And it seems to me that if you're going to overpay for the player, it makes sense to do it on the posting fee.
The other advantage of a larger posting fee (versus a larger contract) for a team that already has a big payroll is that it doesn't count against the luxury tax.
This is getting flat out silly now. I want Matsuzaka, but not if this is what it's going to take to bring him in. This money doesn't count toward the team payroll correct? So if a team bid say, $100M for the right to talk to him, then signed him for 3 years at $60M, it wouldn't be considered $160M right?
I guess I'm missing something here. Why is it assumed by paying a larger posting fee, you won't have just as large a contract? How are the two related? I can't see Boras saying well because you paid so much for the right to negotiate with us we're going to give you a break. What am I missing?
That's a different matter, and shows just how big a game of chicken this is. Boras really has very little leverage RIGHT NOW - only one team to negotiate with, and if they don't want to pay a big price, the whole thing literally costs them nothing this year, and Matsuzaka goes back to Japan, gets paid a whole lot less (and Boras gets nothing), and maybe he gets hurt and never comes here. On the other hand, Boras has a lot of leverage next year if Matsuzaka does well and stays healthy, since then he can negotiate with anyone. Boras has reason to expect that a contract for a healthy Matsuzaka this year would be at a lower rate than one next year, but the question is how much lower. And remember, ultimately Matsuzaka has no loyalty to Boras at all - if he wants to play this year in the major leagues, he tells Boras to make a deal, period, or he gets another agent in two weeks who makes it happen.
I think for the Red Sox it makes more sense to overpay on the posting fee. First, you guarantee that he's off the market for other teams. Beyond that, think of all the incidentals that follow a player like this. The Red Sox cable network suddenly gets picked-up in Japan. Japanese kids start buying Matsuzaka Red Sox shirts. Japanese companies buy ad space on the Fenway park walls. Japanese people follow the player into the city and bring thousands of yen with them. We've seen it before. A player like this brings more than just his pitching arm. If you can't reach a contract, no skin of anyone's back.
No question, which is why I noted a few days ago that Matsuzaka is definitely worth more to the Red Sox, Mets, or Dodgers than to the Yankees or Mariners in terms of increased revenues - the latter two teams already have a presence in Japan.
that no doubt the smarted post of this thread and every word of it is true. The guy is like God in japan, he's gonna bring thousands over to whatever city wins him.
It makes sense for the Red Sox to go with a huge bid, more so than any other team. The Red Sox own their own network (NESN) and will make the 45 mil back in Japanese broadcasts of games, and after game features like interviews, Japanese adverts in fenway, and selling merchandise to the Japanese market. It makes less sense for a team without a network, or for a team like the yankees who already have a presence in the Asian market.
I'll be really annoyed if the Cubs don't make the highest bid. Some commitment to winning, too cheap to improve a last-place team. Pathetic.
I don't know what's going on, but if this is true I could not be happier. All I can see is a top 4 in the rotation of Beckett, Matsuzaka, Papelbon, and Lester for the next 5 years, and that makes me smile.
