Boston Red Sox to announce signing of prized Japanese pitcher
Washington (dpa) - The Boston Red Sox were planning to announce Thursday they have reached a deal with Japan's top pitcher, Daisuke Matsuzaka, to a six-year contract worth 52 million dollars.
Matsuzaka, 26, was to undergo a medical examination before the Red Sox were to officially announce the signing after weeks of negotiations that appeared stalled only two days ago.
Matsuzaka's debut in the United States has been highly anticipated since he led the Japanese team to the World Baseball Classic championship in March. The US baseball season begins in April.
The press conference at Boston's Fenway Park is scheduled to begin at 2200 GMT, according to media reports.
Boston paid Matsuzaka's Japanese team, the Seibu Lions, 51.1 million dollars for the right to negotiate with the star, who has a 108-60 record in Japan with a 2.95 earned run average and 1,355 strikeouts in 204 games.
The Red Sox easily outbid every other American team seeking to negotiate with the coveted pitcher, but as Thursday's deadline approached to reach a deal, it appeared negotiations were faltering.
Top Red Sox executives flew to California on Tuesday in an effort revive negotiations with Matsuzaka's American agent, Scott Boras, the most famous of all player representatives known for holding out in talks.
Yet Matsuzaka's contract is well below what top pitchers in the United States receive, mainly because Boston had to pay so much to the Seibu Lions.
Had the two parties not been able to reach a deal by Thursday, Matsuzaka would have returned to his team in Japan and the Lions would have had to return to the post money to the Red Sox.
Several US teams sought Matsuzaka, but others remain sceptical over concerns that he has thrown too many innings for his age and that his arm was vulnerable to injury. // © 2006 DPA
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