Off-season Hot Stove Thread

[a700hitter]

Everyone can win.

 

A: if the sox give Boras a 3 yr deal at lots of cash

B: if Boras is able to buy Matsu's freedom and he becomes a FA

 

The sox have the ability to control this by doing A. It is on them to do so.

...and the chances of B are zero. THe Japanese league would not allow this unless they were forced by a court. They are not going to voluntarily violate their own system.

[ORS]

Which means' date=' as I have feared all along, that we may wind up with nothing. You can be guaranteed that if Epstein lowballs Boras we will not see Matsuzaka pitching for the Red Sox, and we will be toast in Japan for the next 20 years, and we will be lucky to finish third again. I would hope that if this falls through Theo is finally sent away because he will have been proven a gross incompetent. In the meantime we will have wasted valuable time fixing our other problems. We may wind up with nothing. :( :( [/quote']

Don't say we to him. He's just another Yankee fan spreading tidings of dissent and woe. Of course he thinks Heyman is interesting. Heyman's a long-time Yankee fan, and he writes like one.

[jacksonianmarch]

Have you ever heard of any Japanese player being bought out by an agent or even a rumor of this occurring. No' date=' because it is against the agreement between MLB and Japanese baseball. It is a ridiculous assumption![/quote']

 

not necessarily by the agent, but by the player with the agent facilitating the transfer. Seibu needed to get 20-25 mil back for Matsuzaka because of the fact that they are going under. I dont think they would welcome him back with open arms knowing that he could solve their money problems alone. But, if he cannot negotiate a deal that is to his benefit, he could essentially fund Seibu a small amount of money every single yr until the amount is met. Assume that Seibu needs 25 mil. Assume that Matsuzaka gets 15 mil a season (which is what he wants from Boston) for the next 8 or 9 seasons (taking him through his 35th birthday). Now assume that he throws 3 mil back to Seibu every single yr, out of his own pocket. It is a win-win for him. He goes where he wants to go with a huge money deal, and the Lions get what they want back. It can happen, it just has never had to before, because any team that wins bids usually pays up. This is all speculation and innuendo, but do not think that Boras is willing to accept a s*** deal in lieu of sending his client back to Japan. And to think that people on here are saying that he is worried about the ire of Japan falling on him, HA. The ire of AMERICA is on Boras already, and this is his home country. He is a grade A cock. A top notch *******. A top tier cock-smoker. But he gets his clients what they want. That is a load of money and a deal that is always in ther best interest in terms of length and pay. Do not think Boras will accept an under market deal of 10 mil a yr for 5 or 6 yrs. Do not think that Boras will accept a yearly salary under 10 mil for a shorter term deal. If you want Matsuzaka, it will take 3 yrs 45 mil or a deal taking him to his 35th birthday that is at 15-18 mil a yr. The bar is set, it is on Theo to negotiate. He likes to get creative, but Boras lacks imagination. If he toys too much, expect Boras to get creative in a way to get Matsu on the open market, where all teams have a shot and where the "evil empire" has a shot. This is on Theo, blame him if they botch this.

[jacksonianmarch]

Don't say we to him. He's just another Yankee fan spreading tidings of dissent and woe. Of course he thinks Heyman is interesting. Heyman's a long-time Yankee fan' date=' and he writes like one.[/quote']

 

I had no idea Heyman was a yankee fan. Just perused through SI at work. Personally, I think Matsuzaka will be very good in 07. Not ace material, but very serviceable and solid in the rotation. Would I mind if the sox signed him, not really. Would I be interested if he hit the open market, sure. There is plenty available and there is plenty of internal options available for a lot of teams in the AL east, the yankees being one. I just think the twists are coming, and negotiating with Boras is like tattoing your dick with a rusty needle. He is a moving target and he always hurts you where it counts. Then after you deal with him, you feel like you have lockjaw.

