BoSox come to agreement with Matsuzaka (title updated)

[steeplechase3k]

My god, I hope he doesn't get called d-mat, his last name is very simple: Mat-su-zaka

[steeplechase3k]

Briefing on Six-Party Talks

http://www.state.gov/p/eap/rls/rm/77794.htm

Christopher Hill, Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs;*Head of U.S. Delegation to the Six-Party Talks

ASSISTANT SECRETARY HILL: How's the Matsuzaka afternoon going today? Do we know?

QUESTION: Not very well.

QUESTION: Are you going to --

ASSISTANT SECRETARY HILL: It's going well today?

QUESTION: I heard they're flying to Boston.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY HILL: Matsuzaka is coming to Boston?

QUESTION: Apparently.

QUESTION: He says there's a lot of --

QUESTION: No, no, no, no.

QUESTION: No, I thought it fell through with the Red Sox.

QUESTION: No, no. He's holding out for a six-party agreement. (Laughter.)

QUESTION: Really?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY HILL: I'm really sorry about doing this, but it's very important. He's going to Boston?

QUESTION: Apparently.

and later...

QUESTION: Chris, on the Matsuzaka issue, not confirmed but it does appear that a deal has been struck; Matsuzaka stepped in and made the deal happen.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY HILL: He stepped in.

QUESTION: It appears.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY HILL: And was John Henry there as well?

QUESTION: Larry Luchino and Epstein and Boras and Matsuzaka.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY HILL: This is a terrific Christmas present. Thank you very much. (Laughter.)

QUESTION: Not confirmed.

[AutomatedTeller]

Getting mats will help a lot... hopefully.

[AutomatedTeller]

Dice-K.

[WhosyourPapi????]

6 years 52 million with incentitves up to 60 milion!!!!!!! What a steal

[AutomatedTeller]

actually, it sounds about right. I assume it's 8, 8, 8, 8, 10, 10, with the escalators. That's, essentially, 6 good arbitration years for top starter, which sounds right. And at age 32, he'll break the bank for $15-20M.

[steeplechase3k]

It is 8,8,8,8,10,10, but could go up to 8,8,10,10,12,12

Here is the incentive info:
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2696321
In 2009 and 2010, Matsuzaka's base salary can increase to $10 million if:
• He finishes first in AL Cy Young voting in 2007 or 2008, or:
• He finishes in the top three in AL Cy Young voting in both 2007 and 2008, or:
• He finishes first in the AL MVP voting in 2007 or 2008, or:
• He finishes in the top five in AL MVP voting in 2007 and 2008.

In 2011 and 2012, Matsuzaka's base salary can increase to $12 million if:
• He finishes first in AL Cy Young voting in 2009 or 2010, or:
• He finishes in the top three in AL Cy Young voting in both 2009 and 2010, or:
• He finishes first in the AL MVP voting in 2009 or 2010, or:
• He finishes in the top five in AL MVP voting in 2009 and 2010.

[rubberball]

sounds like about the same as the Beckett Deal just a longer term.

2008 rotation
Beckett
DiceK
Paps
Lester
?

[AutomatedTeller]

Wakefield is the #5 in that rotation, though I expect that the club may renogiate his $4M a year in perpetuity deal, cause it's not really fair any more.

[Zen653]

For those of you who thought that the Red Sox would be able to recoup a significant amount of the $51 million posting fee through marketing opportunities, the sobering reality is that no such windfall exists, and that the Red Sox made this deal for baseball reasons alone.

When it comes to the world of Daisuke Matsuzaka, all is not as it would appear, as Sam Kennedy and the Red Sox have come to discover all too well over the past few months...

"The signing of this player is definitely not a huge financial windfall for us," Kennedy said. "There really aren't a lot of economic benefits."

"I'm not intentionally downplaying the economic benefit, but this is what hasn't been clear to the public," he said. "The reality is that all sponsorships, advertising deals and conducting revenue-generated deals for the Red Sox are exclusively limited to Fenway Park. Again, there is not a big financial benefit associated with this guy."

The problem facing Boston is that outside of the advertising and sponsorship deals cut to generate revenue inside the Sox's home park and within the six New England states (except Yankees-controlled Fairfield County in Connecticut), Major League Baseball controls the Red Sox "mark."

...Red Sox key chains. Red Sox hats. Red Sox shirts. Because of Matsuzaka, you might start seeing them all over Japan, but it is a potential windfall which Tampa Bay will be benefitting from just as much as Boston.

...Another roadblock for the Sox is even if major Japanese companies want to form a partnership with the club, it must be in a product area not already occupied by one of the Red Sox's exclusive advertisers. Asahi Breweries, who Matsuzaka has a deal with, contacted Boston hoping to strike a deal, but were informed that the team was already committed to Anheuser-Busch and couldn't welcome any other beer company.

EagleTribune.com, North Andover, MA - Matsuzaka won't be cash cow Red Sox need