51.1 million just for the right to Matsuzaka

[ericyjh85]

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/15/sp...ts&oref=slogin

http://www.globesports.com/servlet/s...sBaseball/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/sp...ts&oref=slogin

http://www.globesports.com/servlet/s...sBaseball/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/06...acle_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.