51.1 million just for the right to Matsuzaka

[ericyjh85]

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/15/sports/baseball/15sox.html?_r=1&ref=sports&oref=slogin

http://www.globesports.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20061114.wsptsox14/GSStory/GlobeSportsBaseball/home

I was hoping he would end up in yankees, now its gonna be harder for the yankees to win the world series next year. but o well, it will be interesting to see how well Japan's no. 1 pitcher does next year.

[somemale]

agreed I wish the yankees got him.

I doubt he'll wait till next year =(

[radeonboy]

WTF thats CRAZYYYYY money.

This dude must smile all day long.

Man if he doesnt live up to his hype, the Yankees can laugh down Bostons throat.

Ridicolous $$$$$. Ive never heard of this guy. Supposedly he is the best pitcher in Japan...

[MkmBandit]

The Boston Red Sox are ready to pay more than $50 million just for the right to negotiate with Daisuke Matsuzaka, who's never thrown his "gyroball" — or any pitch, for that matter — in the major leagues.

LOL wth is a 'gyroball'? I want to see that..

[spike-spiegel]

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/15/sports/baseball/15sox.html?_r=1&ref=sports&oref=slogin

http://www.globesports.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20061114.wsptsox14/GSStory/GlobeSportsBaseball/home

I was hoping he would end up in yankees, now its gonna be harder for the yankees to win the world series next year. but o well, it will be interesting to see how well Japan's no. 1 pitcher does next year.

I wished Mets got him, get to stay out of the AL East. Now the Jays will have another power pitcher to deal with.

This is absurd money though. This is going to drive up salaries for a long time.

To be honest, I thought Matsuzaka would do better in NY than BOS. NY seems to have an established Japanese with Matsui already and isn't as crazy rabid fanbase in Boston. Who knows, this guy should be the real deal.

I guess the third place finish woke up the owner's chequebook.... now whichever team falls short of a World Series, it will be deemed a disappointment.

[kevin01]

hes gonna atleast get 15 mil and say its a 2 year contract, 3yrs/$96 mil deal. thats $32 million a year :|

[almostfreeman]

nuts

[actyper]

Thanks Bud for making baseball rediculous!

[Irb]

He's not going to win more than 15 games

[Headhunter]

hes gonna atleast get 15 mil and say its a 2 year contract, 3yrs/$96 mil deal. thats $32 million a year :|
The $51.1 million goes to the Seibu Lions for the rights to negotiate with Matsuzaka, the player doesn't see that money as I understand it.

[gman]

Nobody sees the money yet until Matsuzaka agrees to sign with Boston. If he signed with Boston, the money goes to the Seibu Lions.

[Madchester]

^

Exactly. The bid fee is basically "compensation" for the Seibu Lions losing Matsuzaka.

If the BoSox can't make a deal with him within 30 days, then Matsuzaka returns to Japanese baseball for the entire 2007 season.

If he does come over to this side of the pond, I wonder how he'll pitch at Fenway, with all it's funny outfield kinks and the Monster in left field. His Japanese K/BB ratio is really good, somewhere around 5 or 6:1, with over 200+ Ks each season.

There's a "gyroball" video on YouTube. It's basically like a messed up slider.

[I0s]

for those who do not know what a gyroball is, I did not know either, saw it in the toronto star today.

http://www.thestar.com/static/PDF/061115_miracle_pitch.pdf

[Headhunter]

Nobody sees the money yet until Matsuzaka agrees to sign with Boston. If he signed with Boston, the money goes to the Seibu Lions.
Yes, that's an important qualification.

All the money for Matsuzaka combined is in the range of landing both Jason Schmidt AND Barry Zito, seems awful expensive to me...

[Irb]

Matsuzaka is the the seed to Ichiro signing with Boston in the future.

[NDman]

The $51.1 million goes to the Seibu Lions for the rights to negotiate with Matsuzaka, the player doesn't see that money as I understand it.

Yes, but I think he meant in Red Sox's point-of-view, the overall cost for him would an average of 32M over 3 years (with the presumative contract that is). No matter how you slice it, it's still ridiculous. No pitcher is worth that much money. I am guessing the overall average cost for his first contract will be more than A-Rod's (> $25M/year)

[Ryan]

They're looking at as investment in Asian baseball. The 51 doesn't count against the luxury tax at least.

