Matsuzaka winner announced tonight!

by tiyuri on Nov 13, 2006 11:34 AM EST

The assembled Japanese media here at the annual general managers' meetings have been told this morning that the Seibu Lions' board of directors will meet at 8 p.m. Eastern (Tuesday morning in Japan) to mull over the bids submitted by major league teams to earn the negotiating rights to coveted righthander Daisuke Matsuzaka.

In fact, there is word now from the Japanese press that the Lions plan to hold a press conference at 8 p.m. Eastern.

Major league baseball spokesman Patrick Courtney said that MLB would announce the decision as soon as it was made known to them.

I am glad that we will finally know one way or the other.

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Getting anxious

Man, I am really dreading the Zito/Schmidt panic signing that is coming in the next few weeks. Ugh.

Fear the Evil Empire

by pfistyunc on Nov 13, 2006 1:05 PM EST reply actions

Zito

With Randy in poor health and another lefty needed, I'm thinking Cashman might fall victim to Zito.

Off the Facade
You say "sell-out," I say "opportunist."

by PinstripePowerhouse on Nov 13, 2006 1:47 PM EST reply actions

Lilly?

No one's talking about him, but he might be the best of the worst when you factor in everything - he's youngish, AL East experience (even Bronx experience), will come cheaper than the alleged "top flight" free agents,etc.

I'm not saying the title is ours if we get him, but he makes more sense than the other guys currently available. And I would be more comfortable with him in the 4/5 spot than Rasner, Karstens, etc...

I know he lost 13 games, but he also won 15. And if memory serves he pitched lights out in the playoffs against Boston a couple of years ago, even though the A's of course choked.

Thoughts? Any rumors out there on where he's headed and what kind of deal he'll get?

by matthaggs on Nov 13, 2006 3:13 PM EST up reply actions

Zito

I know most of you guys hate him, but I think he could still be a very effective SP.

Yes, we will overpay, don't we always, but so will everyone else! Hell, J.D. Drew just opted out of 3 years $33MM....

I am not expecting another Cy Young, but I could see him winning 18 games and having an ERA around 3.25-3.65 and that is what we need.

by wellblessed on Nov 13, 2006 1:51 PM EST reply actions

Doubt it

He is a pitcher with a mediocre fastball and control who benefitted greatly from playing in Oakland. He will be bombed in the AL East, so I doubt that ERA prediction is accurate. He may win 18 games, but as Unit has shown, winning games has little to do with pitching well with our offense. Zito will be a bigger waste of money than Schmidt, but they are both bad ideas.

Fear the Evil Empire

by pfistyunc on Nov 13, 2006 1:57 PM EST up reply actions

Can the Yanks get Zito?

it seems to me that the Mets would match the Yankees offer, and since the Mets have Petersen won't that swing Zito to choosing the Mets.

That said there' no way I'm prepared to root for Jason Schmidt.

I'm a little scared about the Yankees free agent shopping list.

by collink on Nov 13, 2006 2:31 PM EST up reply actions

XM Radio

orestes Destrade reported it was a $50MM posting fee and the Red Sox won.

I posted that over on Fake Teams about an hour before the boys at NBC/Rotoworld.

by Eric Hinz on Nov 13, 2006 2:25 PM EST reply actions

Another solid report that the Sux have won.

www.mlbtraderumors.com

The bid is $42 MM....that is outrageous.

by wellblessed on Nov 13, 2006 2:26 PM EST reply actions

hardly

mlbtraderumors.com is by no means reputable.

by tiyuri on Nov 13, 2006 2:38 PM EST up reply actions

But this is just the right to negotiate, no?

Meaning, he doesn't have to sign with Boston; they just get first crack.

by docgonzo on Nov 13, 2006 2:40 PM EST reply actions

ESPN

Now they're saying Gammons has heard the $42 million number.

And mlbtraderumors.com is more reputable than the New York Post, for what it's worth.

Off the Facade
You say "sell-out," I say "opportunist."

by PinstripePowerhouse on Nov 13, 2006 3:02 PM EST reply actions

Agreed.

Post can speculate with the best of them.

To the above question: as far as the posting fee is concerned...they have 30 days to negotiate with Boras and try to sign him. If they are successful, he is a Red Sock...if not, he goes back to Japan for another year.

