thing about Matsuzaka from a business perspective is that the Sox could make money off of signing him if they play their cards right. The Yankees and Mariners are HUGE in Japan because they've got Matsui and Ichiro. Japanese media flocks to the games.

 

I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up in New York or Seattle or even LA just because the Red Sox have shown that they're financially conservative these days, but if they're going to splurge, a 25 year old #3 pitcher with potential is not a bad place to do it.

[ORS]

The only way they make money in Japan is if NESN is allowed to be sold over there. Otherwise, all broadcast and merchandising dollars are shared evenly as part of MLB's general revenues. They'll make money off of him no matter who he signs with.

[HeadOfSoxNation]

The way I see it, the Sox have no chance at Matsuzaka for a number of reasons. I see the main players in this bid war coming down to the Sox, the M's, and the Yanks. Sure, the Sox have more money than Seattle, but Seattle's got Ichiro. If it were a two team race, I'd say it's up in the air where he would go...you can come to Boston for the money or go to Seattle with a fellow countrymen (I don't care how insignificant some people say that this is...if I were to go to Japan to play ball, and I had the option of being on a squad with at least SOMEONE that spoke my language and knew where I'd came from, it'd be absolutley invaluable.). However, New York has both of those positives on lockdown. The countrymen in Matsui and they have more money than God.

 

I also think that the Lidle crash, as insignificant as baseball is at a time when someone has just lost their life, places a larger need for the Yankees to go get a starter to plug into their rotation. They may pay even more now for Matsuzaka then they would have previously. Also, I think they'll think more about resigning Moose too.

 

Is anyone in favor of the Sox going after Mussina if the Yanks don't pick up his option? It's a pretty big option...$17 mil I think. I don't think he's worth that, but if the Yankees don't pick it up, I definitely wouldn't hate the Sox giving him a year or two. I think he's still got 2 left...he's not a flamethrower, but he constantly keeps you in ballgames which is what we need.

[Mr Crunchy]

whats the price on mussina??

17M is too much at this stage of his career

but a 2/25M deal??

i loved the guy in baltimore but he aint what he was

 

ny may pick up his option just to keep him away from the competetion

despite some herculean efforts by the moose over his ny tenure,especially his duels with petey,,,

id have to say the boss would consider him disappointing for the money

[riverside sluggers]

I also think that the Lidle crash' date=' as insignificant as baseball is at a time when someone has just lost their life, places a larger need for the Yankees to go get a starter to plug into their rotation. They may pay even more now for Matsuzaka then they would have previously. Also, I think they'll think more about resigning Moose too[/quote']

 

With deep regards to Cory Lidle, it was evident even before his tragic death that the Yankees wouldve said "thanks for dropping by and good luck with rest of your career".

[HeadOfSoxNation]

With deep regards to Cory Lidle' date=' it was evident even before his tragic death that the Yankees wouldve said "thanks for dropping by and good luck with rest of your career".[/quote']

 

Was he a FA?

[Cityofchampions33]

The way I see it, the Sox have no chance at Matsuzaka for a number of reasons. I see the main players in this bid war coming down to the Sox, the M's, and the Yanks. Sure, the Sox have more money than Seattle, but Seattle's got Ichiro. If it were a two team race, I'd say it's up in the air where he would go...you can come to Boston for the money or go to Seattle with a fellow countrymen (I don't care how insignificant some people say that this is...if I were to go to Japan to play ball, and I had the option of being on a squad with at least SOMEONE that spoke my language and knew where I'd came from, it'd be absolutley invaluable.). However, New York has both of those positives on lockdown. The countrymen in Matsui and they have more money than God.

 

very well said

[riverside sluggers]

Was he a FA?

 

Correct, which made it more appealing for New Yok to ask for him to be included in the deal.

