51 million dollars. Let me repeat that: 51 million dollars.
The figure has become legend in some baseball circles. For those not in the know, that's how much money the Boston Red Sox paid for the opportunity to offer Daisuke Matsuzaka a contract.
And the 51-million-dollar question: Can any player be good enough to warrant that much dough before even signing a big league deal?
$51 million?
Of course, I'm a baseball fan, not a baseball analyst. Maybe the Red Sox knew something about Daisuke I didn't. Maybe he was the imported X-factor in whatever formula Boston management had concocted to win another championship.
Obviously, someone very powerful saw something very special.
Was it his 90-mph fastball? His assortment of breaking pitches? His mythical gyroball? The fact that he's so durable he might actually be a mecha?
In any event, Daisuke landed a plush deal and has become the main attraction in Boston. After five starts, the boy wonder is 3-2 with a 4.36 ERA. Not bad—but not that much better than, say, Chris Ray with his 2-2 record and 4.73 ERA.
Who's Chris Ray?
Exactly.
It's too early to call Daisuke a bust, but he's not exactly lighting it up. When you come with a $100 million price tag, you're expected to make an immediate impact. Daisuke's non-superhuman start has given fodder to critics ready to pounce on the Red Sox for what might turn into a multi-multi-multi-million-dollar fiasco.
And that's exactly the wrong way to approach the situation.
Read any of Daisuke's bios and you learn that he's always trying to get better. You aren't born with an arm capable of throwing 250 pitches in a high school championship game—you work for it. The hype that now surrounds Daisuke wasn't of his own making—it was thrust upon him, by managers, agents, fans, and media types looking to create a story.
Daisuke is, undeniably, a solid pitcher. He's not an unstoppable pitching machine, hurling unhittable gyroballs left and right. The best way to evaluate the Daisuke phenomenon is to look at him as you would any other rookie pitcher: He works hard, he's dedicated, and hopefully one day he'll become a premier major league player.
For now, he's just like any other young upstart—he makes mistakes...and no, he's not worth $100 million.
But then again, he wasn't the one who wrote that check.
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about 1 year ago
The big question is whether his performance will decline as teams learn more about his pitches (e.g. Hideo Nomo), or whether it will improve as he learns more about the league and MLB play in general. I don't think his first few starts bode poorly, as he should be 4-1 based on how games have played out, but the ERA isn't stellar.
about 1 year ago
Let's put this to the Sox fans -- what would YOU guys consider a successful season at that price? Does he need to be a Cy Young caliber pitcher to justify that price? Honestly, give how hard it is to find pitching talent, and given that the playoffs come down to having three great starters, I'd argue that even if he maintains an ERA just under 4.00, and gives you guys 15+ wins, he was a worthwhile signing.
Don't forget the huge financial boon that he is generating for the Red Sox by attracting millions of Japanese viewers. I'd argue that this factor covers the $50 million transfer fee that was not part of the payroll.
about 1 year ago
after tonight's start.
about 1 year ago
What, walking the bases loaded, forcing the Sox to come back from a five run deficit, then blowing a two run lead isn't what Boston paid $100 million for?
Matsuzaka is an incredible talent with the heart of a warrior, but the Seibu Lions overworked him big time. Boston got the cow after it had already been milked dry, and the Lions are laughing all the way to the bank.
about 1 year ago
Could you be any more obviously a yankee fan? Daisuke has had what, 2 bad innings? Not bad for a 26 year olds first time in the Major Leagues. The red sox only valued him at 20 million more than your club. And the red sox are in 1st place, and the yankees are a half a game out of last in the AL East (today). Mariano Rivera is the one who is washed up/all done. How much did the Yankees spend on .100 batting averages in the post season last year? Guess they were laughing all the way to the bank.
about 1 year ago
It's going to take him awhile to adjust and learn the ropes of MLB... he's human. And as for the 50 mill - the revenue on Red Sox baseball in the Orient pays off - ask Seattle and also Yao Ming...
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