[example1]

Which means' date=' as I have feared all along, that we may wind up with nothing. You can be guaranteed that if Epstein lowballs Boras we will not see Matsuzaka pitching for the Red Sox, and we will be toast in Japan for the next 20 years, and we will be lucky to finish third again. I would hope that if this falls through Theo is finally sent away because he will have been proven a gross incompetent. In the meantime we will have wasted valuable time fixing our other problems. We may wind up with nothing. :( :( [/quote']

 

Why can I be guaranteed that if the Sox lowball Boras he will not be pitching for the sox? It's called 'negotiations' not "say one thing and walk awayations".

 

You guys all treat Boras like the bully in the high school who can't be beat. It's absurd. The guy gets money for making deals happen, and the sox not being able to sign Matsuzaka would be as much Boras' fault as the Sox'. HE would be villified in Japan, not the Red Sox who put up 51m to talk to him. That's not disrespectful; they clearly want Matsuzaka. The Japanese people would turn on matsuzaka quickly if it came out that the sox offered him 10 million dollars a season (or, 4 times what he currently makes) and he turned it down for more money. Ultimately it is Matsuzaka's choice and he may not be interested in Boras'-********.

 

stop with all this depressed, theo must go crap. We just put up a ton of money to get the best pitcher on the market. We currently have the best 2 hitters in a lineup since Ruth's age, we will likely have 3 26 year old pitchers anchoring our rotation for the near future, AND we have Schilling to boot. Last year we had tons of injuries, but before that we were solid (through July). Stop being so damn doom and gloom. The FA market has been open for a week or so. Jeez <_>

[ORS]

Right. Boras is an ass. Nothing new there. I just fail to see how you can reasonably think he'll get his way and his way only in this deal. He lacks his usual leverage - other teams - and he's dealing from a position where: one, his client is eager to play in a new league, and two, he's eager to become the number one facilitator of getting posted players into the league. The variables are all different on this one.

 

Yet, you give Boras all the credit for having an edge here. He said he's going to get a 3 year deal, so he'll get it, right? Just like he said Damon started at 7/$84M last year? Or how about him saying Beltran would get a $200M contract? Yeah, that guy never backs down from what he threw out to the media. Wake up, dude.

[example1]

Right. Boras is an ass. Nothing new there. I just fail to see how you can reasonably think he'll get his way and his way only in this deal. He lacks his usual leverage - other teams - and he's dealing from a position where: one, his client is eager to play in a new league, and two, he's eager to become the number one facilitator of getting posted players into the league. The variables are all different on this one.

 

Yet, you give Boras all the credit for having an edge here. He said he's going to get a 3 year deal, so he'll get it, right? Just like he said Damon started at 7/$84M last year? Or how about him saying Beltran would get a $200M contract? Yeah, that guy never backs down from what he threw out to the media. Wake up, dude.

 

If I only knew you were writing essentially the same thing, i would have saved my fingers the work. Right on ORS. :thumbsup:

[a700hitter]

not necessarily by the agent' date=' but by the player with the agent facilitating the transfer. Seibu needed to get 20-25 mil back for Matsuzaka because of the fact that they are going under. I dont think they would welcome him back with open arms knowing that he could solve their money problems alone. But, if he cannot negotiate a deal that is to his benefit, he could essentially fund Seibu a small amount of money every single yr until the amount is met. Assume that Seibu needs 25 mil. Assume that Matsuzaka gets 15 mil a season (which is what he wants from Boston) for the next 8 or 9 seasons (taking him through his 35th birthday). Now assume that he throws 3 mil back to Seibu every single yr, out of his own pocket. It is a win-win for him. He goes where he wants to go with a huge money deal, and the Lions get what they want back. It can happen, it just has never had to before, because any team that wins bids usually pays up. This is all speculation and innuendo, but do not think that Boras is willing to accept a s*** deal in lieu of sending his client back to Japan. And to think that people on here are saying that he is worried about the ire of Japan falling on him, HA. The ire of AMERICA is on Boras already, and this is his home country. He is a grade A cock. A top notch *******. A top tier cock-smoker. But he gets his clients what they want. That is a load of money and a deal that is always in ther best interest in terms of length and pay. Do not think Boras will accept an under market deal of 10 mil a yr for 5 or 6 yrs. Do not think that Boras will accept a yearly salary under 10 mil for a shorter term deal. If you want Matsuzaka, it will take 3 yrs 45 mil or a deal taking him to his 35th birthday that is at 15-18 mil a yr. The bar is set, it is on Theo to negotiate. He likes to get creative, but Boras lacks imagination. If he toys too much, expect Boras to get creative in a way to get Matsu on the open market, where all teams have a shot and where the "evil empire" has a shot. This is on Theo, blame him if they botch this.[/quote']