[castigs850]

everyone is making this kid sound like he is the best the MLB has to offer. Im personally skepitcal of that because i never saw him pitch, not exactly getting too involved in the WBC, and i dont really think any of those stats are valid because it was february correct? idk of too many major leaguers 100% ready to compete at that point in the year. id rather pass on him and while he is getting all the attention land one hopefully two other reliable SP

[ARod2212]

I would absolutely make a run at this kid. He can't turn out any worse than Pavano did, and could turn out a whole lot better. Pay the money, get this kid.

[example1]

Why is Matsuzaka the "easiest" to land because all it takes is loot? Isn't that true of Zito and Schmidt as well?

 

No. The team that has the highest bid has EXCLUSIVE negotiating rights with Matsuzaka for a year. Therefore, unless Matsuzaka wants to stay in Japan for another year he will need to sign a deal with that highest bidder. Zito and Schmidt can take LESS money to stay in SF/OAK if they choose to do so. Or they can prefer to go to NYY or LAA or wherever. Matsuzaka has very little say in who gets negotiating rights to him. That's a big difference, particularly since Boston has a reputation of being a difficult place to play.

 

And, I see Matsuzaka requiring the most loot to land when you add in the length of contract he'll be seeking due to his age, agent (Boras), and posting fee.

 

Absolutely. No doubt about that.

 

Sure, they forfeit a draft pick for either of Zito or Schmidt, but they've had so many early round extras the last two years that I don't see that as a huge issue.

 

I read somewhere that the free agents/draft pick agreement (I believe it was the collective bargaining agreement) expires soon and the draft picks will no longer be an issue. In either case you're right though, cause either pitcher is likely better than the draft picks lost and certainly the pitching situation is urgently in need of an MLB caliber pitcher.

 

For the total money it would take to land Matsuzaka, they could probably get Schmidt for less commitment time and Ted Lilly or Vincente Padilla. The team needs more than one SP in my mind.

 

Given Schmidts age it BETTER be for less commitment time. IF the Sox COULD get Schmidt for less money and less time then I'm fine with it. But putting all of your marbles in one basket is extremely risky (given that we seem to agree that Zito is neither a good fit or that he is agreeable to moving to Boston).

 

So what I'm getting from your posts is that you would

a) not make an offer to negotiate with Matsuzaka and

put all of your SP marbles in the Schmidt basket, hoping that he will CHOOSE to come to Boston (rather than essentially being forced like Matsuzaka would).

 

That seems risky to me. Very risky. How about a winning bid on Matsuzaka and a cheap but incentive laden contract? It seems like the team that wins the bidding has a pretty good chance of getting him for a reasonable salary.

 

Don't forget to consider this either. The brilliance of his stuff is aided by the smaller, lighter ball in Japan. A bigger, heavier ball can't be thrown as hard or with as much break. Also, his brilliant command has been with a larger strike zone. I'm skeptical of his command until I see him do it with regular AL umps calling the game.

 

I don't think I called his command brilliant (if I did I apologize). He has good control and can certainly throw strikes as needed. Whether he can hit his spots perfectly like Pedro of old or Schilling is another thing altogether. Also you're definitely right about the lighter ball and its smaller size. They're different.

 

However, I'm not sure that a bigger heavier ball can't be thrown as hard or with as much break. You could be right, and I looked it up physics of baseball but couldn't find an appropriate site to answer that question.

 

For instance, a light, small ball (like a ping-pong ball, for instance) can NOT be thrown as hard or with as much break as a much heavier and larger baseball. I'm not sure what the effect of changing the size and weight of a ball would be. I imagine there is an "optimal" size and weight for maximum break and speed. Break is more a factor of seam height, I believe, as that is what dictates variable pressure above or below the ball. Perhaps the weight makes it harder to throw hard, but (as with ping-pong vs. baseballs) it is not an absolute that lighter is better. In theory it seems like it would be, but I don't think it is necessarily. In either case, they use different sized balls in high school and college ball too, I believe (I could be wrong, but I played both and I'm pretty sure there are slight differences).

