What Does 51 Million Dollars Get You? The Matsuzaka and Boston Red Sox Negotiations
With T-Minus, two days (give or take a few hours), the baseball world is still waiting on Daisuke Matsuzaka’s potential contract with the Red Sox, and whether he will agree to terms or not.
For all purposes, I’m going to call Daisuke Matsuzaka, D-Mat in this post, as it will make life a lot easier on me.
D-Mat, and his agent, Scott Boras want at least $10-15 million per year over the life of the contract, which would run 3-4 years. The Red Sox, so far have counter offered with about $7-8 million per year.
Right now, the result of the $51 million right to negotiate exclusively with D-Mat and Scott Boras has put the Red Sox in a perilous position. The Red Sox are trying to negotiate with one the master agents in all of sports (Peter Angelos may have a different opinion), some would say ruthless and tenacious, and a man who tries to get the best deal for his client. D-Mat is still working out hoping for an impasse in negotiation, while the Red Sox have been endless fodder for the press, fans, talk radio and ESPN. With days until the deadline, Boston and all of baseball are waiting whether or not D-Mat puts his John Hancock on the contract.
The Red Sox and D-Mat/Boras negotiations are at a stalemate.
Ok, that would be an understatement.
The Red Sox and their representatives are out in California trying to broker a deal, and I would assume would be willing to amend their terms, and I’d figure D-Mat/Boras will do the same.
D-Mat wants to pitch in the Majors and wants to perform on the world’s best stage. Based on his performance in the World Baseball Classic, it was evident that he’s got major talent and a pitching arsenal that would certainly put him in the upper talent level in the game, if not at the elite level. Due to the success of Ichiro and Hideki Matsui, it was only natural for D-Mat to want to come across the Pacific and pitch at this level, especially with his career numbers in Japanese baseball.
Although many scouts are leery of D-Mat’s history and pitch counts, it is almost universal that he’s someone who could be special in the Major Leagues.
I fathom D-Mat does not want to return to Japan under any circumstances. If the negotiations do not work out, he’ll probably pitch in Japan another year and then attempt to sign on with a team in Major League Baseball as an unrestricted free agent.
I can certainly understand and respect Theo Epstein’s desire to get the best deal available and wheel and deal. His organization outbid their nearest competitor by $12 million or more, and basically they need & want another weapon to de-throne the Yankees from atop the AL East perch, especially with not making the playoffs and finishing in 3rd within the division. With the deals given to J.D. Drew and Julio Lugo, the Red Sox have shown they will stop at nothing to win.
Do I have a problem with the deal?
No, not really, but the number just to negotiate with a player, much less one who has not thrown at pitch in the majors and was seen only briefly by the majority of the public is astronomical. This deal, negotiations and potential contract with D-Mat has skewed the market for players, especially pitchers.
I don’t know how D-Mat will fare in the majors, but I do know one thing.
The fans in Boston will have to pay more on top of their tickets and concessions, which are priciest already in baseball.
I predict this deal this gets done and D-Mat/Boras get what they want, or close to it. The Red Sox save face, and although they will not like the money in the contract, D-Mat will cause a splash.
For all purposes, I’m going to call Daisuke Matsuzaka, D-Mat in this post, as it will make life a lot easier on me.
D-Mat, and his agent, Scott Boras want at least $10-15 million per year over the life of the contract, which would run 3-4 years. The Red Sox, so far have counter offered with about $7-8 million per year.
Right now, the result of the $51 million right to negotiate exclusively with D-Mat and Scott Boras has put the Red Sox in a perilous position. The Red Sox are trying to negotiate with one the master agents in all of sports (Peter Angelos may have a different opinion), some would say ruthless and tenacious, and a man who tries to get the best deal for his client. D-Mat is still working out hoping for an impasse in negotiation, while the Red Sox have been endless fodder for the press, fans, talk radio and ESPN. With days until the deadline, Boston and all of baseball are waiting whether or not D-Mat puts his John Hancock on the contract.
The Red Sox and D-Mat/Boras negotiations are at a stalemate.
Ok, that would be an understatement.
The Red Sox and their representatives are out in California trying to broker a deal, and I would assume would be willing to amend their terms, and I’d figure D-Mat/Boras will do the same.
D-Mat wants to pitch in the Majors and wants to perform on the world’s best stage. Based on his performance in the World Baseball Classic, it was evident that he’s got major talent and a pitching arsenal that would certainly put him in the upper talent level in the game, if not at the elite level. Due to the success of Ichiro and Hideki Matsui, it was only natural for D-Mat to want to come across the Pacific and pitch at this level, especially with his career numbers in Japanese baseball.
Although many scouts are leery of D-Mat’s history and pitch counts, it is almost universal that he’s someone who could be special in the Major Leagues.
I fathom D-Mat does not want to return to Japan under any circumstances. If the negotiations do not work out, he’ll probably pitch in Japan another year and then attempt to sign on with a team in Major League Baseball as an unrestricted free agent.
I can certainly understand and respect Theo Epstein’s desire to get the best deal available and wheel and deal. His organization outbid their nearest competitor by $12 million or more, and basically they need & want another weapon to de-throne the Yankees from atop the AL East perch, especially with not making the playoffs and finishing in 3rd within the division. With the deals given to J.D. Drew and Julio Lugo, the Red Sox have shown they will stop at nothing to win.
Do I have a problem with the deal?
No, not really, but the number just to negotiate with a player, much less one who has not thrown at pitch in the majors and was seen only briefly by the majority of the public is astronomical. This deal, negotiations and potential contract with D-Mat has skewed the market for players, especially pitchers.
I don’t know how D-Mat will fare in the majors, but I do know one thing.
The fans in Boston will have to pay more on top of their tickets and concessions, which are priciest already in baseball.
I predict this deal this gets done and D-Mat/Boras get what they want, or close to it. The Red Sox save face, and although they will not like the money in the contract, D-Mat will cause a splash.
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