In other words, it is not like they move on down the list to the 2nd bidder, 3rd bidder, etd. unless MLB believes that the Red Sux do not make an honest attempt to sign him (ie...tampering to block the Yanks from getting him).

My guess is that he signs with Boston for something like 3 years, $30MM. If not, he will go back to Japan and then NYY will get him next year when he is a free agent.

by wellblessed on Nov 13, 2006 3:11 PM EST up reply actions

Christ! That would put them close to

paying ARod money for an untested MLB starter. If he tanks that would pretty much mean the end of the Sox for the rest of the decade.

Everything looks nicer when you win. The girls are prettier. The cigars taste better. The trees are greener. --Billy Martin

by garp on Nov 13, 2006 4:29 PM EST up reply actions

That is true

They are going to be paying over 20M a season for a pitcher. Unless you see Santana written across the back of his jersey, he isn't worth it.

This move fucks the Yankees over royally, but I am just stunned that Theo would do this. Spending that amount for one player, especially a pitcher, seems to go against everything he stands for. It seems that they are going hard after JD Drew and Lugo too. If that is the case, they just got a whole lot better this winter.

Fear the Evil Empire

by pfistyunc on Nov 13, 2006 4:34 PM EST up reply actions

The posting fee

is luxury tax free, so it's not quite as negative as paying a player $20 million.
I don't think it's a great idea, but it's not a bad one either.

Have faith in the Yankees my son. Think of the great DiMaggio.

by jscape2000 on Nov 13, 2006 4:46 PM EST up reply actions

Still costs $20M

Even if the Sox are under the tax next season, it will likely cost them close to $20M a season for Matsuzaka. Unfortunately, he is probably worth it. I just have a sick feeling in my gut that we are going to be watching Matsuzaka dominate us for the next few years. I wasn't too worried when they got Beckett last winter, but this seems different to me. Perhaps I am just panicking.

The biggest "cost" involved in all of this is the sunken dollars that are going to be flowing out of George's checkbook here shortly. The question is: do you want the aging power pitcher who still might have something left or the durable lefty who is skyrocketing towards mediocrity?

Fear the Evil Empire

by pfistyunc on Nov 13, 2006 4:53 PM EST up reply actions

I'm panicking too

It could be really bad for us for the Red Sox to have him and for us to have an increasingly questionable pitching staff. There is little out there that's appealing, I would prefer Lilly over Zito if it comes to that. Zito is so over-rated at this point in his career. I hate the idea of us having the fading over the hill staff that will be be held together with scotch tape by September.

by Greenfuzz on Nov 13, 2006 7:23 PM EST up reply actions

No one mentions Clemens...

If Boston gets Matsuzaka, our top three will be Clemens, Wang, Moose. One of the youngsters should handle the 5 spot so that just leaves the need for a #4.

Everything looks nicer when you win. The girls are prettier. The cigars taste better. The trees are greener. --Billy Martin

by garp on Nov 13, 2006 7:38 PM EST up reply actions

Drew at what $?

The sox getting Drew doesn't bother me too much. Because he'll miss games with injuries that's just his thing. And he'll cost a lot, jd's got to be looking for at 4 yrs 50 million.

Watching him play for the Dodgers I'll admit he's a talent (good eye, nice swing, patient) but I don't think he's worth more than 12 mil a year in the northeast.

by collink on Nov 13, 2006 4:50 PM EST up reply actions

Damn it

If the bid really was under $40M, then Cashman shit the bed.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/baseball/mlb/11/13/boston.bidding/index.html

Fear the Evil Empire

by pfistyunc on Nov 13, 2006 4:46 PM EST reply actions

What this means to me

Bye Bye Manny.

Off the Facade
You say "sell-out," I say "opportunist."

by PinstripePowerhouse on Nov 13, 2006 4:56 PM EST reply actions

That could be true

With these crazy contracts, he doesn't look so overpaid anymore. They will get a haul for him though. If we got a haul for Sheff, they should get even more for Manny. I know that the Angels were looking hard at Aramis, and now that he is off the market, you have to wonder if they will turn to Manny.