 

Again, I'm not going to hold it against him. I don't expect this guy to be the #1 pitcher in all of baseball, but the scouts that have seen him seem to agree that he has the skills to make it in the majors. I've read some who say this guy will definitely be a #1 caliber pitcher, whether that means Oswalt/Santana quality or Sabathia/Lackey quality remains to be seen.

 

I'm not saying this kid doesn't have talent, but I do question the level of hype he's getting right now. Look at Irabu's numbers before he came to the MLB. They are similar to what Matsuzaka is doing now. That should be a big red flag.

 

I question his hype too, that's why I watched some of his games and I was pretty impressed. He has poise. He is clearly intelligent as he is able to change his pitches to suit the situation... throwing his strikeout fastball in appropriate situations and taking something off to make sure he's painting the corners. He had a nice strikeout curveball and a throw-it-for-a-strike curveball. Josh Beckett, for instance, seems only to have the throw-it-for-a-strike curveball which, if anticipated by the hitter, quickly becomes a watch-it-fly-onto-Landsdown St. curveball.

 

Like most of your posts I agree with every point you make ORS. I just don't see a lot of other options for the Sox. I'm skeptical that they should put all their marbles in the Schmidt basket. I'm almost certain the Zito doesn't want to play for Boston. I WANT the sox to go after Lilly regardless because he'll be an okay #5, cheap, and can eat up innings. Also he regularly decimates the Red Sox so they'll kill 2 birds with one stone. At worst he could be a LR out of the 'pen.

[example1]

I have to agree with ORS about my skepticism of Matsuzaka. It has been said by a ton of people that the Japanese Professional Baseball League can be compared to AAA numbers when they come over. How many pitchers have mid 2's ERAs in AAA and don't translate it to the major leagues?

 

Also during the WBC Japan was in the middle of its season, meaning their players were in mid-season form while all the North American stars were still in Spring Training form. It seems to me that Matsuzaka could be counted on to be a #3 at best until he proves he's something better.

 

I'm sorry but that's just not factually correct. Japanese professional baseball plays from late March to October. Haven't you noticed that Matsuzake just pitched a few days ago and struck out more than 10 guys? It was mentioned in a few places around here.

 

That having been said, Zito and Schmidt are probably #3's too (maybe #2's) at this point. At least Zito has pitched well in the AL before (unlike Schmidt) but Schmidt's power stuff IMO would translate better to the AL East than Zito's.

 

What makes you think Zito WANTS to pitch for the Sox? Left handed with the Monster? AL East? East coast? None of those things seem Zito-like to me. Finally, even if he did want to pitch for the Sox you're right to say he's a #2 or #3 at best. He seems to choke in big games.

 

The thing about Matsuzaka from a business perspective is that the Sox could make money off of signing him if they play their cards right. The Yankees and Mariners are HUGE in Japan because they've got Matsui and Ichiro. Japanese media flocks to the games.

 

I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up in New York or Seattle or even LA just because the Red Sox have shown that they're financially conservative these days, but if they're going to splurge, a 25 year old #3 pitcher with potential is not a bad place to do it.

 

He's a potential cash-cow. If nothing else every time he starts against the Yankees it will be a big deal with the Matsuzaka vs. Matsui matchups adding to the Yankees vs. Sox drama.

 

Again, Schmidt will be done 3 years from now. A rotation of Beckett, Papelbon, Matsuzaka, Lester and Bard/Buchholz/Bowden in a few years will look pretty good, especially if we supplement one of them with another FA signing.

[example1]

EDIT: I apologize for the triple-post. I'm addressing 3 different posts separately... again, apologies.