 

Boras is an agent. He is a cash machine. He is not a gambler. The scenario you put forth above has too many moving parts and too high a probability to fall apart or fail. Boras will not risk that. He'll take his fee now, and move on to play his games with another client.

[edge4414]

not necessarily by the agent' date=' but by the player with the agent facilitating the transfer. Seibu needed to get 20-25 mil back for Matsuzaka because of the fact that they are going under. I dont think they would welcome him back with open arms knowing that he could solve their money problems alone. But, if he cannot negotiate a deal that is to his benefit, he could essentially fund Seibu a small amount of money every single yr until the amount is met. Assume that Seibu needs 25 mil. Assume that Matsuzaka gets 15 mil a season (which is what he wants from Boston) for the next 8 or 9 seasons (taking him through his 35th birthday). Now assume that he throws 3 mil back to Seibu every single yr, out of his own pocket. It is a win-win for him. He goes where he wants to go with a huge money deal, and the Lions get what they want back. It can happen, it just has never had to before, because any team that wins bids usually pays up. This is all speculation and innuendo, but do not think that Boras is willing to accept a s*** deal in lieu of sending his client back to Japan. And to think that people on here are saying that he is worried about the ire of Japan falling on him, HA. The ire of AMERICA is on Boras already, and this is his home country. He is a grade A cock. A top notch *******. A top tier cock-smoker. But he gets his clients what they want. That is a load of money and a deal that is always in ther best interest in terms of length and pay. Do not think Boras will accept an under market deal of 10 mil a yr for 5 or 6 yrs. Do not think that Boras will accept a yearly salary under 10 mil for a shorter term deal. If you want Matsuzaka, it will take 3 yrs 45 mil or a deal taking him to his 35th birthday that is at 15-18 mil a yr. The bar is set, it is on Theo to negotiate. He likes to get creative, but Boras lacks imagination. If he toys too much, expect Boras to get creative in a way to get Matsu on the open market, where all teams have a shot and where the "evil empire" has a shot. This is on Theo, blame him if they botch this.[/quote']

 

You have no basis for what your saying. First of all the reports say Boras is the one who wants a short term deal (3 years) and your trying to say he wants 8 or 9 which is absurd. The fact he wants 3 years and then to FA is an admission he is not a FA now and will not be paid like one.

You state the 15 to 17 mil a year which is not going to happen. If he gets 10/year he will have done well.

You also state he can pay Seibu 3 mil a year but they are near bankruptcy and need the money now. Why in the world would Seibu take 3 mil /year when they can repost him next year and get $50+

I know your a NYY fan but do better than this nonsense.

[jacksonianmarch]

You have no basis for what your saying. First of all the reports say Boras is the one who wants a short term deal (3 years) and your trying to say he wants 8 or 9 which is absurd. The fact he wants 3 years and then to FA is an admission he is not a FA now and will not be paid like one.

You state the 15 to 17 mil a year which is not going to happen. If he gets 10/year he will have done well.

