推 onlyyou2:迪斯特蘭多，好懷念小耳朵時代的西武隊 11/14 14:44
推 kyo06:樓上說的是左右開攻...跟秋山和清原連線的那位嗎 11/14 14:47
推 onlyyou2:Destrade就是迪斯特蘭多，我印象中是A-K-D連線 11/14 15:09
推 FatBearInn:為什麼現在的進板有點自我安慰的意味...XDD 11/14 15:20
→ asdfzx:西武最強助人 11/14 15:20
The New York Times
By BEN SHPIGEL
Published: November 14, 2006
NAPLES, Fla., Nov. 13 — Wearing matching floral print shirts, the major
league general managers spent a good chunk of Monday afternoon bowling at a
nearby alley. At stake was only pride, not a greater prize, like the
exclusive negotiating rights to Daisuke Matsuzaka, the star right-handed
pitcher from Japan.
If only a 200 game would have been a sufficient price for General Manager
Theo Epstein and the rest of the Red Sox organization. Boston submitted the
highest bid, about $45 million, among the approximately eight suitors in the
Great Matsuzaka Sweepstakes. The Red Sox will receive a 30-day window to
negotiate a contract with a pitcher considered to be the best on the
free-agent market.
A baseball executive, who was granted anonymity because he was not authorized
to speak publicly about a transaction that was not yet official, said people
in Major League Baseball and in Japan had acknowledged that the Red Sox
offered an overwhelming sum.
The official announcement is scheduled to come at a news conference Tuesday
at 8 p.m. Eastern (10 a.m. Wednesday in Tokyo), when Matsuzaka’s team, the
Seibu Lions, is expected to say that it has accepted the winning bid. Seibu
knows only the highest bid, not which team placed it. The Red Sox will then
have 30 days to strike a deal with Matsuzaka’s agent, Scott Boras. If they
cannot, the money from their winning bid will be returned and Matsuzaka will
return to Japan. Boston cannot trade Matsuzaka’s rights, but it is permitted
to sign him and then deal him if it wishes.
Boston is widely presumed to be interested in making the bid the linchpin of
what is expected to be an aggressive off-season after a disappointing season.
Last season, Boston failed to make the playoffs and its front office was
roundly criticized for letting Johnny Damon leave town to sign with the
Yankees.
The Red Sox are considered the leading candidate to sign J. D. Drew, who
recently opted out of his contract with the Dodgers; are interested in
another former Dodger, the free-agent infielder Julio Lugo; and could add
another top pitcher to a formidable rotation that would include Curt
Schilling, Josh Beckett, Jonathan Papelbon and, presumably, Matsuzaka.
In beating out a host of other ambitious teams with money to spend, including
the Mets, the Cubs and, more significant, the Yankees, the Red Sox took a
step toward appeasing their rabid fan base after failing to re-sign Damon, a
Boston icon, and also clarifying the market for the remainder of the teams
interested in acquiring a front-line starting pitcher. The top two on the
market are Barry Zito and Jason Schmidt; each will command a steep price.
On the next tier are pitchers like Vicente Padilla, Jeff Suppan, Randy Wolf
and Gil Meche, but teams like the Mets may pursue other avenues, like a deal
for the Florida left-hander Dontrelle Willis if he were made available, or
for one of the White Sox’ surplus of pitchers.
All of these pitchers are known quantities — they have enjoyed success in
the major leagues. But few doubt that the 26-year-old Matsuzaka will excel
overseas. He dominated at the World Baseball Classic, where he was selected
the most valuable player, and pitched in two Olympics. He has a 108-60 career
record for Seibu — he went 17-5 with a 2.13 earned run average last season —
and is widely viewed as a potential ace.
The considerable intrigue surrounding Matsuzaka, and which team would win his
services, inspired loads of speculation over the last few days, with all
signs pointing toward Fenway Park.
ESPN reported Friday that the Red Sox appeared to have bid the highest for
Matsuzaka, a figure between $38 million and $45 million. With no one over the
weekend disputing or confirming the report, it only reinforced the notion
that Boston had emerged victorious.
Orestes Destrade, a former major leaguer who also played five seasons for the
Seibu Lions, said on XM radio Monday morning that Boston’s winning bid was
more than $50 million. Later in the day, ESPN reported that the Red Sox bid
$42 million, while other outlets reported that the fee was considerably lower
but still more than $30 million.
It was presumed a foregone conclusion that the Yankees would dig into their
bottomless vault to sign Matsuzaka, bolstering their aging rotation and
blocking him from the Red Sox. Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman said
that Matsuzaka’s destination would have no bearing on his off-season plans,
although his acquiring four pitchers in two deals since Friday probably
reflects the expectation that the Yankees had not placed the winning bid.
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