 

The way I see it, the Sox have no chance at Matsuzaka for a number of reasons. I see the main players in this bid war coming down to the Sox, the M's, and the Yanks. Sure, the Sox have more money than Seattle, but Seattle's got Ichiro. If it were a two team race, I'd say it's up in the air where he would go...you can come to Boston for the money or go to Seattle with a fellow countrymen (I don't care how insignificant some people say that this is...if I were to go to Japan to play ball, and I had the option of being on a squad with at least SOMEONE that spoke my language and knew where I'd came from, it'd be absolutley invaluable.). However, New York has both of those positives on lockdown. The countrymen in Matsui and they have more money than God.

 

I also think that the Lidle crash, as insignificant as baseball is at a time when someone has just lost their life, places a larger need for the Yankees to go get a starter to plug into their rotation. They may pay even more now for Matsuzaka then they would have previously. Also, I think they'll think more about resigning Moose too.

 

Is anyone in favor of the Sox going after Mussina if the Yanks don't pick up his option? It's a pretty big option...$17 mil I think. I don't think he's worth that, but if the Yankees don't pick it up, I definitely wouldn't hate the Sox giving him a year or two. I think he's still got 2 left...he's not a flamethrower, but he constantly keeps you in ballgames which is what we need.

 

 

I'm sorry but it doesn't seem like you understand the process here. It is a BLIND BID for negotiating rights, so ANYBODY has a chance. To say the Sox don't have a chance of signing him is like saying "the sox don't get to spend the same type of money everyone else does" or "the sox can't use legal tender in this case". Its just wrong.

 

A blind bid means just that: if Tampa Bay comes up with 200m dollars and no other team offers that much then boom, Tampa Bay has EXCLUSIVE rights to him. No team will know what the other teams bid so, theoretically, the sox can bid enough money to outbid everyone else and get rights to him. It has nothing to do with whether or not Saibu Lions, or NESN or the Yankees or Matsuzaka wants to go to boston. If they put in the highest bid he has the choice of either signing a contract with the Sox or NOT PLAYING IN MLB NEXT YEAR. After that he can wait until he's a FA, at which time it will be up to him who he signs with, the whole bidding thing will be out the window and he will be available in a standard FA situation.

 

Sorry to triple post, but I'm seeing all of these factually inaccurate claims like "the sox have no chance at him". Its like saying "even if I had the money, there's no way I could buy a Lamborghini". Money talks, period.

[ORS]

No. The team that has the highest bid has EXCLUSIVE negotiating rights with Matsuzaka for a year. Therefore' date=' unless Matsuzaka wants to stay in Japan for another year he will need to sign a deal with that highest bidder. Zito and Schmidt can take LESS money to stay in SF/OAK if they choose to do so. Or they can prefer to go to NYY or LAA or wherever. Matsuzaka has very little say in who gets negotiating rights to him. That's a big difference, particularly since Boston has a reputation of being a difficult place to play......How about a winning bid on Matsuzaka and a cheap but incentive laden contract? It seems like the team that wins the bidding has a pretty good chance of getting him for a reasonable salary. [/quote']

Matsuzaka has Boras as an agent and he's a FA next year. They won't be pushed into an incentive laden corner. Don't pony up? Fine, Scotty will tell him to wait you out and throw a big party one year later when their lottery ticket cashes in.

 

Given Schmidts age it BETTER be for less commitment time. IF the Sox COULD get Schmidt for less money and less time then I'm fine with it. But putting all of your marbles in one basket is extremely risky (given that we seem to agree that Zito is neither a good fit or that he is agreeable to moving to Boston).

 

So what I'm getting from your posts is that you would

a) not make an offer to negotiate with Matsuzaka and

put all of your SP marbles in the Schmidt basket, hoping that he will CHOOSE to come to Boston (rather than essentially being forced like Matsuzaka would).

 

That seems risky to me. Very risky.....

 

I'm skeptical that they should put all their marbles in the Schmidt basket.

How is Matsuzaka any different? He'll cost more than Schmidt, leaving less money for other players, meaning he's the only marble in the basket. Both have risk to consider, but if things go wrong, Schmidt won't be a long-term acquisition, so he'll be easier to recover from.

