Baseball Toaster: The Griddle : Matsuzaka, Igawa, Japan updates

Rank	Team	W	L	PCT	Division
1	Chicago Cubs	76	48	.613	C1
2	New York Mets	68	57	.544	E1
3T	Arizona	64	60	.516	W1
3T	Los Angeles Dodgers	64	60	.516	W1
5	Milwaukee	72	54	.571	C2
6	St. Louis	70	57	.551	C3
7	Philadelphia	66	58	.532	E2
8	Florida	64	61	.512	E3
9	Houston	63	62	.504	C4
10	Colorado	57	69	.452	W3
11T	Pittsburgh	56	69	.448	C5
11T	Atlanta	56	69	.448	E4
13	Cincinnati	55	70	.44	C6
14	San Francisco	53	71	.427	W4
15	San Diego	48	76	.387	W5
16	Washington	44	81	.352	E5

American League

Rank	Team	W	L	PCT	Division
1	Los Angeles Angels	76	47	.618	W1
2	Tampa Bay	76	48	.613	E1
3	Chicago White Sox	71	53	.573	C1
4	Boston	72	53	.576	E2
5	Minnesota	70	54	.565	C2
6	New York Yankees	66	58	.532	E3
7	Toronto	64	60	.516	E4
8	Texas	62	64	.492	W2
9	Detroit	61	64	.488	C3
10	Baltimore	60	64	.484	E5
11	Oakland	57	67	.46	W3
12	Cleveland	56	67	.455	C4
13	Kansas City	55	69	.444	C5
14	Seattle	46	78	.371	W4

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Matsuzaka, Igawa, Japan updates

2006-11-28 20:35

by Bob Timmermann

The Yankees won the negotiating rights for Hanshin Tigers pitcher Kei Igawa with a bid of $26,000,194.

The Red Sox were told that they cannot reduce their $51.1 million bid for Daisuke Matsuzaka in order to sign him even if the Seibu Lions think it's OK. Maury Brown had speculated on what sort of creative accounting the Red Sox had in mind. Meanwhile, a U.S. State Department official described Matsuzaka as possibly "the best pitcher in the world."

The Japan Series champion Nippon Ham Fighters are planning to sign former Diamondback infielder Andy Green. It is doubtful that Green will make up the offensive slack caused by the departure of first baseman Michihiro "Guts" Ogasawara to the Yomiuri Giants.

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Comments

2006-11-28 21:32:30

1. das411

$...194? Hmm we can only speculate as to how they came up with that number...

2006-11-28 21:48:44

2. Cliff Corcoran

It was his strikeout total from 2006.

2006-11-28 21:57:24

3. Bob Timmermann

In yen, by today's exchange rate, it comes out to 3,011,212,531.59

2006-11-28 22:34:24

4. Cliff Corcoran

3 That must be his phone number.

2006-11-28 22:46:44

5. EricGagnesGoggles

I saw Ogasawara in the WBC. I was very impressed by his last name. And I'm too lazy to look up any stats but I'm pretty sure he hit a few home runs. Maybe not...

2006-11-28 22:52:28

6. Bob Timmermann

Ogasawara was 6 for 26 in the WBC with no home runs.

He did lead the Pacific League in home runs. Ogasawara's nickname is "Guts".

2006-11-28 22:58:19

7. Voxter

Whatever the final total of the Red Sox / Matzusaka thing ends up being, I have only one thing to say about the Yankees blowing that much in Igawa:

snerk

2006-11-29 05:25:57

8. jakewoods

If a US State Dept official says hes the best, than thats all I need!

Hes the greatest since Koufax!

2006-11-29 06:15:26

9. Chyll Will

8 Even better than Mark The Bird and the Mad Hungarian? Better than Fernandomania???

2006-11-29 06:16:29

10. Chyll Will

or... dare I say it... Bugs Bunny???

2006-11-29 07:03:10

11. monkeyball

I think it's a good move by the Yankees not so much because Igawa is such a gem, but because it keeps them on the back pages in Japan. Boston's winning bid in the Matsuzaka sweepstakes was probably an eyeopener for players and gms in Japan. The Yankees want to maintain their image as the top dollar player in the Japanese transfer market.

2006-11-29 07:46:37

12. Chyll Will

11 I doubt the Yankees need to stoop to conquer at this point, considering that their brand is already associated with the top-branded team in Japan and they have one of the top Japanese players of all time starring already. The bidding for Matsuzaka figures to be of the greatest interest because of the money involved and the precedent it could possibly establish if the deal is consummated (as well as the backlash it will create if not), but it could have just as easily been the Dodgers or White Sox who put in such a bid and the opinion is hardly going to change, whether he lives up to the top billing or not.

Nobody was scared of the Yankees when Irabu bombed in pinstripes, and even Matsuzaka said before the bidding that he preferred the Yanks. What matters most, I suspect, is which team will win or provide the best chance to win most consistently.

Of course, it doesn't hurt to have the back pages on the prevailing front for a little while, so I agree with you that much.

2006-11-29 11:23:13

13. scareduck

Of course, U.S. government intelligence also gave us those weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. I wouldn't take any of this too seriously until he's pitching in Fenway.

2006-11-29 13:39:47

14. Deanna

This really is going to just add to the "nobody cares about teams besides Yomiuri, Hanshin, Yankees, and Red Sox" fire, though. I was thinking that next year the MLB coverage on Japanese TV would basically end up being YANKS SOX YANKS SOX YANKS SOX (devil rays) YANKS SOX YANKS SOX YANKS SOX YANKS SOX YANKS (mariners) SOX YANKS SOX YANKS SOX etc... hmm, I suppose it won't be that different from ESPN.

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