Red Sox Cough Up $51.1M Just to Talk to Japanese Pitcher
November 15th, 2006 by Michael Stephens
In dollars, it comes to $51.1 million.
In yen, it is about ¥6 billion.
Whatever currency you want to go by, that’s what it’s going to cost the Boston Red Sox to speak to — not necessarily sign — 26-year old Japanese righthander Daisuke Matsuzaka (right).
Making a record-setting bid that blew away offers from the rival New York Yankees, Mets and others, the Red Sox won the auction for the pitching ace who was named MVP of last winter’s World Baseball Classic.
Now the Sox have 30 days to sign Matsuzaka to a contract. If they don’t, they keep the money and the standout pitcher will have to stay with the Seibu Lions of the Pacific League.
“No one could believe the amount,” he told reporters Wednesday at Narita Airport before boarding a flight to the U.S. “I’m happy, but there will certainly be pressure. I’m not a Red Sox player yet, so I haven’t thought about it deeply, but if a contract is done I want to visit the stadium.”
The previous high bid for a player from Japan was $13.125 million by the Seattle Mariners for Ichiro Suzuki prior to the 2001 season.
“We have long admired Mr. Matsuzaka’s abilities and believe he would be a great fit with the Red Sox organization,” said Boston GM Theo Epstein.
Boston’s bid shows exactly how the market for pitching talent has soared (if Brandon Webb can win the Cy Young Award, there’s no telling), and also how far the Red Sox are apparently willing to go to stymie the Yankees. There are theories that Boston’s bid is merely a ploy to block others from getting Matsuzaka — although the pitcher’s agent, Scott Boras, does not seem worried.
“I’m going to first assume that this whole process was done in good faith,” the evil agent said.
Seriously, why does this guy have to be represented by Scott Boras? Doesn’t he taint enough American players? If the Red Sox are truly interested in signing him, estimates of what it will take range from $7-10 million annually over 3-4 years. Don’t be shocked to see Boras try to bilk a three-year, $45 million deal out of Boston, though. Yes, he’s just doing his job. Yes, it’s a business and yes, the financial side of baseball is fascinating. But he’s still the breathing embodiment of everything we don’t like about pro sports.
Regardless of Boras’ impact, can you imagine paying upwards of $90 million over 3-4 years for a guy who hasn’t thrown a pitch in the major leagues. People can talk about the inroads Boston will make in Japan all they like, but this is a staggering amount of money. Hopefully, the team will gain some leverage in the fact that Matsuzaka does not want to return to Japan, which he must if a deal isn’t struck.
Boston has until December 14 to sign Matsuzaka, who was 17-5 with a 2.13 earned run average and 200 strikeouts for the Lions this year. He throws around 95 mph, or 152 kilometers an hour, has good off-speed pitches and is known for his “gyroball,” which has been likened to a screwball.
But can he hold up in the U.S.? Can he help get Boston back to the World Series? Do the Sox even have intentions of inking him? We’ll have to wait and see.
