Is this guy anygood. With Beckett and Schilling is their any chance he'll even be a top 3 starter in the rotation. Why drop so much on a guy that isnt that great especially if their is a guy like Zito on the market. Also what is the chance that Matsuzaka actually signs with Boston.
2006-11-14 14:23:29 · 15 answers · asked by p_rob22 1 in Sports ➔ Baseball
Don't look now but Fox Sports just reported that it was 51.1 million. Just to talk to him! That is insane. A previous answerer said the would need 20 million more to sign him. Fat chance, Scott Boras is his agent and he's already started harping about how pitching is at a premium this year. I bet he won't sign for less than 10 or 11 million a year and that he is going to want at least a 4 year contract. That would bring his overall cost to at least 91 million for a 4 yr contract. I know the Red Sox really want to plant a foot in the Japanese market but wow, that is some price to pay. It should also be noted that if they don't sign him, they don't have to pay the 51 million and no other team gets to talk to him until the end of next season when he is a free agent.
2006-11-14 15:02:15 · answer #1 · answered by . 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
No one is right so far.
The bid money is 51.1 million that is correct.
The bid money only gets spent if they sign him, they get it back otherwise.
They scouted Matsuzaka for over a year, this is not about blocking the yankees - they want him.
Matsuzaka is easily a better pitcher than Zito, it is not even close, its like comparing me to Babe Ruth or something. Zito is no ace, Matsuzaka is.
The bid money is an investment in Japan. By getting Matsuzaka, they can earn millions from the Japan market, and get Tv coverage, two things they don't have.
By signing Matsuzaka, they get the top pitcher on the market, a good boost for their team and their fans, encourage FA's to sign with them because the team is looking pretty good, and earn more revenue.
Its actually a good move. The nature of blind bidding means you overpay. They Red Sox figured the yankees would bid in the 45mill range, because they could afford to do so, to in effect go well over the market, so for the Red Sox to win, they would have to guy a lot higher. 51.1 million. The .1 million suggests this was the highest figure the Red Sox valued Matsuzaka at, and could afford.
Matsuzaka was to play in the majors, and is not a FA until 2008, I would think he will sign. Its a pretty good illustration that the Red Sox want him, and that will make him feel pretty good.
The Red Sox also want to erase what happened this year, Schilling, Beckett, Matsuzaka, Papelbon as their top 4. Its a pretty good start.
2006-11-15 01:19:55 · answer #2 · answered by holdon 4 · 4⤊ 0⤋
The Red Sox have become the very thing they despise and hate about the Yankees (the evil empire with an eternal cash flow). Imagine paying $51 million just to talk to an unproven major league pitcher (the Japanese league is not the MLB). They have become what they always said they despised. Its too bad for MLB.
He may have pitched well in the World Baseball Classic; but the majority of the hitters in the classic (on various teams) weren't in mid season form. For most of them, it was the beginning of the season when you know hitters are at a disadvantage. Play the World Baseball Classis in July or August and there is no way he has a 1.38 ERA. Look at how much the MLB stars tore up the Japanese team when they were there two weeks ago. So...I think its a dangerous risk to say he's a good pitcher because he had a good ERA in the World Baseball Classic.
2006-11-15 09:40:25 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
one, that 42-50 million (it's not exact yet, i've heard both figures) is just for the right to TALK to him for like a month. two, so the yankee's won't get him, and three, he was MVP of the World Baseball Classic, with like a 1.38 ERA against some of the best hitters the game has to offer. with Schilling almost certainly being gone after next year and Beckett being a take it or leave it pitcher ( I mean, come on, if he's not on, he's not good, when he's on he's great, but if he's not, he can't battle through very well) they need a good, young pitcher with some experience playing in high pressure situations.
2006-11-15 02:06:49 · answer #4 · answered by Always Question 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Its actually over 50 million to have the right to negotiate a contract with an unknown. They paid that ridiculous amount to block the Yankees from signing him at a lower amount. Just remember he has never pitched in a 5 day rotation. He's only pitched once a week or even less frequently. I'd rather have Zito or Schmidt.
Talk about the new "Evil Empire"
2006-11-15 07:42:03 · answer #5 · answered by Oz 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
supposedly he has great stuff, and they sure didnt want the yankees to get him. i think that they also figure that theyll get at least some of that money back via merchandising overseas because of the japaneese buying matsuzaka jerseys etc. a la ichiro or matsui. it also fills a big hole in the sox rotation and could potentially give them 3 ace caliber pitchers (Schilling, and if he ever got it together Beckett) zitos upside, espescially pitching in fenway park would be much lower
2006-11-15 02:00:05 · answer #6 · answered by favretojennings=td 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
He is believed to be a number 1 (ace) calibre type pitcher. When comparing his stats in the Japanese league to those of MLB pitchers, he is among the ranks of pitchers such as Santana, Halladay, Carpenter, etc.
It is actually over $50 million for the rights to negotiate with him. Remember that this was a blind auction. All teams interested submitted a bid, without knowing what the offers from other teams' were. It is rumoured that he will be asking for about $75 over 3 years.
Some say Red Sox only did this so Yankees couldn't have him. Note that Matsuzaka himself has expressed fondly the idea of playing for the pinstripes.
2006-11-15 00:22:43 · answer #7 · answered by ~O.N.E.~ 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
There doing this to block the yankees from getting him,You see if he doesn't sign with them he has to stay in Japan for 1 more yr and play there,then at the end of next yr he'll be a free agent,but the main reason there doing this is to keep the yankees from signing him,ESPN CALLED THE RED SOX THE EVIL EMPIRE JR!!! Now the Yankees are going after ZITO!!
2006-11-14 22:42:13 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Anyone willing to put up that kind of money, whether it is the Red Sox or another team, thinks he is that good. And from what I hear, he really is that good. He might very well be the #1 starter for any team.
Whoever gets him is automatically a playoff prospect, barring a weird injury or something like that.
2006-11-15 06:03:04 · answer #9 · answered by BroadwayPhil 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Good pitching is an increasingly rare commodity these days, but - wow! - 50+ million? The Sox are desperate for pitching and desperate for PR, but he'd have to be the second coming of Koufax or somebody like that to justify that sort of money.
PS - One good thing, the whiny Red Sox can never carp again about how the Yankees spend so much money to "buy" a pennant.
2006-11-14 23:06:57 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