BOSTON -- Another chapter in the drama that is the Daisuke Matsuzaka
negotiations unfolded Wednesday, when the star Japanese right-hander
reportedly boarded the private plane owned by Red Sox owner John W. Henry in
Southern California and headed to Boston with a contingent that included
agent Scott Boras, Boston general manager Theo Epstein and club president/CEO
Larry Lucchino.
The Boston Globe and Boston Herald both reported the news. The Red Sox had no
official update regarding Matsuzaka and said there would be no update on the
situation during an afternoon press conference to announce the signing of
shorstop Julio Lugo.
Negotiations are expected to continue on the plane, and the sides could be on
the verge of a deal. Henry confirmed that Boras and Matsuzaka were flying
back with Epstein and Lucchino. "They all took off together," Henry told the
Associated Press in an e-mail.
The deadline for finalizing an agreement is midnight at the end of Thursday.
When and if the Red Sox and Matsuzaka come to terms on a deal, the
finalization of the contract would be contingent on the passing of a
physical.
Upon arriving in California on Monday, Epstein promised that the Red Sox
contingent would be headed back to Boston on Wednesday, and the goal was that
Matsuzaka and Boras would be on board.
Just the fact that goal has been accomplished seems to be a clear sign that
major progress has been made in the negotiations since Epstein and Lucchino
began face-to-face negotiations with Boras at the agent's Newport Beach,
Calif., office.
Earlier this week, Epstein, Lucchino and Henry all seemed frustrated at the
pace of the negotiations and the fact that they had to make a second offer
before Boras countered the first offer.
But deadline deals are nothing new for Boras, who has taken place in as many
drama-filled negotiations as any agent in sports.
One unnamed source went as far as telling the Globe, "You can assume that a
deal is done or close."
The pursuit of Matsuzaka officially started for the Red Sox on Nov. 14, when
their record-setting bid of $51.1 million was accepted by the Seibu Lions.
After slow progress in recent weeks, Tuesday was a productive day, as Epstein
and Lucchino had multiple negotiating sessions with Boras, working late into
the night.
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Matsuzaka, 26, is widely revered by baseball fans of Japan, and for good
reason. He has a record of 108-60 with a 2.95 ERA over his eight-year career
with the Lions, and last March, he was named the Most Valuable Player of the
inaugural World Baseball Classic.
"In Japan, he's known as the national treasure," Boras said earlier this
week. "Here, he will be known as Fort Knox."
If the Red Sox are successful in landing Matsuzaka, they could have an elite
rotation that would also include Curt Schilling, Jonathan Papelbon, Josh
Beckett and Tim Wakefield.
Ian Browne is a reporter for MLB.com. Material from the Associated Press was
used in this report. This story was not subject to the approval of Major
League Baseball or its clubs.
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