Daily Archives: November 11, 2006
Though a report in ESPN continues to suggest that the Red Sox have submitted the high bid for the rights to negotiate with Japanese RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka, MLB has yet to make an official announcement as to whether the winning bid has been accepted by Matsuzaka’s current team, the Seibu Lions.
The Lions are required to notify MLB on whether they accept the bid by Tuesday. According to multiple reports, an announcement is expected on Monday.
…initially, all signs suggested they would make an announcement on firday…guess not…
In the Daily News, Bill Madden and Anthony McCarron cite a red Sox source as suggesting the ESPN report as, “premature.”
Regardless, both New York teams believe they fell short in their attempt to out-bid other organizations, writes Ken Davidoff in Newsday.
…the buzz from boston suggests that if the sox win the bidding war, they will offer matsuzaka a five-year deal worth roughly $10 million per season…if that is the case, what on earth will Barry Zito and Jason Schmidt ask for, seeing as they combine for 200 major-league wins, while matsuzaka has never even pitched in the united states…
…it’s gonna be an expensive market, folks, there’s no getting around it…
In the Chicago Tribune, Phil Rogers acknowledges, though the Cubs made a bid for Matsuzaka, they also intend to bid on LHP Kei Igawa, whom the Hanshin Tigers made available on Friday.
Igawa, a 27-year-old left-hander, went 14-9 with a 2.97 ERA and 194 strikeouts in 2006. He led his league in strikeouts last season, in 2004 and in 2002.
