Tazawa Decision Draws Nigh

by Jeff on Nov 24, 2008 3:45 PM PST in Regular News

Hideaki Okubo, manager of the Nippon Oil team that Tazawa pitches for, said the Braves, Red Sox and Mariners are also involved. Okubo said the Rangers have made the largest offer to Tazawa.

"Now that these offers are on the table, a conclusion will be reached in three or four days," Okubo said.

So to review:

Texas has reportedly offered the biggest contract
The Red Sox are considered the front-runners in part because Daisuke Matsuzaka is Tazawa's hero
The Braves have reportedly offered a Major League deal worth $4-5m
Nobody knows what the Mariners put on the table

Tazawa's set to leave his current team tomorrow, and it's assumed that he'll make his decision shortly thereafter. Given the way the year has gone for Seattle sports, I expect Tazawa to sign with Boston on a minor league deal and then call home to inform his family and fellow countrymen that the way in which the Mariners approached negotiations was unprofessional and impossibly racist.

Update: looks like the Mariners offered three years and $3m, with incentives. It wasn't enough; Boston apparently won.

0 recs | Comment 49 comments

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I guess this is Z's first big test

Whether or not we sign him is irrelevant, once we get some kind of idea how we went about negotiating and what kind of offer we laid out there, we should at least have something other than personal decisions to judge Z on.

by mariners124m on Nov 24, 2008 3:48 PM PST 0 recs

I wouldn't be surprised if this was all ownership

by Jeff on Nov 24, 2008 3:54 PM PST up 0 recs

This is a good point

And if that’s the case, then either two things will happen

We’ll fuck it up epically and he won’t even consider signing

We’ll fuck it up epically and give him way too much money for way too many years

by mariners124m on Nov 24, 2008 9:27 PM PST up 0 recs

unprofessional and impossibly racist.

The Mets got Delgado eventually.

Furcal

by JI on Nov 24, 2008 3:51 PM PST 0 recs

With help from the Marlins though.

by Fin on Nov 24, 2008 4:14 PM PST up 0 recs

Poking around a bit

there seem to be an awful lot of people who think Tazawa’s already settled on the Red Sox.

by Jeff on Nov 24, 2008 4:06 PM PST 0 recs

I really hate the Red Sox

I am no longer in Spokane, but I think I'll keep the name anyway.

by InSpokane on Nov 24, 2008 4:08 PM PST up 0 recs

No matter where he ends up,

he doesn’t appear to be the prospect that Viciedo is. I’ve heard varying reports on Tazawa-san’s final decision, but I have faith that the M’s would be in the running based solely on Ichi, Kenji, and the Ownership. Iif you are coming to the states, why not pitch for a better team with an established Japanese pitcher to take the heat off of you?

Can't wait for Ruskell to knock this one out of the park.

by abender20 on Nov 24, 2008 4:08 PM PST 0 recs

I thought the Mariners had offered a major league contract.

Am I not remembering my sources correctly, or was it just speculation that I was reading anyway? I would have expected that kind of thing to come out in the Times or the P-I.

I think Tazawa is good, but I don’t know that he’s six million good, and that’s what I’ve heard.

"Ever tried? Ever failed? No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better." - Samuel Beckett http://mvn.com/marinersminors/

by JY on Nov 24, 2008 4:36 PM PST 0 recs

Well, if anyone is good at paying a lot for a little, its the Mariners.

by Fin on Nov 24, 2008 4:37 PM PST up 0 recs

Some details on the M's offer

Found this, which links to a Yomiuri page that claims the Mariners offer has appearance and innings pitched incentives.

"Ever tried? Ever failed? No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better." - Samuel Beckett http://mvn.com/marinersminors/

by JY on Nov 24, 2008 5:47 PM PST up 0 recs

According to press in Japan

Well, according to press reports in Japan, it sounds like this is a pretty much done deal. Red Sox seem to have told them that Tazawa will start at 2A, so he will probably sign for less than what the M’s offered. Duh.

by toshi on Nov 24, 2008 6:00 PM PST 0 recs

The Latest

Official-ish: Tazawa to Red Sox

Multiple Japanese media sources (Nikkan Sports, Mainichi, Sponichi) are reporting that Junichi Tazawa is set to sign with the Red Sox as early as December 1. Eneos manager Ohkubo is quoted as saying, "It felt like Tazawa is done negotiating with other teams".