You also state he can pay Seibu 3 mil a year but they are near bankruptcy and need the money now. Why in the world would Seibu take 3 mil /year when they can repost him next year and get $50+

I know your a NYY fan but do better than this nonsense.

 

This nonsense was spurred by an SI article, so I am not pulling this out of my ass here. This is why Boras wants a short term deal. He wants his client to cash in when he is still in his prime. Hence, he wants his client to hit the FA market at 29. That would make him a guy likely to get a 6 yr deal at ace money, which is anywhere from 15-18million a yr. That six yr deal will take him to his 35th birthday. So, either Boras will want 12-15 mil a season for three yrs which is still top tier money and gives his client an out when he is still in his prime or he will want ace money right now to his 35th birthday. The logic seems to favor Boras asking for a 3 yr deal unless theo sends a brinks truck to Matsuzaka's house every season until the guy is well past his prime. If Matsuzaka signs a 4-5 yr deal this season, then he will be over 30 when he negotiates his next deal and that is perceived to be on the downswing, and for a small pitcher, that will hurt negotiations. Boras is a smart snake. He will already be positioning for the next payday before he secures the first one. You will see how much confidence he has in his client when the deal comes in. if you see the sox getting Matsu under control for 4+ years early on, then Boras is selling out. If you see Boras negotiate a short term deal, then he really has faith in this kid.

 

As much as Heyman and I want to ponder the opportunities. Gun to head, right or wrong I pick Matsuzaka to the sox 3yrs 45 mil with an agreement not to offer arb after the contract is up. Lets see if I am right.

[seabeachfred]

not necessarily by the agent' date=' but by the player with the agent facilitating the transfer. Seibu needed to get 20-25 mil back for Matsuzaka because of the fact that they are going under. I dont think they would welcome him back with open arms knowing that he could solve their money problems alone. But, if he cannot negotiate a deal that is to his benefit, he could essentially fund Seibu a small amount of money every single yr until the amount is met. Assume that Seibu needs 25 mil. Assume that Matsuzaka gets 15 mil a season (which is what he wants from Boston) for the next 8 or 9 seasons (taking him through his 35th birthday). Now assume that he throws 3 mil back to Seibu every single yr, out of his own pocket. It is a win-win for him. He goes where he wants to go with a huge money deal, and the Lions get what they want back. It can happen, it just has never had to before, because any team that wins bids usually pays up. This is all speculation and innuendo, but do not think that Boras is willing to accept a s*** deal in lieu of sending his client back to Japan. And to think that people on here are saying that he is worried about the ire of Japan falling on him, HA. The ire of AMERICA is on Boras already, and this is his home country. He is a grade A cock. A top notch *******. A top tier cock-smoker. But he gets his clients what they want. That is a load of money and a deal that is always in ther best interest in terms of length and pay. Do not think Boras will accept an under market deal of 10 mil a yr for 5 or 6 yrs. Do not think that Boras will accept a yearly salary under 10 mil for a shorter term deal. If you want Matsuzaka, it will take 3 yrs 45 mil or a deal taking him to his 35th birthday that is at 15-18 mil a yr. The bar is set, it is on Theo to negotiate. He likes to get creative, but Boras lacks imagination. If he toys too much, expect Boras to get creative in a way to get Matsu on the open market, where all teams have a shot and where the "evil empire" has a shot. This is on Theo, blame him if they botch this.[/quote']

 

I really think Theo could botch this. He had better be willing to ante up a big piece of change or Boras will tell the Red Sox to f*** off and Theo Ineptitudstein will lucky he doesn't get lynched. There had better be a large offer on the table or we will come up empty. Let's see how all the Theo lovers react to that.:thumbdown :thumbdown :thumbdown :thumbdown

[jacksonianmarch]

One other thing that Heyman never talked about is the potential for a side deal with whomever signs him. It is well known that this is the dumbest system in the game. The posting system is only tracked halfway. The bids are kept by MLB, but it is on the MLB team to pay Seibu and that money is not tracked. So long as nobody complains, then nobody ever checks if the money was actually transferred in full. So we do not even know if the sox are truly sending 51.1mil over to Japan or if the sox and seibu have an agreement. At the same time, lets say Matsuzaka gets lowballed by Theo. Humor me. Seeing as the sox won the bidding, there wont be another posting. But what could happen is that another team could always call Seibu and "persuade" them to release him. This is not traceable and would free Matsuzaka from the confines of the posting process, making him a free agent.