I think Beckett's contract was a lot worse.

[Irb]

They're looking at as investment in Asian baseball. The 51 doesn't count against the luxury tax at least.

I think Beckett's contract was a lot worse.How about AJ Burnett? :razz:

[spike-spiegel]

They're looking at as investment in Asian baseball. The 51 doesn't count against the luxury tax at least.

I think Beckett's contract was a lot worse.


Boston is predicting lots of marketing/merchandise sales in both Japan and Boston. Plus, now Boston has a inroad to Asian baseball relations. These are two intangibles that cant be quantified.

I see Boras pushing for 3 years at roughly $13-15M each, so that could cost Boston a total of about $25-30M each year with the posting fee. I'll be surprise if it is longer than 3 since Boras wants him out at 29 but Boston will push hard to get good value out of that 51 million smackers.

I think D-Mat will be a solid 15-game winner in his 'rookie' season. He'll be an ace in year two and beyond. It's just too much to dominate right away.

Now we'll see tons of Japanese Sox fans at SkyDome like we do at Yankee games here. ;)


How about AJ Burnett? :razz:

$11M for a number two starter is looking to be a real bargain if baseball contracts keep this up. $11M this year might not even get us Lilly, Meche, Wolf, Padilla etc.

[kevin01]

The $51.1 million goes to the Seibu Lions for the rights to negotiate with Matsuzaka, the player doesn't see that money as I understand it.

im not saying that. Im just saying that that is essentially what boston will be paying for him. You add up the $51 million over the time hes there with the money hes making each year. $51 million/3years+~$15 million each year. But he might even get around $20 million, he his agents understands how much this player is worth to a lot of teams.

And the gyroball is not hte only thing. In high school he pitched a game i think with 250 pitches, and struck out alottt, but hes being overworked already. That arm will come down soon.

[gordholio]

Just ridiculous how teams can throw around so much money like it's nothing.

[theinfamous]

I hope this signing once and for all shuts up Boston fans who constantly whine about the Yankees spending millions and millions on players every year. They seem to forget that their team easily outspends 28 other teams in baseball!! :mad:

[kevin01]

I hope this signing once and for all shuts up Boston fans who constantly whine about the Yankees spending millions and millions on players every year. They seem to forget that their team easily outspends 28 other teams in baseball!! :mad:

Boston fans are probably the worst, and they will never admit to being more greedy than the yanks. Yankee fans atleast say that they know their team uses money to win. The mlb needs a salary cap, right now most teams with low payrolls dont have a good chance at winning. A payroll at $70-$110 million is ok.

Anyways, Tampa won the bid for the 3rd basemen, Akinori Iwamura in japan for $4.5 milion. Seems like hell do good in the MLB.

http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=sportsNews&storyID=2006-11-16T010320Z_01_B788796_RTRUKOC_0_US-BASEBALL-IWAMURA.xml&WTmodLoc=SportsNewsHome_C1_%5BFeed%5D-2

[gman]

Boston fans are probably the worst, and they will never admit to being more greedy than the yanks. Yankee fans atleast say that they know their team uses money to win. The mlb needs a salary cap, right now most teams with low payrolls dont have a good chance at winning. A payroll at $70-$110 million is ok.

Anyways, Tampa won the bid for the 3rd basemen, Akinori Iwamura in japan for $4.5 milion. Seems like hell do good in the MLB.

http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=sportsNews&storyID=2006-11-16T010320Z_01_B788796_RTRUKOC_0_US-BASEBALL-IWAMURA.xml&WTmodLoc=SportsNewsHome_C1_%5BFeed%5D-2

If the salary cap between $70-100 million is okay, why do you say most teams with low payrolls don't have a good chance at winning?

Both Detriot and St. Louis are lower than $90 million. And, Twins, A's and SD are all lower than $70 million.

[Anessa]

the Gyro baller's right is 51 mil...agents must be bathing in champaigne right now.

[gei]

I was hoping he would end up in yankees, now its gonna be harder for the yankees to win the world series next year. but o well, it will be interesting to see how well Japan's no. 1 pitcher does next year.

um wtf? you realize we have our own team to cheer for right? Why would you want the YANKEES... our division rivals.... to win the world series???