Some details have leaked out on all the deals offered to Tazawa. All were apparently major league deals:

    * Boston: 3 years, $3M
    * Seattle: 3 years, $3M
    * Atlanta: 4 years, $4-5M
    * Texas: 4 years, $7M

by JLC on Nov 24, 2008 6:43 PM PST 0 recs

The reports are varied as to Tazawa's quality.

The ESPN report on Japanese playres for this year was pretty down on him, saying he’s a low-90s pitcher down the stretch. Also said his mechanics are stiff, etc.

Either way, it’ll be interesting to see how it shakes out. Texas is way overboard though. Taz is no David Price.

Favor the Bold

by IcebreakerX on Nov 24, 2008 6:50 PM PST 0 recs

But Price wasn't a FA. That's the difference. If there was no draft, Price would have easily made double and probalby triple what he made from the Rays.

Tools Whore

Sign Bonds!

by Tyler on Nov 24, 2008 9:11 PM PST up 0 recs

No, that doesn't matter...

The point is Tazawa is no where near as talented as Price. By that reasoning, you’d expect Tazawa’s price to go down, not creep up to the monopsony price of Price or Prior.

Favor the Bold

by IcebreakerX on Nov 25, 2008 2:50 AM PST up 0 recs

But if you have 4 or 5 teams bidding, the price naturally goes up.

Look at Latin American bonuses. As far as I can tell, there is only one guy that given a draft would have been a lock to be a first round pick, but a ton of guys got first round money. Because they’re on the free market, their price was driven up.

Tools Whore

Sign Bonds!

by Tyler on Nov 25, 2008 4:32 AM PST up 0 recs

But that's because...

You’re bidding on players like Inoa and Viciendo where information for the players are getting easier to get and the pedigree is high.

In contrast, Japanese pitchers are downright unreliable and difficult to project.

Favor the Bold

by IcebreakerX on Nov 25, 2008 5:52 AM PST up 0 recs

The monopsony price of Price is low because it's a monopsony price.

That Tazawa’s not subject to monopsony power means that his price is unrelated to Price’s price.

I like using semi-colons; they make me feel smart.

by Llewdor on Nov 25, 2008 9:31 AM PST up 0 recs

What are we arguing about?

It seems Ice’s central point is that Tazawa is not a player with David Price’s talent level or potential, and thus doesn’t warrant that sort of demand.

by Gomez on Nov 25, 2008 7:48 PM PST up 0 recs

It was the Sox all along.

The other offers were merely for show.

GREINKE HO!!!!!

by oc on Nov 24, 2008 8:03 PM PST 0 recs

Never heard his name until the last few weeks.

Daisuke was a legend for a few years before coming over. I don’t see this as being a big deal or anything. Mixed reports on his stuff doesn’t bode much confidence, especially because this resembles the hype of Kei Igawa.

And when the Yankees and Rangers are willing to overpay, then you know they are reaching. Even Boston is probably secretly hoping he goes somewhere else instead of taking their honorable offer.

by Wilder. on Nov 24, 2008 9:06 PM PST 0 recs

He didn't pitch in the top pro league in Japan like Daisuke, that's why he isn't well known in America.

by brayden04 on Nov 25, 2008 6:38 AM PST up 0 recs

Plus he's 22 and probably not MLB-ready,

so he’s obviously not going to draw the kind of excitement that Matsuzaka did. Those bidding on Matsuzaka were bidding on a pitcher who was expected to come in on Day One and be one of the top two or three starters on an MLB club.

by Teej on Nov 25, 2008 9:44 AM PST up 0 recs

And we all saw what happened on Day 1.