 

This is possible in the current state of the game, and it should be fixed. I think that the MLB should essentially send a slush fund as a whole over to Japan and in return, the japanese should allow their players the option to leave Japan after their 6th yr, like we have the option of FA after the players sixth yr. This gets rid of this ridiculous posting process and opens up every team with big money to make a bid.

[example1]

I really think Theo could botch this. He had better be willing to ante up a big piece of change or Boras will tell the Red Sox to f*** off and Theo Ineptitudstein will lucky he doesn't get lynched. There had better be a large offer on the table or we will come up empty. Let's see how all the Theo lovers react to that.:thumbdown :thumbdown :thumbdown :thumbdown

 

Of course you really think Theo could blow this. There are a few people on here who see Theo as a worse-than-average general manager who manages to mess-up everything. DESPITE his winning the Schilling-stakes a few years back. DESPITE him getting Keith Foulke, the one closer who shut other teams down in the 04 playoffs. He has had the second and first best drafts the last two drafts respectively. He correctly managed to NOT resign Pedro Martinez, much to the chagrin of much of RSN. He correctly traded Nomar, when he was starting to suck.

 

Does he do everything right? No. Does brian cashman? No. Does any GM? Nope. Would just about any GM be able to sign Matsuzaka after posting the highest bid? Yes. If the owner is willing to open the purse strings anything can happen and clearly that is the case. That doesn't mean he lowballs Boras, but they certainly deal wth respect. They're all professionals.

 

What will you say when they sign him then? I'll give you the quadruple thumbs-down when the obvious signing happens and all this freaking-out looks stupid. At that point would he be a GOOD GM?

 

I think the sox will find a way to get a fair deal for the 4 years they're looking for, as Seibu should pay a good portion (say, 3 million a year for the first 3 years), they can get creative with incentives and options and whatnot.

 

Those of you who say that Boras only wants a three year deal seem to forget that there are only a limited number of teams that Matsuzaka could sign with as a FA pitcher asking for 18 million a season in 3 years. The Red Sox are one of them. In other words, I imagine that if the Yanks had won the bidding people would expect Boras to let them sign him for longer than 3 years. I think the same is true of the Sox. They may also sign Matsuzaka to a longer deal during the duration of his 4 year contract.

[jacksonianmarch]

I will go on record as say that the sox will have to either go for 3 yrs or for 8 or 9 year to lock up Matsuzaka. Either get him to be a FA still in his prime or lock him up well into his twilight yrs. At the same time, while the speculation is truly fun to consider, I think the sox will get a deal done.

[a700hitter]

while the speculation is truly fun to consider' date=' I think the sox will get a deal done.[/quote']Fun? It's one conspiracy theory after another. I'm waiting for Jack Ruby to show up in one of your posts.

[Gom]

Personally, in light of the absolutely insane free agent deals, I think that Matsuzaka is going to come with a very high price tag. I thought posting 51 million for Matsuzaka was crazy, but after seeing what Matthews got, 50 million, I must admit, I have no idea what the hell is going on anymore.

