Matsuzaka

[Ditto]

For all those who haven’t yet heard, Matsuzaka it the elite pitching prospect out of Japan whose negotiating rights will be bid by a number of teams, Yankees, Mets, Boston, Cubs, LA Dodgers, and Seattle to name a few.

 

The way I understand it is, the highest bidder has the sole negotiating rights to sign him, and if that team doesn’t sign him, another bid will be repeated again next year.

[Blue Jeans]

Probably to $35 million. Yankees, Seattle, or LA.

 

His contract will be near 5 years, 100 million. And he will be comparable to Jason Schmidt.

[gateb]

Devil Rays give him a 6 years 128 mill deal

[so-cal dub]

Devil Rays give him a 6 years 128 mill deal

[feefifoefum]

This guy is going to flop in the majors, count on it.

 

 

 

(Not that I'm an expert on Japanese baseball or anything. I flipped a coin. Heads, and he's a sure thing. A Cy Young candidate. Tails, and he's Hideki Irabu. It landed on tails, sorry George.)

[Herc]

the guy's not getting 100 mil. he'll get 10-13 mil a year max. you guys are forgetting that whoever wins the bidding gains exclusive negotiating rights with him, the team will have all the leverage

[Ditto]

the guy's not getting 100 mil. he'll get 10-13 mil a year max. you guys are forgetting that whoever wins the bidding gains exclusive negotiating rights with him, the team will have all the leverage

That’s right, and if I were him, I’d try to get an incentive laden contract where if I pitched well, I’d get the going rate of similar pitchers.. Otherwise, I would take a chance and play out the next two years in Japan until I’m a free agent and can negotiate with anyone. That’s his only leverage that I can see.

[Herc]

That’s right, and if I were him, I’d try to get an incentive laden contract where if I pitched well, I’d get the going rate of similar pitchers.. Otherwise, I would take a chance and play out the next two years in Japan until I’m a free agent and can negotiate with anyone. That’s his only leverage that I can see.

 

if he doesn't like where negotiations are headed, then take a 3 year deal. he's still only 26, the money here is better and they'll limit his innings so that by the time he's 29 and a FA again he won't have 500,000 miles on his odometer and he'll still be in his prime. they're nuts with their pitchers in japan, i think he once threw over 220 pitches in a high school game. he's better served to prove himself here while he's young and cash in in a couple of years if he doesn't get the deal he wants

[gateb]

if he doesn't like where negotiations are headed, then take a 3 year deal. he's still only 26, the money here is better and they'll limit his innings so that by the time he's 29 and a FA again he won't have 500,000 miles on his odometer and he'll still be in his prime. they're nuts with their pitchers in japan, i think he once threw over 220 pitches in a high school game. he's better served to prove himself here while he's young and cash in in a couple of years if he doesn't get the deal he wants

I think it was Scott Shields that threw over 400 pitchers in a college game, am I right? He's turned out fine, but still a mistake I wouldn't want to take with my pitcher.

[Ditto]

if he doesn't like where negotiations are headed, then take a 3 year deal. he's still only 26, the money here is better and they'll limit his innings so that by the time he's 29 and a FA again he won't have 500,000 miles on his odometer and he'll still be in his prime. they're nuts with their pitchers in japan, i think he once threw over 220 pitches in a high school game. he's better served to prove himself here while he's young and cash in in a couple of years if he doesn't get the deal he wants

I think I read where he threw something like 339 pitches, including warmups for one of the World Baseball Classic games earlier this year.

[Herc]

I think I read where he threw something like 339 pitches, including warmups for one of the World Baseball Classic games earlier this year.

 

that's nuts. if he knows what's good for him he'll take a short-term deal if he doesn't like his FMV. pitching another yaer in japan makes him a yaer older, two years more milage on him (by MLB standards), and still an unproven commodity.

[gateb]

Are baseballs any different in Japan?