Red Sox bid high of $42M for Matsuzaka

[freakinhuge]

I think this is crazy. Paying 42 million dollars just to negotiate a contract is insane.

The Red Sox bid $42 million for the right to negotiate with prized Japanese pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka, sources told ESPN's Peter Gammons. Boston's bid far exceeded any other team's offer.

Daisuke Matsuzaka
Larry Goren/Icon SMI
Daisuke Matsuzaka was worth $42 million to the Red Sox -- just for the rights to negotiate a contract with him.

Matsuzaka will learn Tuesday whether the Seibu Lions have accepted a bid for him by a major league team.

Major League Baseball and the Japanese commissioner's office will make simultaneous announcements at 8 p.m. ET Tuesday (10 a.m. Tokyo time Wednesday), MLB spokesman Pat Courtney said Monday at the big league general managers' meetings.

The amount of the highest bid was forwarded by the major league commissioner's office to the Japanese commissioner's office last Wednesday, and the Lions have until Tuesday to accept. Only if the offer is accepted will the identity of the winning team be revealed.

Matsuzaka, a right-hander who pitched for Japan's World Baseball Classic champions, is considered among the top prospects available this offseason.

Matsuzaka's Career With Seibu
W-L ERA SO IP
2006 17-5 2.13 200 186.3
2005 14-13 2.30 226 215.0
2004 10-6 2.90 127 146.0
2003 16-7 2.83 215 194.0
2002 6-2 3.68 78 73.3
2001 15-14 3.60 214 240.3
2000 14-7 3.97 144 167.6
1999 16-5 2.60 151 180.0

If the Lions accept the top bid, the winning bidder has 30 days to reach an agreement with Matsuzaka. If a deal cannot be reached, he would return to the Lions for the 2007 Japanese baseball season and the bid will not be paid.

There are three reasons the deal would make sense for the Red Sox:

• Talent evaluators who have seen Matsuzaka say he's a top of the rotation-quality pitcher who would improve the Red Sox staff.

• If Boston signs him it would effectively plant a Red Sox flag in the growing Far East market.

• By merely winning the bidding the Red Sox would block the Yankees from acquiring Matsuzaka. By signing him, they would gain the same kind of advantage the Yankees gained when they signed Johnny Damon away from Boston.

[MuscleH]

Listen.... anyone that offers 42 million for one pitcher is ****en stupid...

Here's the deal.... pay a ****en minor leaguer 2 million to start and every game win he has he gets 2 million more. Wouldn't you try???

I hate the fact that these ****s get so much money and they do bad during the season cuz theres no motivation.. they have all the money...

[Who is Mike Jones?]

can they even afford this pitcher and Manny's 20 mil / year salary?

[parrish]

**** I am a die hard SOX fan and to pay 42+million for a 15-10 pitcher is retarded???
Look at Roy Halliday in 2005...12-2 then a liner to the knee cap...season & 42+ mill could be BYE BYE!
Could hook up 2 starters & 1 middle inning relief for that.

[freakinhuge]

It looks like they paid 51 million just for the right to negotiate with him. Then I am sure he'll get another 75 million on the contract. This guy better be able to pitch with both arms that way he can start 50 games.

[parrish]

It looks like they paid 51 million just for the right to negotiate with him. Then I am sure he'll get another 75 million on the contract. This guy better be able to pitch with both arms that way he can start 50 games.

They only get the 51 million if he signs!
And Schilling is at 18million with 2..yes 2 world series rings and no F'in way can you pay a nobody 13.33mill with nothing to show for???
What does that say about all the other North American pitchers???

[ect0m0rph]

I just dont get it, paying to have the right to talk with him, this sounds like another Scott Boras move that will make him richer. Boras is notorious for pushing up prices to astronomical rates, he is one of the chief reasons why it costs 75 dollars for a hot dog.

[ect0m0rph]

And how about Soriano just signing for 188 million. Can you imagine having 188 million dollars thats insane, and he's good but not even a premier player he's no Pujols or Jeter or Bonds he's just solid and he gets 188 million dollars amazing to me.

[parrish]

Soriano signed for 136 for 8 years..17 million a season and 2 million less then Manny.Very reasonable considering he has A rod/Manny potential.

