Matsuzaka News

[AlexanderTheGreat13]

Wake me up when the Lions announce the winner.

[riverside sluggers]

Yes if they fail to reach an agreement with the player, the negotiating rights fee is returned.

 

There was some speculation that if a team could land him for less than $30m they might actually trade him...this would likely be done by a team which had a solid pitching corps already...the Red Sox don't exactly fit that description but ya never know if they might try and move him...to an NL team.

 

It would make no sense for the Red Sox to just trade away Matsuzaka, the posting fee alone is supposedly close to $45 million out of their own pockets. That agressiveness constitues no indication that they intend to trade him. Besides you can not trade a free agent signing until halfway through his 1st season with the team. This is all moot anyway as the Sox wont trade away a coveted player that they have spent so much time analyzing & pushing hard to get

[rician blast]

It would make no sense for the Red Sox to just trade away Matsuzaka' date=' the posting fee alone is supposedly close to $45 million out of their own pockets. That agressiveness constitues no indication that they intend to trade him. Besides you can not trade a free agent signing until halfway through his 1st season with the team. This is all moot anyway as the Sox wont trade away a coveted player that they have spent so much time analyzing & pushing hard to get[/quote']

 

 

ASSUMING the Red Sox won the bid and ASSUMING that the bid was up around $45m I agree, it doesn't appear they'd stand to gain by trading him as they are not a pitching rich team...I acknowledged that in my post and simply said "ya never know".

 

Also, I'm not sure if your comment regarding trading a FA is applicable since this isn't a standard Free Agent situation..."free" suggests he can negotiate with any team which certainly isn't the case here.

 

Remember the posting fee is returned to the winning bidder in the event that a deal does not get done...even if the Sox won the bid I'm not counting any "chickens before they hatch" cuz you just don't know how its all going to play out.

[26 Reasons to Hate Us]

Funny how the Sheffield trade came out today....I wonder if the timing is meant to take some steam away from the Sox..

[elsrbueno]

Funny how the Sheffield trade came out today....I wonder if the timing is meant to take some steam away from the Sox..

 

That doesn't make sense to me. There has been absolutely no official announcement that the Sox are winners of the Matsuzaka sweepstakes, so announcing the deal now does nothing. With the fanbase and the media, it's the LATEST big announcement that dominates the imagination.

 

If that was their motivation they should have waited until after a contract was signed. I'm still not convinced anyone won the bidding until there's an official announcement anyway.

 

My guess is that the Yankees pulled the trigger because they were convinced this was the best package they could have received for Sheffield.

[Gom]

Of course Yankee fans would have wanted him. It's not our money. However, I wonder, I truly wonder if a player who never threw a pitch in the majors is worth that kind of gamble. Figure at least a 12 million a year salary, that means that player cost a team $50 million for one season, lol. For the money to get Matsuzaka this season, a team can sign Soriano, Zito, and Schmidt.

 

We will see how it all plays out. I'm more sold on Zito, and a little scarred from Contreras, but of course I wanted him. I wasn't going to go crazy if we didn't though.

[elsrbueno]

Of course Yankee fans would have wanted him. It's not our money. However, I wonder, I truly wonder if a player who never threw a pitch in the majors is worth that kind of gamble. Figure at least a 12 million a year salary, that means that player cost a team $50 million for one season, lol. For the money to get Matsuzaka this season, a team can sign Soriano, Zito, and Schmidt.

 

We will see how it all plays out. I'm more sold on Zito, and a little scarred from Contreras, but of course I wanted him. I wasn't going to go crazy if we didn't though.

 

I'm not sold on Matsuzaka, but I'm also not sold on Zito. I just have this feeling that he'll get LIT UP if he starts pitching in the AL East (Zito that is), and it's in his best interest to go where there's big money and a good chance to succeed-- and that's with the Mets.

[yankeessuck013]

If teams spend $200m on contracts for position players like a-rod, why not spend it on a pitcher? Pitching wins, it's been said over and over.

[Cocos Disciples]

I agree with elrsbueno..I am more sold on Matsuzaka who has had unprecedented success in Japan, than Zito who is vastly overrated, had one great year and other solid years.

 

Although if we do win for, say, 40 million, and pay him 4 years at 48 million, thats 22 million per year. Thats a lot.

[riverside sluggers]

Its best to just forget the posting fee guys. It doesnt even matter into their salary cap. This money is from the owner's pockets, doesnt really affect additional spending on other players whatsoever. The revenue alone of the hype of Matsuzaka to Boston will more than make up for the Sox supposedly are set to pay for him. Think of all the tourism the city of Boston will get, and the Sox FO could swindle a way to have NESN be broadcast in Japan for a fee

[yankeessuck013]

If we win exclusive negotiating rights with him, Boras has no leverage in negotiations, other than threatening to go back to Japan for another season. I don't know how much Matsuzaka makes in Japan, but I would think it's less than 7 mill per year. If we offer her 10 mil/ yr I think he'd stay. He'd be leaving a guaranteed contract around $30 mill to go back to Japan. If he were to get hurt or regress in Japan, he would be losing a lot of money.

