Only Two Months To Truck Day!

The Plane landed at about 5:30 PM and Daisuke Matsuzaka was driven to Massachusetts General Hospital for his physical. (Empy was there.)

Ian Browne, RedSox.com:

It was quite a scene at the Hanscom Air Force Base in Bedford, where Matsuzaka touched down in Massachusetts for the first time. There were roughly 50 Red Sox fans on hand to greet Matsuzaka as he disembarked. The pitcher went straight for the back seat of an SUV, which was escorted by a state police car.

With a smile that seemingly lit up the window of the car he was sitting in, Matsuzaka waved to the fans who hope to be cheering his every pitch at Fenway in 2007 and beyond.

Epstein, on submitting of a second offer without receiving any response to the first:

It's highly unusual, but it's showing that Matsuzaka is extremely important to the Boston Red Sox. It's normally not a good ploy, but we want to demonstrate to Matsuzaka, and the fans of Japanese baseball, just how important he is to us.

Most of SoSHer jayhoz's notes on John Henry's WEEI interview late this afternoon:

Got sleep last night while the others did not.

Did not realize you could track a private plane.

No agreement in place. Close enough that all are on the plane together. Negotiations were ongoing when they took off from Cali. May be more negotiations need after the plane lands.

Knew prices were going to be high in general this year based on "simulations".

Branding: not a lot of thought on branding in Japan. MLB owns the license to the brand so it does not mean a lot of $ to the team. Sox get <1/30 of the revenue. ... Prime driver of branding is winning.

Why so confident in Matsuzaka's performance? Many clubs very confident he is a front of the rotation guy. Henry had to be convinced by the scouts [Shipley] in Japan for every game.

Everyone has overblown the alternative revenue streams due to the high posting fee. Sox wanted to ensure the rights to negotiate for potentially 6 years of control.

Fear Boras could challenge the posting process? Thought it would be difficult to do, so no.

Bullpen has holes. Concerned? No, every team has plusses and minuses. Sox will have a strong bullpen. Due for better luck. Hopefully not done yet. Closer? We'll have a closer. May or may not be a current player, ask Theo.

Surprised Manny is still with Sox? No. Set in stone that Manny is on the team? Would have made a deal if it makes sense, but how can you replace Manny in the 4 spot.