[BSN07]

It's getting a touch out of hand in my eyes. 50 million for a guy who has had one good year is nuts. 45 million for a track star( pierre), posing as a CF/leadoff hitter is absurd. I can't wait to see what kind of deal a 300 pound(lee) DH waiting to happen will get. And now with all this noodle arm Zito should easy get over 100 million. They thought 2001 was bad? This might be the craziest FA period of all time. Well until next year when A.Jones and V. Wells ( I know theres more star power thats gonna be FA, just can't think of more examples:))hit the open market with dollar signs in there eyes. AROD money might not be AROD money anymore. Beltran money is gonna look like chump change. I mean when Manny's 2 years at 37 million plus two option years looks like a bargain... s*** is crazy!

[jacksonianmarch]

Lee is being offered 5yrs 73mil. I can only imagine what he will sign at. Still, he hit .300 37HR 116RBI and he has been very consistent over the past few yrs. That is worth a lot.

[BSN07]

There saying someone is offering him a 6 year deal. Yes hes been good, but getting close to 300 pounds, he's well on his way to fulltime DH. And alot of NL teams are asking for trouble with him. If he gets the big long term contract from a NL team, then ends up not being able to play the field, hes gonna be hard to either trade or they will have to stick his ass at 1B.

[BSN07]

Red Sox: The Boston Herald reported that the Red Sox have expressed preliminary interest in outfielder Richard Hidalgo. The Angels signing of Matthews, in all likelihood, eliminates one suitor for Sox slugger Manny Ramirez.

 

Jesus please tell me there not serious about Hidalgo. I'd rather have the horse Hidalgo.

[Cocos Disciples]

There saying someone is offering him a 6 year deal. Yes hes been good' date=' but getting close to 300 pounds, he's well on his way to fulltime DH. And alot of NL teams are asking for trouble with him. If he gets the big long term contract from a NL team, then ends up not being able to play the field, hes gonna be hard to either trade or they will have to stick his ass at 1B.[/quote']

 

Probably the Orioles.

 

Yes, he is a fatass and cannot field his position, but his speed is underrated.

He had 19 steals in 2006 and was caught only twice. He has 96 career steals, averaging 13 per 162 games. So he's not a one dimensional player.

[seabeachfred]

Of course you really think Theo could blow this. There are a few people on here who see Theo as a worse-than-average general manager who manages to mess-up everything. DESPITE his winning the Schilling-stakes a few years back. DESPITE him getting Keith Foulke, the one closer who shut other teams down in the 04 playoffs. He has had the second and first best drafts the last two drafts respectively. He correctly managed to NOT resign Pedro Martinez, much to the chagrin of much of RSN. He correctly traded Nomar, when he was starting to suck.

 

Does he do everything right? No. Does brian cashman? No. Does any GM? Nope. Would just about any GM be able to sign Matsuzaka after posting the highest bid? Yes. If the owner is willing to open the purse strings anything can happen and clearly that is the case. That doesn't mean he lowballs Boras, but they certainly deal wth respect. They're all professionals.

 

What will you say when they sign him then? I'll give you the quadruple thumbs-down when the obvious signing happens and all this freaking-out looks stupid. At that point would he be a GOOD GM?

 

I think the sox will find a way to get a fair deal for the 4 years they're looking for, as Seibu should pay a good portion (say, 3 million a year for the first 3 years), they can get creative with incentives and options and whatnot.

 

Those of you who say that Boras only wants a three year deal seem to forget that there are only a limited number of teams that Matsuzaka could sign with as a FA pitcher asking for 18 million a season in 3 years. The Red Sox are one of them. In other words, I imagine that if the Yanks had won the bidding people would expect Boras to let them sign him for longer than 3 years. I think the same is true of the Sox. They may also sign Matsuzaka to a longer deal during the duration of his 4 year contract.

 

EX, I promise you this. If Theo is able to sign Matsuzaka, and is able to get the SS, RF, Closer and Set-Up man we need, I will back down, admit I was wrong and let you and everyone else know it. I am not that much of an ego maniac that I cannot admit if I am wrong-----and I certainly hope I am in this case. The Red Sox are a hell of a lot more important to me than me being right.