 

I don't think this is just a play by Theo to block him from the Yanks and I do believe they will make an honest effort to sign him, because if this is just to block the Yanks, the Sox will have difficulty acquiring talent in the future from Japan and will also be damaging an untapped fan base for the Red Sox. I'm on record saying that they'll get a deal done, whether its 7 mill or 10 mill per year, because the Sox will easily make that up in TV and Merchandise sales in Japan.

 

Curt Schilling was right when he said the Sox would be throwing around the money this offseason. I think this is worth the money and not just so that he won't be going to the Yankees. Matsuzaka is 26 and would give the Sox a fearsome four young guys in the rotation along with Beckett, Papelbon and Lester next season.

 

Sometimes you have to overspend. But this guy has an average ERA of 2.54 over the last 4 years in Japan with over one strikeout per inning pitched or 9.3 Ks per 9 innings and averages 7 innings per start. It is definitely worth the money in this case.

 

I also just read an article on cnnsi.com evaluating Matsuzaka and the author has a formula converting pitchers from Japan to the US and his stats are comparable to other top #1 pitchers in the game, and that's why the Sox went out and paid this much money for him. Here is the link if anyone is interested:

 

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...aka/index.html

 

We'll see if it works out.

[EvilDonut]

Its a lot of friggin money but if its true............wow.....No one is to ever mention...Irabu....ever ever again.

[Cityofchampions33]

Well, if he's this good and not even in his prime eyars he should convert to ehre fine. And not only does it get us a great pitcher for the upcomign season, but it also gets us into teh Far East market, gets us more revenue, maybe advertizing in Fenway like the Japanese did at Yankee Stadium, and also helps the city itself. So it is well spent.

[Cocos Disciples]

We needed a starter, we (hopefully) got the best one out there. Zito is overrated and Schmidt is on the decline. And also yeah riverside is right, oversight on my part, the bid money doesn't count on his contract or payroll.

[AlexanderTheGreat13]

If the Sox really did win the bidding congrats.

[Sara]

Holy cow!!! That's a ton of money if this turns out to be true. I really wanted Matsuzaka but $38-$45 million seems a little high. Peter Gammons and Steve Phillips were talking yesterday on Sportscenter about probable contract terms for Matsuzaka being three years for about $15 million a year. Boras' intent being to get another large contract when Matsuzaka is 29 years old. If that is true and the Red Sox end up signing him at $15 million per year plus the posting bid of around $45 million...that means the Red Sox basically got him for $30 million a year??? I am not sure how I would feel about that. I don't think anybody, especially someone who has never pitched in MLB, is worth that type of money annually.

[Optimist]

For those keeping track, here are the winning bids so far...

 

Red Sox: 38 to 45 million

Rangers: 35 million

Yankees: 27 million

Angels: 28 million

 

And at the same time, Seibu was not happy with the amount being offered.

 

This process leaves way too much room for speculation.

[jacksonianmarch]

agreed. We shall have to wait and see.

[schillingouttheks]

For those keeping track, here are the winning bids so far...

 

Red Sox: 38 to 45 million

Rangers: 35 million

Yankees: 27 million

Angels: 28 million

 

And at the same time, Seibu was not happy with the amount being offered.

 

This process leaves way too much room for speculation.

 

Wait, those actually came out? And 3 teams bid larger amounts than the Yankees? AND Seibu wasn't happy with the Sox' top bid? Jesus...

 

I can't stand the speculation anymore. There are like 20 things being said and I can't keep track and I can't know which rumor is true so...

 

Yeah, I'm just sitting back and waiting.

[rician blast]

Holy cow!!! That's a ton of money if this turns out to be true. I really wanted Matsuzaka but $38-$45 million seems a little high. Peter Gammons and Steve Phillips were talking yesterday on Sportscenter about probable contract terms for Matsuzaka being three years for about $15 million a year. Boras' intent being to get another large contract when Matsuzaka is 29 years old. If that is true and the Red Sox end up signing him at $15 million per year plus the posting bid of around $45 million...that means the Red Sox basically got him for $30 million a year??? I am not sure how I would feel about that. I don't think anybody' date=' especially someone who has never pitched in MLB, is worth that type of money annually.[/quote']

 

 

I haven't heard anyone state that the annual price tag would be $15m per year...latest I heard was $8-10m.

[Cocos Disciples]

Per everyone's favorite site, MLB Trade Rumors

 

McAdam: Red Sox Matsuzaka Rumor Probably Accurate

Sean McAdam of the Providence Journal spoke to several baseball sources, and learned that Buster Olney's report of a $38-45MM Red Sox bid for Daisuke Matsuzaka was "probably accurate." Not something Yankee fans wanted to hear.

 

Newsday's Ken Davidoff spoke to sources with connections to both New York clubs who indicated that neither team expects to win the bid.