 

For instance, a light, small ball (like a ping-pong ball, for instance) can NOT be thrown as hard or with as much break as a much heavier and larger baseball. I'm not sure what the effect of changing the size and weight of a ball would be. I imagine there is an "optimal" size and weight for maximum break and speed. Break is more a factor of seam height, I believe, as that is what dictates variable pressure above or below the ball. Perhaps the weight makes it harder to throw hard, but (as with ping-pong vs. baseballs) it is not an absolute that lighter is better. In theory it seems like it would be, but I don't think it is necessarily. In either case, they use different sized balls in high school and college ball too, I believe (I could be wrong, but I played both and I'm pretty sure there are slight differences).

Totally untrue. A ping-pong ball leaves your hand with much more velocity and rotation than a baseball. Simple physics. Your arm is capable of providing a finite amount of energy. That is transfered to the ball. Kinetic energy is one-half the product of mass and velocity squared. If the mass is smaller, the velocity must be larger to have the same energy transfer. But, due to it being hollow, the ping-pong ball has very little density. There is very little mass to go with the profile that moves through the air. This means the drag force slows it down very quickly. By the time your eyes have registered its trajectory, it is going slower.

[example1]

How is Matsuzaka any different? He'll cost more than Schmidt, leaving less money for other players, meaning he's the only marble in the basket. Both have risk to consider, but if things go wrong, Schmidt won't be a long-term acquisition, so he'll be easier to recover from.

 

The point is that the Sox better be prepared to go for both because there's a good chance they won't be able to get Schmidt. By definition any pitcher has a lot of risk associated with him. I GREATLY prefer Schmidt over Zito, particularly as I have thought about it for weeks on end at this point. Schmidt would be a great compliment to Schilling, Beckett and Papelbon. Definitely. Matsuzaka has a higher upside as he's younger. He is also a bigger risk. At this point I'm for the Sox taking risks that could put them over the top. Ideally, go for both.

 

Totally untrue. A ping-pong ball leaves your hand with much more velocity and rotation than a baseball. Simple physics. Your arm is capable of providing a finite amount of energy. That is transfered to the ball. Kinetic energy is one-half the product of mass and velocity squared. If the mass is smaller, the velocity must be larger to have the same energy transfer. But, due to it being hollow, the ping-pong ball has very little density. There is very little mass to go with the profile that moves through the air. This means the drag force slows it down very quickly. By the time your eyes have registered its trajectory, it is going slower.

 

 

You're definitely right about the speed it leaves your hand. My dad is a physicist and when I was growing up we played a lot of ping-pong and tennis and he conveyed what you laid out above to me. The same is definitely true of tennis balls. Serves can come at 140 mph off the racquet but be considerably slower (like 120 mph or something ) when they get to the other side.

 

So I agree with your point above, but is the velocity that matters the "muzzle" velocity of when it leaves the hand, or is it the velocity when the ball crosses the plate? I've seen a number of scouting videos that track both speeds. Going by your logic, wouldn't a lighter ball have higher "muzzle" velocity but lose more velocity when it crosses the plate, while a heavier ball would have a lower "muzzle" velocity but retain its velocity for a longer time? (more momentum, making it harder for air to slow it down?) I think that's right.

 

What kind of ball do they use in international play?

[SchillingIsTheNatural]

My two cents....the Red Sox should pursue Daisuke Matsuzaka the most out of all free agents.

 

....the NY Yankees will get him.

[Ray10]

The Sox need to pick this guy up. From what we saw in the World Baseball Classic he is pretty solid when he has to be I mean common the guy was 3-0 in the tournament and was the MVP of the tournament. If the Sox were to sign him would he be a starter or is it possible that he would be the Sox closer next year.

[example1]

The Sox need to pick this guy up. From what we saw in the World Baseball Classic he is pretty solid when he has to be I mean common the guy was 3-0 in the tournament and was the MVP of the tournament. If the Sox were to sign him would he be a starter or is it possible that he would be the Sox closer next year.

