The Red Sox finally acquired Japanese pitching phenom Daisuke Matsuzaka. The contract looks to be for 6 years at 52 million dollars with incentives that could make it reach 60 million dollars.
Both sides agreed that Matsuzaka was worth at least $100 million over six years in a free-agent situation. But the pitcher's problem was that he was not a free agent; his options were limited to signing with Boston or returning to Seibu and trying to post again next winter or become a free agent in two years.
The Sox finally got their man. Far East baseball imports are much more succesful as position players. Pitchers like Byung Hyung Kim and Hideo Nomo, usually dazzle in the first year or two, but the league eventually catches up to them. Matsuzaka increased his salary ten fold to pitch for the Big Leagues. I look forward to seeing him on the mound...much more when he pitches against a non division team.