[EmpireWF]

Peter Gammons of ESPN confirms the Red Sox had the highest bid for Japanese starter Matsuzaka. They bid a reported $42 Million for the right to negotiate.

The Seibu Lions have until tomorrow to either accept the offer or decline it. If accepted, the Red Sox will have 30 days to negotiate a contract with Matsuzaka.

[MVB]

In the end, this whole thing could cost the Sox $100 million bucks...

Remember, last summer, when the Sox were whining about how they didn't have enough money to compete with the Yankees?

"We're never going to sell ourselves out just to get that one guy because we have to take a long-term view given our resources relative to the Yankees." -Theo Epstein

Spend $80-$100 million dollars on a guy who's never thrown a single pitch in the major leagues... but you don't have the $40-$45 million to resign Damon? Please....

[EmpireWF]

Amazingly, it's being reported and confirmed by MLB and the Seibu Lions that they have accepted the posting bid by the Boston Red Sox. The final number is $51.1 Million. Remember, that will go to Seibu only if Matsuzaka reaches a contract with Boston, which is pretty much a given because he's not going back to Japan.

So, Boston could when it's all said and done be dishing out close to $100 Million total for Matsuzaka.

For their sake, I hope he pans out as most expect him to.

[soriano33]

For their sake I hope he doesnt pan out for them(evil Yankee fan side of me) seriously though this is a lot of money to dish out for a guy who is used to pitching every 6 days and doesnt face American League line-ups everyday. Hes not an everyday player, so that full season impact isnt there like it has been for say Hideki Matsui. Yanks found their trouble from Hideki Irabu when they got him for 13 million...he was a bust to say the least....we will see where this takes the Sawwks

[simple simon]

i think this deal has to happen

the Japanese team cant afford for it not to

my question is, would they offer the guy a kick-back to sign ?

theyre getting $51 million from the Sox, now lets say the next highest bid was $31 million

wouldnt it be worth the team to kick an extra $5 million to the player if needed so he would sign ?

they would still be making $15 million more then him not signing

[EvanAparra]

Originally Posted by soriano33

For their sake I hope he doesnt pan out for them(evil Yankee fan side of me) seriously though this is a lot of money to dish out for a guy who is used to pitching every 6 days and doesnt face American League line-ups everyday. Hes not an everyday player, so that full season impact isnt there like it has been for say Hideki Matsui. Yanks found their trouble from Hideki Irabu when they got him for 13 million...he was a bust to say the least....we will see where this takes the Sawwks

And every 6 days he was throwing complete games.

[MVB]

This is officially the halfway point. It's been two weeks since the Sox won the bid on Matsuzaka, and we still haven't seen anything yet.

And, MLB.com is reporting that the talks are really slowing down, almost to a dead halt.

What's going on?

[EvanAparra]

Originally Posted by MVB

This is officially the halfway point. It's been two weeks since the Sox won the bid on Matsuzaka, and we still haven't seen anything yet.

And, MLB.com is reporting that the talks are really slowing down, almost to a dead halt.

What's going on?

Boras wants more money, Epstein doesnt want to give it to him. It will happen, Seibu will make sure of it.