Please post all MLB offseason material in here. Mets and Yanks have their own threads, and the rest of MLB has this thread.
Mariners won't be bidding on Matsuzaka. http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/...1&content_id=1729277&vkey=japan2006&fext=.jsp
Dammit. That almost dooms the Yankees to signing him at a hugely over inflated price. I really, really feel certain that he will flop in the majors. I hope that I'm wrong, but I just can't be encouraged by a guy who's found success tricking Japanese leaguers with splitters and changeups (let alone his supposed gyroball.) An effective Japan League splitter or change is a beachball to MLB hitting.
Have you seen him pitch? He hasn't found success by tricking hitters, he's done it by simply embarassing them. He obviously wouldn't come to MLB and put up a 2.50 ERA, but his secondary pitches are great. Not great by Japanese league standards, great by MLB standards.
You clearly don't know much about him. He throws consistently in the mid 90's and can reach 98. He does NOT throw the gyroball, he throws the shutto and a curve, both of which are plus pitches even by ML standards. And he's only 26. The salary won't be that much either.
he actually does throw a gyroball, just not very often http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sboi0EWp8ao on a side note, i found this kinda funny: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyCksO5mktQ&NR (its not Matsuzaka)
That's not a gyroball. A properly thrown gyroball will break in the opposite direction, similar to a slider. That pitch is a common pitch in Japan called the shutto. Matsuzaka himself has said he doesn't throw a gyroball. The confusion came from two things, one was an article written a while ago that incorrectly claimed the shutto and gyroball were the same pitch, and the fact that he uses the double spin mechanics that are theoretically helpful in throwing the gyroball. Here's an earlier post that explains it better... http://forums.theganggreen.com/showpost.php?p=306839&postcount=31
Let the bidding for Matsuzaka begin Japanese pitcher's negotiating rights formally posted by Lions By Tom Singer / MLB.com
It could cost up to $30 million just to have the right to negotiate with him. In total bringing Matsuzaka on board could very easily cost $70-$80 million dollars. That's a pretty huge financial commitment for a starting pitcher, even by the Yankees' standards.
The posting fee doesn't go against the luxury tax, which is a big factor. Another big factor is the revenue from Japan. It doesn't mean as much to the Yankees as it would to a team without a big Japanese star like Boston or the Mets, but it is another major factor. All for the best Japanese pitching import ever, one with a proven track record outside of just facing Japanese league hitters, and one who is a million times the prospect that was Irabu.
It doesn't? That changes things financially (though I still have questions about Matsuzaka's effectiveness as an MLB starter.)
the orioles will bid high for high in hopes of preventing the yanks form getting him.if you win the bidding say at $60 million and he does not agree to sign a contract with your team,he goes back to Japan for another yea and you do not pay the bidding price. so why not bid $100 million if your peter angelo and then low ball him in negotiations hoping he goes back to Japan.
http://www.prosportsdaily.com/mlb/mlbrumors.html burrell would waive no trade clause for san francisco deal
