jacksonianmarch

if healthy he is worth something. That is why the yanks are pouring over his injury reports.

he did not have a true no hitter.

I think the better overall investment if you are looking at amount of total dollars Matsu will make from today until the day he retires is to hit the market as a FA. Lets assume for a moment that Matsuzaka signs with the red sox at the age of 26 for 6yrs at 10 mil per. That is 60 mil total until he is 32. When he is 32, he will likely not get a big contract because he will be considered Pedro-esque in size and stuff. That means he may get a Pedro deal of 4 yrs 50-60 mil, lets call it 60 mil. At 36, he will likely be done. So, to recap, you have a guy who has the next 10 yrs of his career planned out at 110-120 mil total, assuming he has a solid career and earns that second contract. Now assume for a second he goes back to Japan and barring injury is the exacts same pitcher as he was this past season. He will likely get 10 mil for the next 2 yrs in Japan, then he would hit the states as a 28 yr old Japanese Pedro. He would get a 7-10 yr contract for 15-20 mil per to a team he would have a choice to go to. That is 105-200mil for doing nothing in the states, hence he will not have to earn that second contract. THAT is the big draw. That is the big money and that is a gamble he should be ready to make if the sox lowball him.

2009-2010 is when Tabata is supposed to make it as well. You dont see Yankee fans holding dibs on a Tabata spot or a Tabata jersey any time soon. If they are lucky, they are expected to make the majors in 3 yrs. Wish, prayer, hope. AA is the proving ground, and that is the time when a lot of these so called top prospects crash into the rocks. If they can prove it at AA (like Ellsbury) then they are likely gonna make it. Until then, lottery tickets is all.

You dont understand seabeach. Assume for now that the deal does not get done. Assume Matsuzaka spends another yr in Japanese purgatory, but in doing so, he is the face of the new system by which there is free trade of japanese and american players alike. Matsuzaka and Boras would be heroes by allowing young japanese players to realize their dreams in american baseball. I think this is the plan that Boras is pitching along with the obvious of an absolutely ridiculous payday in a yr.

he is a complete unknown. Sounds like a matchup lefty though people are saying he can face both. We'll see. Thing is, even in 2003, you knew Timlin and Embree were going to be good. I dont think there is one person you can point to in that pen and say, that guy will be solid this season. That is distressing.

good post riverside. Lester should be an afterthought for 2007. Do not put pressure on him, he just fought through a life threatening issue, give him time before the city of Boston puts pressure on him to win a meaningless game.

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/stories.nsf/cardinals/story/F3AB43762890B864862572400015ED65?OpenDocument now this is rather interesting. Pavano to the cardinals for a used bag of chew and a fresh urinal tablet?

I think Boras is talking him into being the face that changes the japanese posting system. Boras is a shrewd lawyer and he already has fodder for his claim coming from the commissioner. The posting system should go to s***. If you want to play in america, you should be granted that opportunity.

we have been talking about this in the other thread my friend. This is far from over, but I think there are alterior motives involving Boras and his want to undo the posting system.

content, no. But like with Gagne and Dotel, he is willing to leave a hole in his team if the salaries do not fit his model of value. Also, Boras seems to have a hidden agenda here. As much egg as will get on both of their faces, if Boras + Matsuzaka could find an easier way for japanese players to come to america, they would be heroes rather than greedy moneygrubbing bastards. Some have been speculating that Boras was using this posting as a way to get rid of the posting system all along.

I think you have clouded your mind to reason. Read Gammon's take on ESPN. Boras may be using Matsuzaka to force change in a process that the major league commissioner has already said needs to be changed. Boras can provide the impetus with Japan's biggest star being the lynchpin. That being said, the rumor was that the sox offered Matsu 7-8 mil a yr for 4-6 yrs. Boras wants 15mil a yr and neither has budged to find a common middle ground.

It is becoming rather clear now. Boras is refusing to budge off his demands that he be treated as a FA and should be paid as such. If not, he will challenge the MLB-Japan posting system. As most agents, Boras is a successful lawyer as well and a case can definitely be made to try and strike down the posting system. Matsuzaka may be the biggest piece to ever be posted and Boras may use his fame plus Boras' know-how to strike this thing dead to begin with. If Boras could get rid of the posting system and in the meantime Matsuzaka has to go back to Japan for a year or two, he will be considered a hero to tons of Japanese baseball players whose wish to go to the MLB has to be approved by the owners rather than their own free will.

sorry, tired, up too late, been scouring through the forum to learn a bit more about youse guys. I think it would be for the best if I had more than just a couple months under my belt when dealing with you guys. But it is bed time.

mediocre at best is what I have issue with. Jaret Wright was mediocre at best. Pettitte will be spectacular at best and mediocre at worst.