On the Yankees beat

I have a hard time believing that Boston placed such a high bid for him.

This is the same franchise that didn't want to pay their rock star icon, Johnny Damon, because they didn't think he was worth the few extra million to keep him away from the Yankees.

That was just 11 months ago.

You mean to tell me that this same franchise is going bid $45 million for the RIGHTS to negotiate with a guy that has never thrown a pitch in the major leagues?

I don't buy it.

If that is true, what the heck is the Seibu Lions waiting for?

Wouldn't you think they would be tripping all over themselves to accept that offer?

I'm sorry, but I just don't buy it.

The leaker of this story had to be a Red Sox fan because it doesn't make sense.

I'm surprised the Yankees didn't go that high. What are the rumors on their offer Jim?

I thought if anyone bid 40 million it'd be us.

The evening news in NY also reported that the Red Sox were the possible winners of the bid.

In the case they did win and they intend to low ball their contract offer the commissioner said they would block such a move by giving the rights to the 2nd highest bidder.

Since it's not official, there's still hope for us. I hate this waiting game.

Lets think about this for a moment. Who in modern baseball as we know it. And we are all fans who put some effort into knowing the game of baseball. Is worth 40 million to negoiate a contract if rumors are correct. And in addition is singularly worth signing at about 10/12 million a year to help a team win a world series by pitching every fifth day.

I hope the Yanks are not top dog in this one. I rather go the other route.

Buster Olney writes on ESPN that the report of Boston's bid was nothing more than speculation.

Since Olney wrote that in his blog this morning, he has since been on ESPN Radio a few times and said that he now has four different sources inside MLB that have confirmed his initial report.

Good point. 40 million is ridiculous. But if the bids were going to be that high, I thought it'd be the Yankees not the Red Sox spending it. If that was the winning bid then the Yankees are showing some financial discipline.

Most teams now are locking up their young pitching talent before they reach free agency. The risk of this is spending the money on the player and he doesn't reach his potential or he gets injured but if he does then it's more than worth it. So even though there is money to spend on FA there usually isn't an opportunity to get a great pitcher in his prime. So this situation with Matsuzaka is rare and it's why teams are tripping over themselves for him. I know he hasn't pitched in the MLB but he’s been scouted and most believe that transition won't be hard for him.

The bright side is if the Yankees didn't win the bid that money can be spent on other pitching options.

Let's face it, we're hating life right now Yankee fans. We were not worried about the money, the Yanks print their own. We needed to get younger and we needed a top of the rotation starter and now that option may be gone. Even if this guy turned out to be a number 2 starter, we would have liked the deal. To lose him to the Red Sox really hurts but if they do end up with him, we can only hope he turns out to be Hideki Irabu II.
What's next? Zito, Schmidt, Pettitte? I don't see a number 1 starter there. I'm not a happy camper right now.

in two years, the top three starters on this staff could be wang, hughes and sanchez. 2007 is a transition year. let's just bring pettitte back and cut the crap. sign him for two years. let's bring back some yankee pride.

Jim i agree with you, we needed to get younger and i was hoping for Matsuzaka. hopefully Buster is wrong, i guess we will find out next week for sure. Zito is the only number 1 on that list. I hope Cashman has a plan.

You are all looking past the point here, this is defineely a true story.. BOSTON IS PLANTING THEIR SEED in the far east coast, where the yankees already are planted. This is more a marketing campaign.. It's smart and its all a business ploy.. he will wont help boston win, that is for sure, its still just a smart business decision.

For some reason I feel this is just a rumor. I cannot buy into the fact the Red Sox would bid that high for him. Remember this is the same team that nickeled and dimed A-Rod, Pavano,and Damon. Failing to land all 3. I believe this is a rumor leaked out by somebody in the Red Sox organzation to put a scare into the Yankees. The Red Sox have always been known to be lowballers. I can't see Theo throwing 90 million dollars away on 1 pitcher when they having many more problems then just pitching. It will throw their budget out of wack. I don't buy and as they would say on ESPN I sell it!

If it is true; just cutting a check for $40MM for any one player is rediculous.

If the Red Sox did that then good for them. That is 40MM less they have to spend elsewhere and they have LOADS of issues.

I do not think it is a smart move at all. Let's not hear any more BS about how the NYY have ALL the $$$. Obviously the Red Sox have plenty. I would love to see the look on John Henry's face when he cuts that check!

I think that sucks that we lose another young arm to the RedSox like last year for Beckett. I understand last year we didnt have the prospects. this year all we need to use was money and they cant top that offer. Im shocked. Im tired of seeing all those young arms that other teams have that can shut us down.

Although it may be true the Red Sox have posted the highest bid, I have a hard time buying that they will now go and spend the $$ it will take to get this guy signed. I think thay basically put in a "poison pill" bid to keep him away from the Yankees. If the Sox can't come to terms with him on a contract, they get their $40M back and Matsuzaka goes back to Japan or another year (after which he will become a true free agent). It's a no-lose proposition for the Sox, as long as the Yankees don't get him. Evil genius.

Lost another arm to the Red Sox like Beckett?

First of all, Beckett was not a free agent last year. They traded for him.

Secondly, the Red Sox made a terrible blunder in that deal because they sent Hanley Ramirez and Anibal Sanchez to the Marlins in that deal.