I am no longer in Spokane, but I think I'll keep the name anyway.

by InSpokane on Nov 25, 2008 9:45 AM PST up 0 recs

He obliterated the Royals in his first start.

by Teej on Nov 25, 2008 9:46 AM PST up 0 recs

Ok his first home start

I am no longer in Spokane, but I think I'll keep the name anyway.

by InSpokane on Nov 25, 2008 10:00 AM PST up 0 recs

The mariner's representative in Japan

courted Tazawa by beating him in guitar hero, nailing his sister, and leaving a double decker at his place.

by Bearskin Rugburn on Nov 24, 2008 9:50 PM PST 0 recs

then he slashed his tires and left the sister with VD

I know that you're thinking about making a Woodburn joke. Know that I will pummel you if you do.

I miss you, ATQ.

by WoodburnDave on Nov 24, 2008 10:13 PM PST up 0 recs

The M's representative was Player A?

by Gomez on Nov 24, 2008 11:11 PM PST up 1 recs

Welcome. I am honored to accept your waste.

by Shawk on Nov 25, 2008 8:05 AM PST up 0 recs

If that's what the M's offered, I'm OK with it.

This kid for some reason completely objective reason is screaming ‘Kei Igawa’ to me.

by Bearskin Rugburn on Nov 25, 2008 6:43 AM PST 0 recs

Subjective?

by seattlebruin on Nov 25, 2008 6:45 AM PST up 0 recs

Maybe Tazawa came to his house and screamed "Kei Igawa".

You don’t know.

You can’t know things.

I like using semi-colons; they make me feel smart.

by Llewdor on Nov 25, 2008 9:32 AM PST up 0 recs

No objective

I was joking. All I’ve seen of him is a short video, yet my gut tells me he’ll be an average pitcher at his best, likely a bit worse than that. That’s it.

by Bearskin Rugburn on Nov 25, 2008 12:35 PM PST up 0 recs

If I could get Igawa for this price I'd do it.

I like using semi-colons; they make me feel smart.

by Llewdor on Nov 25, 2008 9:33 AM PST up 0 recs

I think you might be able to get Igawa for less these days...

by marc w on Nov 25, 2008 10:03 AM PST up 0 recs

I am stunned at the resistance this is getting

$6M is nothing, this team is rebuilding, and it seems to be the equivalent of signing a mid-low 1st round draft pick.

Everyone here should want him signed.

by Graham on Nov 25, 2008 7:51 AM PST 0 recs

Er. $3.

by Graham on Nov 25, 2008 7:59 AM PST up 0 recs

$3 million is a pretty huge chunk

of the yearly international acquisitions budget. You can get three good 16-year-old kids for that.

Yes, 22 vs 16, maybe ready to help in 2009, already adjusted to professional baseball, but $3 million isn’t nothing.

by davidcameron on Nov 25, 2008 7:41 PM PST up 0 recs

Agreed

If he doesn’t work out in 2A so be it.

I am no longer in Spokane, but I think I'll keep the name anyway.

by InSpokane on Nov 25, 2008 9:37 AM PST up 0 recs

I wanted him signed, but it seemed a foregone conclusion he wouldn't sign here.

by marc w on Nov 25, 2008 10:04 AM PST up 0 recs

Yeah, I didn't think he'd sign with us either

But the ‘meh’ reaction over possibly adding a good prospect was/is baffling.

by Graham on Nov 25, 2008 10:09 AM PST up 0 recs

Agree about the money

Relatively speaking, it’s not that much for a prospect bonus, let alone an MLB contract.

by Gomez on Nov 25, 2008 7:50 PM PST up 0 recs

This is a better use of resources

than the money Pittsburgh is giving to the Indian guys who won a game show.

You know what? Fuck you Sports Gods, fuck you.

by bluemax on Nov 25, 2008 9:38 AM PST 0 recs

Maybe.

The Pirates are getting their name out there in the market. As interest develops over there, people who know baseball will know who the Pirates are. The goal in the earliest signings isn’t always to get a productive player, it’s to have the productive players already know who your team is when they come around.

"Ever tried? Ever failed? No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better." - Samuel Beckett http://mvn.com/marinersminors/

by JY on Nov 25, 2008 9:49 AM PST up 0 recs