 

No way in hell this guy closes.

[SchillingIsTheNatural]

He throws too many breaking balls and high velocity control pitches to be a closer....now that doesn't make much sense but to put it another way....

 

Matsuzaka has too many pitches to be a closer; he is a very solid starter.

 

Anyone who wants to see a nasty clip of the guy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsptUfnhVcc

 

The first two pitches are insane. I love the second pitch he throws. Directly at the hitter then breaks all the way across the plate at 90mph. Joe Morgan is so impressed he just makes a noise (shock).

[example1]

He throws too many breaking balls and high velocity control pitches to be a closer....now that doesn't make much sense but to put it another way....

 

Matsuzaka has too many pitches to be a closer; he is a very solid starter.

 

Anyone who wants to see a nasty clip of the guy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsptUfnhVcc

 

The first two pitches are insane. I love the second pitch he throws. Directly at the hitter then breaks all the way across the plate at 90mph. Joe Morgan is so impressed he just makes a noise (shock).

 

Morgan: "I'm watching..."

Fat man: "Ohhh, strike three called..."

Morgan: "Yeah, I'm watching Matsuzaka and..."

 

that's funny. Personally, the pitches he throws and his ability to change speeds and hit if not HIS spots at least good spots make me think he'll be a more than adequate pitcher. He should be at least as good as Mussina I think.

[ORS]

So I agree with your point above, but is the velocity that matters the "muzzle" velocity of when it leaves the hand, or is it the velocity when the ball crosses the plate? I've seen a number of scouting videos that track both speeds. Going by your logic, wouldn't a lighter ball have higher "muzzle" velocity but lose more velocity when it crosses the plate, while a heavier ball would have a lower "muzzle" velocity but retain its velocity for a longer time? (more momentum, making it harder for air to slow it down?) I think that's right.

 

What kind of ball do they use in intenational play?

The smaller/lighter ball is still a wound baseball. I'd imagine it's density is about the same. So, while it is lighter, its smaller size results in less profile for drag. It's all about the density, not the mass. The drop in velocity from release to catch is probably about the same. However, with a heavier ball, the release velocity is less.

 

I don't know which ball they use in INT play.

[example1]

The smaller/lighter ball is still a wound baseball. I'd imagine it's density is about the same. So, while it is lighter, its smaller size results in less profile for drag. It's all about the density, not the mass. The drop in velocity from release to catch is probably about the same. However, with a heavier ball, the release velocity is less.

 

I don't know which ball they use in INT play.

 

It's been nice sitting next to you in physics class the past few days ORS. :harhar:

 

Density is mass/volume, right? So if the volume is smaller but the mass is smaller too, then they could cancel each other out leading to an equally dense baseball.

 

All in all I think my point would be that it ultimately doesn't have that much of an effect on a thrown ball. His velocity may drop a little bit. I saw him top out in the WBC at 96 on their gun, and that was at "strikeout fastball" times, only once or twice. Usually he was hitting 94 or so. If that drops by 1 mph (which would be more than 1% loss, more than I imagine it would actually be) then he's hitting 93 regularly with 95 as his tops. That's more in the Jon Lester ball park. PRetty good, considering that his secondary pitches are considerably more developed than Lester's are.

[MANNYHOF24]

He is either going to the yanks or the Mariners, because of Matsui and Ichiro and the comfort level it would provide him.

[example1]

He is either going to the yanks or the Mariners' date=' because of Matsui and Ichiro and the comfort level it would provide him.[/quote']

 

You mean because either the yanks or the Mariners are going to pay the most in the blind bidding process, right?

 

Whether or not there are other japanese players on the team that wins the bid doesn't matter in the least.