 

HAVING SAID THAT, I SIGN OFF FOR TODAY MY FRIENDS AND WISH ALL OF YOU A VERY HAPPY THANKSGIVING. ENJOY THE DAY. ALL THE BEST.

[a700hitter]

Red Sox: The Boston Herald reported that the Red Sox have expressed preliminary interest in outfielder Richard Hidalgo. The Angels signing of Matthews, in all likelihood, eliminates one suitor for Sox slugger Manny Ramirez.

 

Jesus please tell me there not serious about Hidalgo. I'd rather have the horse Hidalgo.

I read that twice and than three times, because I was so confused about it. I was hoping that there is another Richard Hidalgo that was a hot prospect that I didn't know. I am baffled if that report is true. The guy sucks, and he has a bad attitude.

[example1]

I will go on record as say that the sox will have to either go for 3 yrs or for 8 or 9 year to lock up Matsuzaka. Either get him to be a FA still in his prime or lock him up well into his twilight yrs. At the same time' date=' while the speculation is truly fun to consider, I think the sox will get a deal done.[/quote']

 

A 5 year deal will ink Matsuzaka until he is Jason Schmidt's current age. Given that Schmidt will likely command a 14-16 million dollar deal I see no reason why Boras would have a problem with that.

[jacksonianmarch]

A 5 year deal will ink Matsuzaka until he is Jason Schmidt's current age. Given that Schmidt will likely command a 14-16 million dollar deal I see no reason why Boras would have a problem with that.

 

length is the problem, and Matsuzaka is not Schmidt's size. He has to see that Matsuzaka's career will be shorter than a big framed pitcher. Boras is not an idiot.

[a700hitter]

length is the problem' date=' and Matsuzaka is not Schmidt's size. He has to see that Matsuzaka's career will be shorter than a big framed pitcher. Boras is not an idiot.[/quote']Boras is a pig. He wants as much as he can get as fast as he can get it. He's not planning for 4 years down the road for this one guy. His players roll into FA year after year. He tries to max out the value each year. He's going to take the contract with the highest present value whether that be 3 years or 5 or 6 years.

[jacksonianmarch]

Boras is a pig. He wants as much as he can get as fast as he can get it. He's not planning for 4 years down the road for this one guy. His players roll into FA year after year. He tries to max out the value each year. He's going to take the contract with the highest present value whether that be 3 years or 5 or 6 years.

 

max value is not possible with his client still having a bit of the unknown in him. He will be worth santana money if he comes in and dominates for 3 yrs.

[a700hitter]

max value is not possible with his client still having a bit of the unknown in him. He will be worth santana money if he comes in and dominates for 3 yrs.

By max value, I don't mean as compared to other players. Not all of his players can be the highest paid. He knows that each player has a certain range of value. He'll max out that value for each player by taking into account lenght of contract, sign on bonuses, interest rate on deferrals. He'll look to get as much up front as possible in a signing bonus regardless of the length of the contract. He will max out the present value of the deal for Matsuzaka regardless of the length of the contract. He'll let the Red Sox have him for 7 years if it yields the highest present value. He's not going to waste his time worrying about his value in 4 years.

[jacksonianmarch]

My question for you is, if all of the accounts of Matsuzaka having 4 plus pitches are correct and he can locate all and he has the presence and yada yada yada. Then if he proves this, he will significantly up his worth. If he is locked into a deal after he proves he can do it here, it will not be to his benefit.

[a700hitter]

My question for you is' date=' if all of the accounts of Matsuzaka having 4 plus pitches are correct and he can locate all and he has the presence and yada yada yada. Then if he proves this, he will significantly up his worth. If he is locked into a deal after he proves he can do it here, it will not be to his benefit.[/quote']...and if it turns out that he flops or gets hurt, it will be in his best interests, and how many pages of posts by you and Gom did we have to read about how Japanese players are never as good in the USA as they are in Japan. Don't you think Borass is aware of that possibility.