Daisuke Matsuzaka?

[DirtyKash]

Rotoworld put out a good article on Daisuke here.

[DirtyKash]

ESPN's Buster Olney is reporting that, according to MLB officials who are monitoring the bidding, the Red Sox may have posted the top bid for Daisuke Matsuzaka, with a figure between $38 million and $45 million.
We find that pretty hard to believe. Something in the neighborhood of $40 million would be crazy with Scott Boras talking about a three-year deal and a clause that would make him a free agent at the end of the contract. Anyone committing that much would have to know it had Matsuzaka for at least five or six years at a fairly reasonable rate. Nov. 10 - 1:20 pm et
Source: ESPN.com

[McKain]

38-45 million? Jesus. If true, that is going to blow the **** up in their face.

[realmofotalk]

The team with the best bid simply wins the right to negotiate with Matsuzaka and his agent (the ever-lovely Scott Boras). Then, that team has 30 days to come to terms with the 26-year-old righty. If no agreement can be reached, Matsuzaka goes back to Seibu and the bidding team gets its posting bid back. How clear is that?

What's to stop the Yankees or Red Sox from bidding $50-$75 million simply to block the other team from signing him?

[Porter]

Source about the six man rotation they had in Orix.

My buddy should me some youtube clips on the guy, so i can get more familar with his pitching.

Pros: Hes very deceptive with his delivery, its slow like Nomo's but not with the leg kick. Four pitches. Plus Splitter, his gyroball is basically a screwball, His fastball explodes like a missle and his curve is above average. Tops out at 94-95 MPH. Hes got a Maddux like make-up on the mound. Reason why i say that is he doesnt show too much emotion. Just goes about his business. Will probably produce a great deal of DPs for a team with great up the middle defense. If Boston does win that bid, they need to get Gonzalez back. Workhorse for 200+ if he stays healthy.

Cons: He did have elbow trouble in 2002, a season after pitching 260 innings the year before. His delivery is mostly using his arms and seeing it in slo-mo, it seems like puts a lot of stress on that shoulder/upper arm area. They also had a SIX man rotation. So he would be getting one less day to rest up. Add that with the fact they play about 130-140 games instead of the 162 we play, hes getting about 5-7 more starts.

Peak Comparison: Pedro Martinez minus the antics and about 4 MPH on his heater.

Worst Case: Mark Prior, Will have too much arm troubles to realize his talent.

More Likely to be like: Roy Halladay, Solid #1, Injuries could cost him now and then.

[Providence A's]

he's been throwing a shit-load of innings since high school. Also, Japanese baseball is more like the old style of NL baseball from what I've read (stealing, hit-and-run, moving runners along, slapping at the ball, etc). I'd expect a dip in those numbers facing strong hitters with a different style of baseball...especially if he goes to the AL. He'd probably do really well at first, but once there is more film and people see him more, I bet he's not the stud everyone is hoping for.

[catman]

It is reported that the Red Sox have won the bidding war for this guy with an offer of $42M. Here is one story on the subject: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15702307/
And another: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2660428
Both have said that if he doesn't agree to these terms, he will return to Seibu for at least another year.

[DirtyKash]

The Seibu Lions confirmed that they had accepted the winning bid for Daisuke Matsuzaka's rights in a press conference Wednesday in Japan.
MLB simultaneously confirmed what everyone now knows, that the Red Sox were the winning bidders. The amount of the winning bid wasn't disclosed, but the Associated Press and the Yomiuri Shimbun say it's $51.1 million. The Red Sox now have 30 days with which to sign Matsuzaka. If they fail, his rights will revert back to Seibu. Nov. 14 - 8:32 pm et

[McKain]

Sox are going to be burned bad by this. He'll probably pitch moderately well but 51.1 is absurd.

[brewersfan19]

Heard something rather interesting and thought I would never hear today on "The Dan Patrick Show" on ESPNRadio. He said, "are the Yankees and Red Sox doing the damaging themselves by trying to out bid ech other every year so the other can't get particular players?" Either team is winning the Series regularly and the other teams are sneaking up on them and winning the main PRIZE.

All I have to say, keep spending your $$$ Yankees and Red Sox!!!!


GO BREWERS, WIN IT ALL IN 2007!!!!!!!

[Fishercat]

I think Mats will pitch extremely well, maybe a Top 15 or better pitching performance.

I don't think he was worth 51 mil to talk to. Crazy. But I hope he does well if signed

[BoSox34]

The Red Sox will more than make up for the $51+ million now that they have a well known player to market over in Japan like the Yankees do with Matsui and the Mariners do with Ichiro. So I believe that this was more of a business decision in regards to making more money in the long term rather than a bidding war with the Yankees.

[catman]

The Seibu Lions confirmed that they had accepted the winning bid for Daisuke Matsuzaka's rights in a press conference Wednesday in Japan.
MLB simultaneously confirmed what everyone now knows, that the Red Sox were the winning bidders. The amount of the winning bid wasn't disclosed, but the Associated Press and the Yomiuri Shimbun say it's $51.1 million. The Red Sox now have 30 days with which to sign Matsuzaka. If they fail, his rights will revert back to Seibu. Nov. 14 - 8:32 pm et

I might have to dust off my knuckle curve for this kind of money.
Insane, isn't it? At least they get the pleasure of negotiating with Scott Boras now.

[Fishercat]

They will most certainly make a chunk of that back in Far East revenue for the best pitcher to come out of Japan, probably ever.

Still, 51.1 mil...crazy

[Saber]

Overpaying by 3 or 4 million a year for Ichiro! is a marketing decision. 51 million is not a marketing decision. In addition, any revenue gained would be almost exclusively merchandise or overseas broadcasts. No more fannies in the seats then before.