Fear the Evil Empire

by pfistyunc on Nov 13, 2006 5:03 PM EST up reply actions

trading Manny is dumb

I don't care what the sox get for Manny, without Manny they lose. Manny and Ortiz have made that lineup. Who protects Ortiz w/o Manny. Manny is insane but so are lot's of players. Not many players hit like Manny though. And you're right the contracts that are being signed now make Manny's contract more reasonable, a better reason to keep him.

by collink on Nov 13, 2006 5:21 PM EST up reply actions

Matsuzka gotta be 20 game winner to be worth it

The more this goes on the crazier it seems. Unless this Matsuzka guy consistently wins 20 games how is he worth so much. Say you get him for a 35 mil posting fee and 4 yr at 12.5 mil (50).

That's 85 million for 4 years, what pitcher in the MLB has been worth that over the last 4 years? Santana and who else? Not even Roger.

I don't it just seems crazy.

by collink on Nov 13, 2006 5:25 PM EST reply actions

are you guys serious

are you all saying that there is zero talent out there (not in the FA market, but ANYWHERE) other than ONE Japanese pitcher?

I don't believe that. If Detroit can get to the WS on the backs of a relatively young staff, then it seems to me there is young talent out there. Proven? Perhaps not. But neither is Matsuzaka in the MLs.

My hopes remain:

No to Zito. No to Schmidt. No to any other aging FA.

Yes to youth.

I would rather sacrifice one season, even two, if it meant the team could develop starters for the next 5-7 years.

And there's no way Cash or anyone in Yankeeland could have dreamed that Boston would have bid anywhere between 40-50MM. Of course it would really suck if we found out NY bid 38MM, and Boston 42MM (as is being reported). Lol, then they look cheap, don't they.

Maybe that Arod to Anaheim deal isn't looking so bad now...uh oh, shouldn't have said that.

by detroit yankee on Nov 14, 2006 1:00 AM EST reply actions

I liked Murray Chass' point

(which is a once a season occasion). We should hear less bitch from Red Sox Nation about the Evil Empire. I hope D-Mat pitches as well for them as Contreras did for us.
And I agree, we've been collecting arms the last few drafts, let's give them a chance. With this offense, pitching Rasner and Karstens on back to back days can't be any worse than Wright and Chacon/Lidle. The dearth of quality pitching is effecting all teams, not just the Yankees.

Have faith in the Yankees my son. Think of the great DiMaggio.

by jscape2000 on Nov 14, 2006 1:07 AM EST up reply actions

From reading this board, I gather the only

pitchers worth having are Matsuzka and Johan Santana. May as well give up on the season now because those two guys always win the World Series...uh...oh...that's right...never mind.

Everything looks nicer when you win. The girls are prettier. The cigars taste better. The trees are greener. --Billy Martin

by garp on Nov 14, 2006 1:20 AM EST up reply actions

Please buy a dictionary

and look up the word "sarcasm."

Fear the Evil Empire

by pfistyunc on Nov 14, 2006 9:27 AM EST up reply actions

Thanks, dude! I owe you one

"Cairo sucks" for that.

Everything looks nicer when you win. The girls are prettier. The cigars taste better. The trees are greener. --Billy Martin

by garp on Nov 14, 2006 10:31 AM EST up reply actions

I got you Garp

Thanks for the Cairomack props.

Fear the Evil Empire

by pfistyunc on Nov 14, 2006 10:43 AM EST up reply actions

Miguel?

Say, has Cairo ever pitched at any level? Imagine the possibilities...

by SP on Nov 14, 2006 3:44 PM EST up reply actions

Too much panic

The Sux may have won the right to try and sign him, but Boras is no fool. He knows the Yankees have the resources to outspend God himself. I don't think the Yankees are out of the picture on this one...

However, signing Schmidt for three years and the right price isn't a bad deal. Even though he's older and more prone to injury, I'd sign Schmidt over Zito any day. I think signing Zito will give us Kenny Rogers' flashbacks (not the improved pine tar version of Kenny).

by Ronster22 on Nov 14, 2006 9:18 AM EST reply actions

one never knows

The paper lineup and the way it plays out with injuries, errors, offense and god-only-knows-what (luck of the draw. See: St. Louis Cardinals) are two different things.

I think you guys are too busy giving RS nation the pennant and the WS because they might sign one guy. That is craziness.

If we got him, everyone would be yelling foul over the cash machine...if other people get him, we can prove that we can put a hurting on RS without having spent the most.

That would truly be fcktacular.
Think pinstripepositive boys. Carry on.

"The secret of managing is to keep the guys who hate you away from the guys who are undecided." -Casey Stengel

by bxgrl1 on Nov 14, 2006 5:53 PM EST reply actions