[freakinhuge]

74 million for JD Drew. Are they kidding me? When did J.D. Drew become a 14 million dollar a year player? And 36 million for Lugo, they are out of control.

[parrish]

74 million for JD Drew. Are they kidding me? When did J.D. Drew become a 14 million dollar a year player? And 36 million for Lugo, they are out of control.

They??
Who whole F'in league!!
Ted Lilly is getting 10 million for 4 years and he is just 59-58 career??
1 game over .500 and worth 10 million?????
At least JD can hit and Lugo an avg hitter is above avg in the field.
No wonder kids want to get on the gear at 16...for that $$$ I would do the same.
At $60,000 a year I would have to work 177 years to make what he is going to get next season!
A Brain surgeon in Canada makes $600,000 max..a ****ing brain surgeon,18 years to male what Lilly will make and how many lives does Lilly save???
That's ****ing out of control

[parrish]

Listen.... anyone that offers 42 million for one pitcher is ****en stupid...

Here's the deal.... pay a ****en minor leaguer 2 million to start and every game win he has he gets 2 million more. Wouldn't you try???

I hate the fact that these ****s get so much money and they do bad during the season cuz theres no motivation.. they have all the money...

Musclehouse your avatiar ROCKS!!!!

[ect0m0rph]

The league is out of control Gil Mece just got big bucks from the Royals. But I still think the cubbies overpaid for Soriano he is good but not a superstar and he is making 17 mill a year that seems crazy to me.

[parrish]

The league is out of control Gil Mece just got big bucks from the Royals. But I still think the cubbies overpaid for Soriano he is good but not a superstar and he is making 17 mill a year that seems crazy to me.

Soriano might be the first to get Barry Bonds numbers without the juice & GH!!
Average or little better in the field but if he had a Manny or Arod in front of him his numbers would be better than Ortiz and I am a ****ING GIGANTIC Red Sox fan

[ect0m0rph]

I dont know he played for the Yanks and had good numbers but not great, with guys like Jeter and Giambi behind him. He's good there is no questioning that I just dont think he is amazing. But there is no doubt that guys like Meche, Lilly and even Maddux are getting contracts that are far too big in my eyes.

[parrish]

I dont know he played for the Yanks and had good numbers but not great, with guys like Jeter and Giambi behind him. He's good there is no questioning that I just dont think he is amazing. But there is no doubt that guys like Meche, Lilly and even Maddux are getting contracts that are far too big in my eyes.

When a brain surgeon can only get $750,000 a year and playing a ****ING GAME 30 times more nob ody is worth it!
He ia a 40-40 man..clean..on one of the worst teams in the majors!!
Best baseball link ever!
http://www.baseball-reference.com/s/soriaal01.shtml
46 dingers and only 95 r.b.i.'s???
He is the real deal!

[ect0m0rph]

I heard Matsuzaka is heading back to Boston with the higher ups it looks like the Bo sox got their guy. He could be in trouble though, if he doesnt win 20 games people are going to want his head.

[ect0m0rph]

When a brain surgeon can only get $750,000 a year and playing a ****ING GAME 30 times more nob ody is worth it!
He ia a 40-40 man..clean..on one of the worst teams in the majors!!
Best baseball link ever!
http://www.baseball-reference.com/s/soriaal01.shtml
46 dingers and only 95 r.b.i.'s???
He is the real deal!

Wow everything went up for him this year he does put up monster numbers

[juice34]

Reportedly the Red Sox and Matsuzaka agreed on a 6 year $52 million contract as of this morning.

[honderich]

• By merely winning the bidding the Red Sox would block the Yankees from acquiring Matsuzaka. By signing him, they would gain the same kind of advantage the Yankees gained when they signed Johnny Damon away from Boston.

That's the biggest reason right there.

[HeHateMe]

I'm soooo sick of hearing about the Yanks and the Soxxx...

I can't even watch baseball anymore. Only a handful of teams have a legitimate shot at winning a World Series. They need a salary cap in the worst way.

[parrish]

I agree a cap is needed but remember last year's season start the Sox were at around 122 million #2 to the Yanks #1 of 196 million???????
76 million was the payroll of 16+ other teams in M.L.B.!