[kevin01]

If the salary cap between $70-100 million is okay, why do you say most teams with low payrolls don't have a good chance at winning?

Both Detriot and St. Louis are lower than $90 million. And, Twins, A's and SD are all lower than $70 million.

Yeah but look, if there ever was a salary cap, it would never be anything like $60 million. The league would not do that, as it would really mess up a few teams.

[Ziggy007]

Boston has the most annoying admin / fans ever.

All they do is complain about how much the Yankees spend, how they don't have a chance at players because the Yankees take them, how they are the "evil empire", all while being completely oblivious that they are in a solid second place in annual payroll behind the Yankees, beating out 28 other teams behind them.

They don't even realize that they are held in the same light as the Yankees overspending ways by the rest of the league.

And don't say that low pay teams can compete, read this:

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=cnnsi-whataboutthelit&prov=cnnsi&type=lgns

About the bid: Absolutely ridiculous.

I mean When all is said and done this will probably cost Boston $51.1M + 3 x $12.5M or about $86.6M for three years of pitching.

Nevermind that this total excedes even Roger Clemens money, but it isn't even an effective use of money. I mean, the Sox are stacked with young talent at pitching, even with Lester and his cancer issues. Take that nearly $90M and go get the best bullpen in all of the majors. You go and get Gagne signed for an incentive laden contract, grab Speier, etc etc and I bet for nearly half of what they are paying, they could assemble three years worth of all-star relief. That would be a better way to win...

MLB should just do like the NHL did, minimum payroll is $50M, maximum payroll is $100M.

Allow for player bonuses in wildly successful times (like now) and make it fair. The success of your team shouldn't be dependant by the depth of your owners pockets.

The fact that the luxury tax limit is increasing at a drastic rate means that the Yankees will be able to spend nearly $200M untaxed in upcoming years.

I believe the luxury rate will go from its approximate $125M level to nearly $175M + by the end of the current labour deal (2012?)

[mallik]

Boston has the most annoying admin / fans ever.

All they do is complain about how much the Yankees spend, how they don't have a chance at players because the Yankees take them, how they are the "evil empire", all while being completely oblivious that they are in a solid second place in annual payroll behind the Yankees, beating out 28 other teams behind them.

They don't even realize that they are held in the same light as the Yankees overspending ways by the rest of the league.

And don't say that low pay teams can compete, read this:

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=cnnsi-whataboutthelit&prov=cnnsi&type=lgns

About the bid: Absolutely ridiculous.

I mean When all is said and done this will probably cost Boston $51.1M + 3 x $12.5M or about $86.6M for three years of pitching.

Nevermind that this total excedes even Roger Clemens money, but it isn't even an effective use of money. I mean, the Sox are stacked with young talent at pitching, even with Lester and his cancer issues. Take that nearly $90M and go get the best bullpen in all of the majors. You go and get Gagne signed for an incentive laden contract, grab Speier, etc etc and I bet for nearly half of what they are paying, they could assemble three years worth of all-star relief. That would be a better way to win...

MLB should just do like the NHL did, minimum payroll is $50M, maximum payroll is $100M.

Allow for player bonuses in wildly successful times (like now) and make it fair. The success of your team shouldn't be dependant by the depth of your owners pockets.

The fact that the luxury tax limit is increasing at a drastic rate means that the Yankees will be able to spend nearly $200M untaxed in upcoming years.

I believe the luxury rate will go from its approximate $125M level to nearly $175M + by the end of the current labour deal (2012?)

Yeah but how is this any different than JP whining about money and then going out and wasting it? Granted it's not as bad as this but I think the main motivation for Sox doing this was to keep him away from the Yankees.

[thelefteyeguy]

Even the Jays benefit from this...everytime the Yanks comes in town...it's filled with Japanese adverts in the Rogers Centre...

but the amount is insane...it's more than the NHL cap. =)

[jayisthebest88]

The guy can't even throw the gyro ball, its a complete myth. When he throws that pitch, its a slider which he loses grip on and that would explain the crazy sink on it. If youask him to throw the "gyro" ball then he wont be able to reproduce it unless it slips out again. Gyro ball is impossible to throw, no one can ever throw it. It is a mythical pitch created by some japanese guys in some book.