November 15, 2006

Matsuzaka Departs For US

This JapanBall article puts the Red Sox bid at exactly $51,111,111.11.

Matsuzaka, at the Narita Airport:
First of all, I was very relieved. I haven't been able to sleep soundly for the past four or five days. I feel like I've just crossed the starting line. It has been difficult waiting. ...

I was shocked at first to hear the amount of the accepted offer. I never thought that the amount would be over $30 million. I'm happy that I've been valued so highly, but I also feel pressure to perform now. ...

I want to perform well in the majors, so I can be booed by our opponents' home field fans.

The batter I really look forward to facing is Ichiro-san.
Shemp who?

We Love Daisuke. ... Will Fenway have the Dice-K Men?

12 comments:

Starting Aces said...

I love the dice idea.

Can you imagine how many Matsuzaka shirtzees are going to get sold the first day they're out?

laura k said...

This is really exciting.

Edward Lee said...

Anybody know Matsuzaka's career stats against Matsui, Ichiro, etc. in Japan?

laura k said...

*applause*

Jack, you have my vote for Best Comment of the Season from Joy Nation.

You're a mean one, Mr. Emm...

No, I'll need several more cups of coffee before I can tackle that.

From the Vined Smithy said...

That was excellent, Jack.

Jim said...

As the gang in 'Deadwood' would say Jack: "Huzzah"!

Jackie said...

Jack - I love the poem, but come on. The Sox have been the MFY Jr. for a while now. The sole reason that their payroll is so much higher than ours is that Henry cares about going over the luxury tax mark (which the $51m will have nothing to do with) and Steinbrenner does not. It has nothing to do with the Sox not having the cash. Anyone boohooing about the Sox' money situation prior to this was either clueless or being disingenous.

That said: We're STILL not the MFYs and we never will be. We're still more cautious with our actual payroll - we'll make a few big signings, sure, but it's still true that the Sox can't keep payroll under the luxury tax limit AND outbid the Yankees at every turn. I'm not whining about this; I know every other MLB team would kill to be in that position. I'm just trying to say that assembling a lineup within the luxury tax limit does require a different strategy than the MFYs currently employ.

Anyway, I really hope this move pays off. Even if you write off the posting fee as an investment in a developing market, his contract is not going to be cheap. And there are horror scenarios involving him being unable to adjust to the 5 day rotation and having his arm fall off in July. It could go horribly awry. But it could also work out beyond our wildest dreams (those pitches are fucking NASTY). So, I'll cross my fingers for the latter.

laura k said...

Just to be clear, I love the poem, but I disagree with the sentiment (and I do mean sentiment) behind it in every way.

The Red Sox are playing by the rules. And like it or not, so are the Yankees. Whether or not you like the rules is another question.

I'd much rather see my FO reinvest their profits into building a better team than sit around whining about how Steinbrenner spends too much money.

But it's not every day a member of Joy Nation writes a poem and dedicates it to me. What fun.

9casey said...

Poems??

Jesus, Jack....

I don't know what's worse the fact you took the time to write or I took the time to read it...

For all you poem lover's I'm Sorry...

Jim said...

Jack Marshall said: "the days of the Sox getting anything but laughs by bitching about Yankee open-wallet spending are over for good."

Good. Maybe now we can all cheer for the Sox for what they are, rather than who they're not.

allan said...

the days of the Sox getting anything but laughs by bitching about Yankee open-wallet spending are over for good

Bull. The Red Sox crank the vault wide open once* -- and they are the Yankees? I say "no way".

Once I see the Sox pull Diceman-esque financial stunts for the next 20 years, assume numerous bad contracts for a rent-a-players, barely bat an eye as high-contract prospect after high-contract prospect goes belly up, skim along at a $180-200 million payroll for many consecutive years ... then I'll say the two clubs are on a level-playing field.

Until then, I reserve the right to bitch.

...

* Maybe more than once (Manny, Pedro), but Dice-K is really the only eye-popper.

(Bernie was set to sign with us after 1998, but when the MFY matched our offer (if i recall), he went back. The Yankees believed he was gone and were set to ink Albert Belle.)

(P.S. It should be noted that George's moneybags didn't do shit for a decade after 1982.)

allan said...

You're using a made-up example from the future. We should stick to actual events.

And I'm confident in saying that the Mets would not trade Wagner to the MFY. There is a rivalry there -- a mild version of why there have not been similar trades between the Sox and Yanks.

Plus ... Wagner? And we have a two-game lead? I ain't sweatin'.

We have Clement -- who has been lights-out as our closer. (Hey, as long as we're writing fiction ...)