Ramirez ended up contending for the Rookie of the Year in the NL this past season and Sanchez threw the only no-hitter of 2006.

By contrast, Beckett had a terrible season and finished with roughly the same numbers as Randy Johnson, whom Yankee fans view as no better than a #4 starter right now.

Simply put, the Red Sox can have Beckett and the jury is still out whether they won the rights to Matsuzaka or not.

Yes, it is a foothold in the Asian market and yes, it blocks the Yankees. It is a lot of money but remember , there is no luxury tax attached to this payment so it does net out lower. I agree with all who never want to hear those whiners in boston say they can't compete financially with the Yankees.

I think Matsuzaka may actually ask Seibu to not accept the bid at all. Something tells me he really wanted to pitch for the Yankees. I do think Boston will lowball him if they indeed won the bid and Scott Boras always has a backup plan. This should be interesting but I really don't see Boston shelling out $40m in cash like the Yankees can and actually following through by signing the guy. In today's paper in Houston it says Andy Pettitte is close to deciding on retiring and is leaning toward it. I'm not sure I'd want him back if he's really not into it. Although I will go on record as saying he was/is one of my favorite pitchers and I'd like to have him back in pinstripes. Sanchez, Hughes, Wang in 2008 could be really, really nice. I may have ot hibernate or doulbe up on my ulcer medicine for 2007.

the report/rumor was reported by red sox shill bluster olney-----enough said.

Lighten up guys. Come on now, we used our $40 million much more wisely than the Sox. We got Carl Pavano! Now, really, who would you rather have?

Even if this is true, and assuming that they sign him, the Red Sox still have other glaring weaknesses. They have no middle relief. They have no closer, they have no middle of the infield (Loretta and Gonzalez are gone), and they'll have spent all of their money to get Matsuzuka. Somehow, I'd be more worried if they got a solid everyday player like Soriano.
I like the Sheffield deal. We got some good, young arms and Sanchez may be major league ready.

good discussion, guys. i like what everyone said. it's an interesting idea about matsuzaka possibly telling the lions to hold off on a deal with boston, or whomever, just so he can pitch for the yankees next year without us having to pay the bidding price.

regardless, let's bite the bullet in 2007. we won 97 games in 2006 with the same crew of pitchers we have right now. and the future looks a lot better because of the returns we got for sheffield.

Matsusaka I'm sure has veto power and I'm sure he's made it clear to Seibu that if an undesirable team has high bid for his services he will decline and end up pitching for Seibu in 2007.It seems to me he made it well known his interest was with the Yankees why would he except an offer to pitch for their chief rival? Doesn't make any sense.The Yanks just freed up 13 million and next year will free up even more when the Big-Unit is gone (17 million ?).They don't really need a #1 starter they could with their offense get by nicely with a bunch of # 2 starters ,signing Zito or Schmidt or Mulder or Padilla or Pettitte could be more than enough.They sign Matsusaka next year at the age of 27.Hopefully we'll know today what actually is going down.

Again I am not sold on him going to the Sox. Nobody came on record to say this. Even a Sox offical called it "premature". And if they did win why would the Lions wait this long if there bid blew everyone out of the water? I believe the Yankees did not win this bid but if I was a betting man my money would not be on the Sox. Maybe the Rangers or Angels. I guess we will all know tommorow afternoon.

once again if the Yanks are outbid in the Matsusaka sweepstakes ,it doesn't mean Matasusaka will be under any obligation to sign with that team.If let's say Boston outbids the Yanks and Matsusaka doesn't want to play for the Red Sox,they either sell the rights to whoever (Yanks) can agree to pickup the alleged 40 million posting fee or they can all wait till next year when Matasusaka becomes a free agent at the ripe old age of 27 then he can sign with whomever he wants.By outbiding other teams for Matsusaka the Sox either will get back the posting fee from another team by selling the rights to whoever they outbid, like the Yanks or they will block any team from having him for the 2007 season because other teams will be unwilling to pay such an exorbitant posting fee.This is how I've been interpreting what I've heard We might not know what went down till sometime Monday.This could get weird.

If the red sox did win the bidding, they could also trade matsusaka. they could ask a team for a good young pitcher, a good young bat, and maybe a reliever, three things that they need, and also tell the team they have to pay the 40 millioin posting fee or whatever it turns out to be. So basically, they are filling there needs in the corner outfield spot, the reliever spot, and possibly the rotation with out paying anything.

Everyone needs to take a breath, and just relax till we get official word on which team won the bidding. 30 or 40 million for the rights to "talk" with this guy is ridiculous. Add another 7- 10 million a year for 4-5 years on his salary, and you have another A-ROD contract. As for the "cloak and dagger" stuff concerning the Red Sox making a high bid, and then intentionally not signing Matsuzaka, forget it. The PR blackeye from a manuever like that wouldn't be worth it.

Bottom line is bidding 40MM on a pitcher just to get the rights to negotiate with him is insane.

Amen brother Andrew.

I can't believe that the Sox would spend a total of $85-$110m for the rights and contract for an unknown quantity when they refused to take on Abreu's contract last year when they desperately needed a bat in rightfield. It makes absolutely no sense, unlees they're going to lowball Boras and get their rights money back. If so, they're name would be mud in MLB and in the Asian market, and the Yankees could sign D-Mat next year for no rights fee.