The Red Sox recently placed right-hander Daisuke Matsuzaka on revocable waivers, ESPN.com's Buster Olney reports (Twitter links). One general manager told Olney that Matsuzaka and Mark Buehrle might be available for little return.
Matsuzaka earns $10MM in 2012, the final season of his six-year, $52MM contract with the Red Sox. Just less than $2MM remains on his contract between now and the end of the season. In six starts for Boston this year he has posted a 5.10 ERA with 7.8 K/9 and 3.0 BB/9. He started against the Royals last night, allowing one unearned run, five hits and two walks in seven innings while striking out six.
The Red Sox have been particularly aggressive in placing players on waivers this summer (at least in terms of what has been reported relative to other teams). If Matsuzaka goes unclaimed, the Red Sox will be able to complete a trade just as easily as they could have before the current waiver period began at the beginning of August.
If a team claims Matsuzaka, the Red Sox will have three choices. They can let him (and his contract) go to the claiming team, they can complete a trade with the claiming team, or they can pull him back off of waivers. American League teams will have claiming priority on Matsuzaka.
Dodgers said they wanted more pitching….
Paging Magic Johnson…
Doesn’t he have a full NTC? It would make sense for him to waive it in an attempt to rebuild value, but the Sox would have to give him away at this point for somebody to take him (his good start last night doesn’t magically make his of supreme worth).
He does, effectively, have a full NTC. The actual clause is somewhat convoluted, because other players on the Sox roster at that time (mainly Manny Ramirez) had “most favored nation” provisions in their deals that required the Sox to give them a no-trade clause equivalent to any clause they gave another player during the term of that contract. So (per the reporting at the time), DiceK’s clause is a vesting clause that vests if (a) the player is from a foreign league, (b) the player is signed to a deal of six or more years, and (c) the player makes his debut for the team at the Major League level. Conditions that Matsuzaka instantly met, and which virtually no one else could possibly meet.
Makes sense. I know Teixeria mentioned the other day that the Sox don’t give full NTCs. Makes sense to have a poison pill of sorts in there for the full NTC to avoid MFN protection for others. Surprised the union didn’t balk at the substance of the deal to try and get other Red Sox full NTC support.
Any chance the Red Sox can put Lester on the waiver wire. 🙂
They did a couple days ago.
LA would be a nice spot even next year for matsuzaka if they have an open spot for him. Can’t see boras objecting to him not going to LA if he clears waivers either. any chance at getting his blown chance after blown chance over the last 3 years is better than what he has to look forward to the last month as it is now and he has no guarantee he won’t get shoved down the edge of the bench when rosters expand and maybe Britton, Hernandez even called up for a look.
If all they are expecting is a 5th starter, and they get him on a cheap deal, he could be a reasonable options for a lot of teams next year.
He is going to get a cheap deal, combination of ineffectiveness over the last 6 years, injuries, his unwillingness to work with trainers. Boras is going to have a monumental task ahead of him getting much of anything guaranteed on a 1 year deal salary wise. Wouldn’t shock me to see him go to ST on a minor league deal even like Cook did with some (pick one) NL team and have to earn his way to a roster spot and then have options in his contract for IP, starts to make money if/when he gets to the majors.
It’s all his fault for his predicament, nobody but himself to blame.. Showing up for the world games getting injured throwing too many pitches, then afraid to attack the strike zone here, never willing to take any advice from coaches, trainers.. His issues are all self inflicted.
Along with Ellsbury.
Dodgers to trade whatever non-Zach Lee prospects left for Matsuzaka and Lackey.
Yep, here come the Dodgers I bet. Heck why not just buy the entire team ?? 😛
How about Matsuzaka and Lackey to the Dodgers in exchange for…. um, whatever the Dodgers want to give would be fine….
(They can’t be THAT desperate for pitching, though…. Can they?)
Dice could be a nice pickup for the Giants or the Dodgers or the Angels.
All three could be favorable teams to resign him being 6 hours closer to Japan. The Sox get a little financial relief and you never know Lackey must have cleared waivers; two for three prospects?
i also look for the dodgers put in a claim for disauke matsuzaka. but just maybe the yankess will put in a claim. the red sox have cleaned house, i so no point in holding back on matsuzaka.
No one is going to give the Red Sox prospects for this guy, get real. If he gets claimed, the claiming team will be stuck with him and the salary. This isn’t a guy who is going to get a qualifying offer to stay with Boston so no one is going to give up anything for 3 or 4 starts from a worse than mediocre pitcher.
I believe that’s what they were saying about Josh Beckett and Carl Crawford a week ago, isn’t it?
Lol, they got the prospects because of Adrian Gonzalez.
are you saying AGon is essentially worth 250million plus 4 top prospects??
He’s about mediocre, but certainly not worse than mediocre. His 07 and 08 stats were pretty impressive. The guy has talent, he just doesn’t put it all together. But his numbers weren’t that bad in all the prior years.
As of yesterday evening, Dice-K’s price has gone up.
If it takes very very little, i could see the Nats interested in Dice-K
I would have to imagine that a team could have him for basically nothing at this point. Take his salary and he’s yours (heck, take half his salary and send a low minors lottery ticket and he’s probably yours).
I really hope the Dodgers claim button is still broken and they snag him.
When you score runs and nine runs and can’t get a win it is time to get rid of the deadwood.
Doubtful for Dodgers, with less than $2M remaining on his contract this year, you would think he gets claimed by someone in AL or even possibly the Pirates.
Perhaps an interested team asked that they put Dice on to be claimed by that team.
BenC can always do the PTBNL in return agreed upon in advance or depending on how well he does might determine the player.
just my opinion: he goes back to Japan next year.
Reason he never learned to speak English.
Soon We’ll have to call the Dodgers…. Red Sox West
They called them that back in ’06 when they had D. Lowe, Nomar, and Billy Mueller
Matsuzaka could be a pretty interesting pick up for some NL teams. Teams like the Dodgers are looking for more pitching, and would like to get a pitcher like Matsuzaka without giving up prospects, which would likely be possible as long as they pick up the money remaining on his contract.
Dodgers anyone?
I think all this guy needs is a change of scenery, if he goes to a contender and has 3 starts in September, I can see it to be a reasonable pick up. I wouldn’t expect much to anything back for him (Single A pitcher at most)
I say just keep him. Work out a one year deal with incentives if he wants to return for next year. It’s about depth. Sure, he’s had injuries but if he’s number 6 on your depth chart – assuming they get some 1 year deal signings done or call up the young guys for next season – then they’re okay with him at that cost.
Dice K would be a good fit for The SF Giants.. I think he would encourage more Japanese Players to sign with The Giants. With Dice K The Giants would have a formidable starting staff.. You would have Bumgarner, Cain, Vogelsong, Dice K Matsusaka, Lincecum..
A perfect three team deal is sending pitcher Dice-K and infielder Brendan Ryan to San Francisco Giants; mid level prospect from the Seattle Mariners plus first basemen Ricky Oropesa (Giants), LHP Mike Kickham (Giants), RHP Andrew Carraway (Mariners), and either outfielder Casper Wells or Trayvon Robinson to the Boston Red Sox; and Craig Breslow & Brandon Crawford to the Seattle Mariners. It may not be a blockbuster type trade involving Adrian Gonzales & Josh Beckett traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers but would help gaining a good first basemen that can be the future for the Red Sox on top of other two teams as the Mariners gearing up for next season to be like this season’s Oakland Athletics.