The outlook is not so good for the Red Sox to sign Japanese ace Daisuke Matsuzaka. Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald writes that talks are "breaking down." Silverman’s source places to blame on agent Scott Boras, who apparently doesn’t feel like making a deal. As Buster Olney notes, that certainly sounds like it originates from the Red Sox.
Olney also notes that the Sox will probably provide what amounts to a blank check to Roger Clemens should they fail to sign Matsuzaka. While there has been some talk of Clemens pitching for all of 2007, his agent is pushing for another shortened season.
To me that makes the Yanks more likely to be players, as by June one of Wang, Johnson, Mussina, Pettitte, or Igawa could certainly be injured. If someone had to be bumped to accomodate Clemens for one year, who would it be?
