Details on Boston’s Offer to Tazawa
Sponichi has published a detailed account of the contract Boston offered to Junichi Tazawa. The article also quotes  “They want me to come over, and I understand how I can develop. I feel like it’s a good team”. Nikkan Sports is reporting that Tazawa has already decided on the Red Sox, and says that he’ll be able to officially sign at the beginning of December.
Some highlights:
- 3 year, $3M contract (that’s $1M/year)
- Major League contract
- start off at class AA
- remain a starter
- personal translator
The dollar figure is a little surprising — there were numerous reports of a $6M offer earlier in the day. Maybe there is a bonus or incentive package that was left off of this report. We’ll learn more over the next couple days.
23/11/2008 at 10:06 pm Permalink
I think if the Red Sox get him it will be one of the smartest moves in past years in all of Major league baseball. If you remember, Hideo Nomo was discouraged by the Japanese leagues and media when he first came over and was shunned in that country for a long time for it. I think this potential signing, whether it is successful or not, will set a precedent for more young Japnese pitchers to come over here. There is no telling how many potentially great young Japanese pitchers careers were destroyed because of the Japanese teams’ tendencies to start a pitcher in a game and leave him in the whole time, even if they’re being destroyed or their pitch count is over 200. Especially if this is successful more and more pitchers will be saving bullets in their arms and coming to America and being developed to play in America and not having to change their mechanics at the age of 27 or 28 but relearning how to pitch while their arms are still mildly flexible.
24/11/2008 at 12:23 am Permalink
I guess Tazawa’s not making the Red Sox waive their right to arbitration?
24/11/2008 at 5:46 am Permalink
As a redsox fan i see this as great. With Matsuzaka and Okajima already in Boston he will be welcome by his countrymen. I have seen him pitch via youtube and it seems he will be an effective innings eater. He may not be a factor right away but he should rise through class AA portland and class AAA pawtucket.Plus you cant argue with those high socks/
24/11/2008 at 9:11 am Permalink
I am a red Sox fan and a Braves fan and both team have made contract offers to Tazawa. The sox would be dominate team in the east yet again with him in the rotation. The Braves needs him more than the red sox do though. Tazawa was quoted saying he wants to start pitching right away in the MLB. The contract that the Sox are offering says he would start in the Minors which is what he does not want. Although i like the Red Sox i think that it is a lil unfair that just because there are two or three Japanese players on one team that is where they all want to go. Either way though if he signs with one of these clubs ill be happy.
24/11/2008 at 10:02 am Permalink
The Show, just wanted to make a comment on your line “I think it is a lil unfair that just because there are two or three Japanese players on one team that is where they all want to go”. I look at the $51 million posting fee the Red Sox paid for negotiating rights to Daisuke Matsuzaka, and I have to think that at least part of that investment was not just in Daisuke as an individual, but an investment in making the Red Sox more attractive to future Japanese players. I know before Daisuke and Okajima, most Japanese free agents wanted to go to the Mariners or the Yankees due to the success of players like Ichiro or Hideki Matsui, and the Red Sox paid a premium to earn the right of being a preferred location.
24/11/2008 at 11:22 am Permalink
Doesn’t anyone else see a repeat of Kei Igawa who signed with the Yankees and proceeded to explode? This guy pitched in the Industrial League in Japan, what makes anyone think he’ll be successful at all here? If he makes the MLB, he’ll probably be an innings eater number 4 or 5 starter with an ERA of 4.50 to 5.00, not worth it at all, especially for these premier teams who are offering contracts. I thought the braves wanted to return to dominant starting pitching. And the Sox don’t need this with all their SP prospects right now.
24/11/2008 at 11:35 am Permalink
Not me. There’s an entirely different risk/reward profile here. Igawa cost the Yanks ~$46M, while Tazawa will probably wind up costing about $6M. There is a chance he’ll never pan out but the financial risk is so much lower you can’t compare the two.
24/11/2008 at 12:26 pm Permalink
Doesn’t anyone else see a repeat of Kei Igawa who signed with the Yankees and proceeded to explode? This guy pitched in the Industrial League in Japan, what makes anyone think he’ll be successful at all here? If he makes the MLB, he’ll probably be an innings eater number 4 or 5 starter with an ERA of 4.50 to 5.00, not worth it at all, especially for these premier teams who are offering contracts. I thought the braves wanted to return to dominant starting pitching. And the Sox don’t need this with all their SP prospects right now.
Tazawa is no Igawa. He may or may not pan out but he isn’t half the cost Igawa was and at the price its stupid to pass up the opportunity to see how Tazawa does. Plus, its not like there rushing him to the majors. It looks like if he signs will start out in Portland then work up the ladder allowing him to develop.
Also if I remember right there’s a fellow Japanese native with Portland in Matsuo unless they move him up to AAA, but it probably be smart to keep him at Portland for a while to help the transistion for Tazawa.
Finally if like you and we say forget it on signing Tazawa because Igawa was a flop how are we ever to find a winning team? Part of building a winning team is taking risks with players like Tazawa and not buying into the motion that Igawa’s a flop so I won’t sign Igawa. Thank goodness the Boston front office isn’t as illogical as you.
Also its illogical at the moment to project how Tazawa will do in the big leagues without first seeing how he peforms on the Minor League level, but if it was up to you we wouldn’t find out because gasp again, Igawa was a flop so lets not sign Tazawa. I mean the kid was only a projected first round pick in NPB, do I think he will be first round MLB draft material, I dont know, but I think there’s potential for him to help Boston. Though we will never find out if we all act like you and don’t sign him.
24/11/2008 at 12:27 pm Permalink
Finally if like you and we say forget it on signing Tazawa because Igawa was a flop how are we ever to find a winning team? Part of building a winning team is taking risks with players like Tazawa and not buying into the motion that Igawa’s a flop so I won’t sign Igawa. Thank goodness the Boston front office isn’t as illogical as you.
Meant to say taking risks with players like Tazawa and not buying into the motion that Igawa’s a flop so I won’t sign Tazawa. On overload from copying and typing.