Baseball Toaster The Griddle
Help
A place where a man can slow down to a walk and live his life full measure, but he has to keep his watch on Pacific Time.
Frozen Toast
Search
Google Search
Web
Toaster
The Griddle
Archives

2009
02  01 

2008
12  11  10  09  08  07 
06  05  04  03  02  01 

2007
12  11  10  09  08  07 
06  05  04  03  02  01 

2006
12  11  10  09  08  07 
06  05  04  03  02  01 

2005
12  10  07 
06  05  04  03 
Suggestions, comments, ring the catcher's interference alarm?

Email me at btimmermann@gmail.com

The stuff I keep track of
Random Game Callbacks

Select a date:

Personal favorites that I wrote
FAQs
Odd NYT headline regarding Matsuzaka bidding
2006-11-04 19:43
by Bob Timmermann

Kabuki Auction: Bidding Intrigue Behind the Scenes says the New York Times website.

I don't get it. Is the Matuszaka story more like jidaimono or sewamono? Is Brian Cashman assuming a mie pose while the other GMs just freeze around him?

Maybe it's more like Noh drama and the GMs are wearing masks?

Actually, much of the shenanigans that Tyler Kepner describes here, such as teams offering side deals to win the bidding, are nothing inherently Japanese. Unless you consider corrupt business practices to be uniquely Japanese.

Update - The headline has since been changed to "In Bidding for Ace, the Cards Are Held Close to the Vest"

Comments
2006-11-04 20:40:00
1.   Ravenscar
I'd be more stunned that a member of the New York Times was yammering on like they knew what they were talking about regarding another culture's art if their brand spanking new (and still in-construction) building wasn't such an boring, bland piece of crap.

A chance to really put a stamp architecturally on the most famous skyline in the world - something seen for at least 30 blocks as you drive up 8th avenue (and probably down 9th) and THAT's what you approved? An institutional square gray rectangle with the personality of hospital air-conditioner? I'm literally sad for architectural progress whenever I see the damn thing, which is pretty much every day.

Sorry, I've had that rant in me for a week. We're all lucky it was that short.

And yes, that article blows. Angry! Grrrr - ROARK SMASH!

*Please note I am not condoning Howard Roark as any kind of metaphor to aspire to.

2006-11-04 20:45:20
2.   Ravenscar
Oh yes, Matsuzaka!

We (Mets) were "outed" in bidding on him. This is gonna be very weird. I was wondering something as I was walking down the street. Doesn't this bidding system itself solely and SPECIFICALLY add an enormous amount of money to his contract? Because a team that spends 20 million (or whatever the bid is) HAS to sign whatever Boras puts in front of them or be utterly screwed?

2006-11-04 20:53:25
3.   Sandus
2 The contract won't necessarily be higher. Remember that if there's no deal, Matsuzakasan stays in Japan, where he makes less than a tenth of what he could sign for. Both sides will want to work something out before the 30 days.
2006-11-04 21:05:56
4.   Bob Timmermann
I have Matsuzaka's 2006 salary as being about $2.8 million. He made about $110,000 when he broke in as a rookie in 1999.
2006-11-04 21:27:02
5.   De Ruijter
2

If a team wins the posting process and can't come to an agreement with him they get their posting money back. So no, they're not utterly screwed.

2006-11-04 21:37:45
6.   Ravenscar
Ahhh thank you. I actually thought it was simply gone. Silly me.
2006-11-04 21:40:53
7.   Bob Timmermann
If you could keep the money from the bid if you didn't sign the player, then no one would bid very high and the posting team would never want to post anyone.

It would be better if the prices were shouted aloud like on "Price is Right".

Minaya: $30,000,000!
Cashman: $30,000,001!

Comment status: comments have been closed. Baseball Toaster is now out of business.