[26 to 6]

He is either going to the yanks or the Mariners' date=' because of Matsui and Ichiro and the comfort level it would provide him.[/quote']

I agree. Those are the two most appealing Major League teams in Japan. The relationship the Yankees have with the Giants and the Japanese fans, broadcasting every game live in Japan, and the fact that the Mariners have always been a destination for Japanese stars and are under Japanese ownership. I'm not totally ruling out other teams, but I think it's unlikely that either the Yankees or Mariners allow another team to step on their toes in the Japanese market.

[MC Hammer]

He is either going to the yanks or the Mariners' date=' because of Matsui and Ichiro and the comfort level it would provide him.[/quote']

I could be wrong, but aren't both of them going to be FAs this year?

 

If I'm correct ... I'd like to see us end up with 1 of the 2.

[yankeessuck013]

Matsui is a free-agent after the 2009 season. Ichiro after 2007.

 

I still don't see people's logic that the Yanks or Mariners are going to get Matsuzaka, if it is a blind bidding process.

 

Blind: Hidden from sight; Without forethought or provision; unaware

[example1]

Matsui is a free-agent after the 2009 season. Ichiro after 2007.

 

I still don't see people's logic that the Yanks or Mariners are going to get Matsuzaka, if it is a blind bidding process.

 

Blind: Hidden from sight; Without forethought or provision; unaware

 

:stop: I've been down this road before. Some people just don't get it. I've written until I'm blue in the face and it just doesn't stop.

 

People don't seem to get that Matsuzaka is NOT A FREE-AGENT!! He is NOT A FREE-AGENT! He is NOT A FREE-AGENT!

 

Can people get this through their freaking skulls? I mean, jesus, once again here is how the process goes.

 

1) All MLB teams have 4 days to make an offer to Bud Selig that will allow them to negotiate with Daisuke Matsuzaka.

 

2) Selig brings the HIGHEST BID to the Saibu Lions.

 

3) Saibu either accepts the bid or does not based purely on the monetary value, not the team that makes the bid.

 

4) The team that placed the highest bid has EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS to Matsuzaka.

 

5) Matsuzaka has a month to work out a deal with that team (or vice-versa), after which time either a deal is reached or he can return to play in Japan.

 

6) The initial bid is not refundable (as far as I know). That means that the team that wins has a strong interest in signing Matsuzaka.

 

Please note: there is no place in here that says "Matsuzaka will pick and choose his team" or "the Saibu Lions will decide, in the best interest of Japanese baseball, which team Matsuzaka will play on".

 

I see people skipping page after page after page of this discussion only to make innane and idiotic claims about which team Matsuzaka will likely end up on due to his preferences of the preferences of Japanese TV market.

 

:rant:

 

What you guys are saying over and over again is essentially like saying:

 

"Adrian Peterson, the best player available in next year's NFL draft, will probably end up on the Patriots because the Pats like RBs from Oklahoma who weigh greater than 215".

 

The fact is that if someone is the best player in the draft and they are available, then its the team that has the highest draft pick (i.e., bid) that will get him. If not that team, then the second highest pick will likely get him.

 

the only way Matsuzaka ends up on the Yankees or Mariners is if either of those teams puts up the highest bid for him. Period. If the Sox put up enough money he CAN and WILL be theirs. It's that simple.

 

Please don't make me find the "banging my head against a brick wall" emoticon. Argh!!

[MANNYHOF24]

ok... I just thought they were FA, however after that when have to sox ever put up more money than the Yankees. If thats the case he is allready wearing pinstripes.

[schillingouttheks]

Argh. The Sox won't know how much money the Yankees have put up, and the Yankees won't know how much the Sox have put up. There's NO competition in a sense. You put up the max amount that you're willing to pay to negotiate with Matsuzaka, and if it isn't the highest, then you don't. That's why they call it BLIND. It's not like the Yanks can see if the Sox put up 20 million to negotiate, then they put up 21 million. It doesn't work like that. Every team just sends in an amount, and whatever the highest is, that's it.