The Deal

The deal:

2007  $ 6 + $2 signing bonus
2008  $ 8
2009  $ 8
2010  $ 8
2011  $10
2012  $10

Both the 2009 and 2010 base salaries would
increase to $10 if Matsuzaka:
a) wins the Cy Young in 2007 or 2008;
b) finishes in the top 3 in Cy Young voting
in 2007 and 2008;
c) wins the AL MVP in 2007 or 2008; or
d) finishes in the top 5 in AL MVP voting
in 2007 and 2008.

Both the 2011 and 2012 base salaries would
increase to $12 if Matsuzaka:
a) wins the Cy Young in 2009 or 2010;
b) finishes in the top 3 in Cy Young voting
in 2009 and 2010;
c) wins the AL MVP in 2009 or 2010; or
d) finishes in the top 5 in AL MVP voting
in 2009 and 2010.

The agreement also includes travel from Japan for Matsuzaka and his family, plus provisions for a trainer, a masseuse, an interpreter, an assistant and housing.



The Red Sox have a press conference scheduled for 5:00 PM.

Tony Massarotti, Herald:

[T]he Red Sox appear to have won this one by knockout. There is really no other way to look at it. ... Matsuzaka's average annual salary [stands] at $8.67 million, only a shade more than the Sox are paying Matt Clement.

An interesting rumour from the Herald:

Matsuzaka may have had additional incentive. According to rumors that appear to have originated in Japan, word may have reached him that the Lions, who are counting on the enormous cash infusion from the Sox, were considering sending him to the minor leagues if he returned. That would have set back his free agency by another year.

Nick Cafardo, Globe:

The Sox also got a thumbs-up from former major league third baseman Mike Pagliarulo, who for years has run a sophisticated scouting service for international players, with emphasis on the Pacific Rim. ...

When asked what he would have recommended as a posting figure for Matsuzaka, Pagliarulo said, "Fifty million. That's what I had written down long before the figures came out. That was based on the talent level of the player, the market for the player, and the value of the player to a team."

You can still order downloads of two of Daisuke Matsuzaka's three WBC starts for Japan at MLB.com, which will give you a better idea of his pitching style than the short clips on YouTube.

The games are:

3/14 v Mexico: 5-1-0-2-2, 73; Japan  6-1
3/20 v Cuba:   4-4-1-0-5, 62; Japan 10-6

The Cuba game was the WBC final, after which Dice was named the MVP of the tournament. His first start -- 3/14 v. Chinese Taipei (4-3-1-1-3, 68), which Japan won 14-3 -- is not among the for-sale games.

Bill Reynolds of the Providence Journal has a revelation:

Baseball is all about money.

And he doesn't like it one bit, dag nabit.