[jacksonianmarch]

Then you don't understand Theo's philosophy. Theo didn't let them walk because of the dollar figure' date=' he let them walk because of the risk compared to the cost. Damon and Pedro were approaching their mid 30's. For the most part, past their prime.[/quote']

 

 

ksush. Risk compared to cost seems to be way out the window right now. I'd assume that Matsuzaka would be a large risk in that he has played 0 MLB games thus far, yet he will likely cost over 100million dollars over 3-5 yrs.

[HeadOfSoxNation]

OK OK...this board is getting irritating...can everyone pleeeeeeeeeeease just understand that Matsuzaka will not be a "$100 million man" and STOP considering the $42 million posting bid just as regular expenses occured in signing a player? That money means absolutely NOTHING to us. NOTHING. It doesn't count towards the payroll, it most certainly doesn't count toward the luxury tax; it means NOTHING! Would you guys all be pissed if Henry and Werner went out and bought some $42 million piece of real-estate somewhere because they think in the long run it will make them some money? Of COURSE you wouldn't. This is esentially the EXACT same thing. Only in addition to making money, this "piece of real estate" blocked the Yankees from signing the most highly coveted free agent this offseason. Comparing the money posted for him on top of the money Matsuzaka will make if and when it signs to other players salaries is absolutley like comparing apples to Volvos...they're NOT the same. Not even CLOSE. There is no other situation in professional baseball similar to the posting process to my knowledge. He's a potential ace and we're going to sign him to a contract as such. Sure, it's a roll of the dice, but all of baseball is. My God people, give up the WAYYYYYYYYY too much money idea. This was BRILLIANT by the Sox.

 

 

And you bet I'm copying this message and posting it anywhere else there's a Matsuzaka thread. Common guys, you're all smarter than this!!

[BSN07]

Totally agree.

[BudLight]

How about Henry and Werner spending that $42M on improvements to Fenway, adding more seats that "Joe average fan" could afford instead of Muffy and Buffy controlling all the seats year in and year out. This expenditure of $42M to negotiate with an unproven MLB talent while doing nothing to appease your fan base who are shut out from tickets each year doesn't make a lot of sense to me. It seems since the current ownership has taken over, instead of hating "King George in NY" they are becoming more and more like him every day. This move to sign the Japanese wonder kid has more to do with sticking it to George than it does with improving the Sox product on the field in 2007. He's a pitcher, not an everyday contributor. He hasn't thrown a pitch in the MLB and Boras will demand #1 ace type money for him and a short contract. It will take him at least one season to adjust to the "american" style of baseball and by that time the novelty will have worn off and the hitters will have adjusted to him. I don't like this process as a whole and believe all players wanting to play in MLB should be treated under the same FA rules. No hidden bids to determine who gets the rights to negotiate with them.

[HeadOfSoxNation]

How about Henry and Werner spending that $42M on improvements to Fenway' date=' adding more seats that "Joe average fan" could afford instead of Muffy and Buffy controlling all the seats year in and year out. This expenditure of $42M to negotiate with an unproven MLB talent while doing nothing to appease your fan base who are shut out from tickets each year doesn't make a lot of sense to me. It seems since the current ownership has taken over, instead of hating "King George in NY" they are becoming more and more like him every day. This move to sign the Japanese wonder kid has more to do with sticking it to George than it does with improving the Sox product on the field in 2007. He's a pitcher, not an everyday contributor. He hasn't thrown a pitch in the MLB and Boras will demand #1 ace type money for him and a short contract. It will take him at least one season to adjust to the "american" style of baseball and by that time the novelty will have worn off and the hitters will have adjusted to him. I don't like this process as a whole and believe all players wanting to play in MLB should be treated under the same FA rules. No hidden bids to determine who gets the rights to negotiate with them.[/quote']

 

They haaaaaaaaaave made improvements to Fenway, and seats are so expensive at Fenway because it has the smallest seating capacity in all of baseball. The fans WANT it this way. Sure, they don't want to pay $45 for a bleacher seat, but at the same rate, no one wants to knock down Fenway and build some new age ballpark lacking nostalgia and history.

 

Matsuzaka would be treated like a regular free-agent if he was a regular free-agent...or hell, even a free agent at all. He's still under contract with the Lions until next year. If the Sox don't sign him, he'll return to Japan for one more season and then be a regular free-agent, free of posting fees and exclusive negotiations, going into the 2008 season.

[26 Reasons to Hate Us]

They haaaaaaaaaave made improvements to Fenway' date=' and seats are so expensive at Fenway because it has the smallest seating capacity in all of baseball. The fans WANT it this way. [/quote']

 

Then why does it still look like s***? :dunno:

[BudLight]

My understanding is if the highest bidder does not sign him, he returns to the Lions and cannot be eligible for free agency again until after the 2008 season. I could be wrong but thought I read that somewhere yesterday.

[riverside sluggers]

Then why does it still look like s***? :dunno:

 

One day where a Sox/Yanks fan bitch fight can not be found or started, is that too much to ask?

[BSN07]

2008 he can be a FA. If he goes back we get to do this all over again next year. Then if that doesn't work out, he will be a FA for 2008.