11/01/2006 7:57 PM ET
Matsuzaka braces Japan for his exit
Star pitcher talks about future in Major Leagues
By Ian Browne / MLB.com
TOKYO -- A packed gathering of Japanese media congregated at a press
conference held by star pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka on Wednesday and hung on
every word spoken by the righty. But instead of definitive news, the intrigue
continued surrounding a man who is all but certain to leave his native land
of Japan and pitch in the Major Leagues in 2007.
But before he gets there, there will be a stiff competition for his services.
Major League teams such as the Yankees, Red Sox, Mets and perhaps the Rangers
and Dodgers are likely suitors. The Mariners, who were expected to be
interested, announced on Wednesday that they won't be a part of the bidding
war for Japanese pitcher. But the rest of those interested clubs are probably
salivating at the chance to make a blind bid on Matsuzaka once they
officially get that opportunity.
But that hasn't happened just yet. Essentially, Matsuzaka called this press
conference as a means to prepare his fans -- and perhaps even his teammates
and family -- for the inevitability of his departure.
"It was like the announcement before the announcement," said one official.
Clearly, Matsuzaka seemed to be cushioning the blow for his fans, who have
watched him evolve from a flame-thrower to a pitching artist, one of the best
Japan has ever seen.
"To the fans and my teammates and everybody else, I hope everybody supports
and understands whatever decision I make," Matsuzaka said through a
translator. "I had a very good season, and I'm very grateful for whatever
opportunities exist and of course I want to make the most of them. During
these past two years, my feeling toward participating in Major League Baseball
has grown more and more. I've been in Japanese baseball for 10 years. That
seems like a long time."
There might have been a time Matsuzaka didn't feel ready for such a
significant jump. But some eight months after winning the Most Valuable
Player Award in the inaugural World Baseball Classic, this is a pitcher
who, at the age of 27, appears to be right in his prime.
Is he nervous?
"I'm not nervous about anything," he said. "I think I have to raise my
level a bit, but I think I have it within me to succeed. So I'm full of
confidence."
Matsuzaka's press conference took place just one day after a traveling
team of Major League All-Stars arrived in Tokyo for the Japan All-Star
Series, which the righty will not participate in. Instead, all of his
energy is pointed in the direction of plotting his move to the Major
Leagues.
"Even last year, I thought about being eligible for posting. But this year
seems to be the time," said Matsuzaka, who went 17-5 with a 2.13 ERA for
the Seibu Lions in 2006.
Also present at the presser was Lions president Hidekazu Ota, who
acknowledged that plans are in motion to make Matsuzaka available via
the Major League posting system.
However, Ota would not say exactly when that would be or what the terms
would be.
The same system was used by the Mariners to land Ichiro Suzuki in 2000.
The winning bid was $13 million.
Speculation has been abundant that it will take a minimum of a $20 million
bid to win the rights to Matsuzaka, a pitcher who has virtually every pitch
short of a knuckleball in his arsenal.
Once Matsuzaka is officially posted by the Lions to the Major Leagues,
teams will have four days to submit their bids. The Lions will then have
four days to accept the winning bid. Assuming a bid is accepted, the winning
team would have 30 days to negotiate a contract with Matsuzaka through his
agent, Scott Boras.
"I will listen to his advice and support in deciding what to do," said
Matsuzaka. "Of course, I have to also talk to my wife and friends and
colleagues, teammates and the team itself. I have to consider all of those
things in deciding what to do."
The desire to pitch in the Major Leagues is something that's been building
within Matsuzaka for years. Perhaps the deepest roots occurred in 1999,
when he took a trip to the United States and watched the Braves and Yankees
play in the World Series.
"I had a really good feeling and was very excited by seeing those games,"
he said. "The first game I saw was in Atlanta, and then I went to New York
and saw Yankee Stadium. Yeah, you have to say that's a place that's just
filled with history, and you could feel that when you were there."
Matsuzaka would not say directly if he was -- as Billy Joel might say --
in a New York state of mind regarding his baseball future.
"I've talked to a lot of people, and they said it's a place where things
are happening," said Matsuzaka.
His baseball goal is to leave no challenge untested.
"Ever since playing at Koshima, it's been my ambition to do the best I
can in whatever capacity or place I can," he said. "My image of Major League
Baseball is power."
And his job will be to short-circuit those big bats in the big leagues.
"Of course, American baseball is the highest level of baseball in the
world," said Matsuzaka.
If Matsuzaka pitches up to expectations, he might just raise that level
another notch.
The team begins play Thursday at 4 a.m. ET with an exhibition game against
the Yomiuri Giants. The All-Star Series officially begins Friday at 4 a.m. ET
at the Tokyo Dome. All of the games can be seen live on MLB.TV or can be
heard on MLB Radio.
Ian Browne is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the
approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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