O's consider Matsuzaka

[El Gordo]

I think If I owned the O's I would post 31,000,050.00. It would be primarily a blocking move, if it wins then figure out what can be worked out if nothing can be worked out then it has blocked him from becoming a Yankee for a year. If the Yankees still have a higher bid atleast they did not get him on the cheap. I would not spend much time at all on the issue I would authorize the CFO to make provisions for the cash and move on the the next issue. Should take about 2 hours of the offseason to make all this happen. Angelos has the cash available to make a move like this and he should look at it has simply a strategic move.

That makes sense to me.

[Ohfan67]

"We are considering putting in a bid," said executive vice president Mike Flanagan

I'm considering having sex with some supermodels.

[Sports Guy]

From Buster Olney...

In pursuit of Matsuzakaposted: Wednesday, November 1, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry

The Orioles are thinking about getting in on the Daisuke Matsuzaka bidding, writes Jeff Zrebiec.

The posting system is deeply flawed. For example, here's one sabotage scenario that might interest a team like Baltimore, which is faced with the possibility that Matsuzaka will land with either of the big market monsters in its division, the Yankees or the Red Sox. The Orioles could post a huge bid -- say $50 million -- and blow everybody else out of the water. With exclusive negotiating rights, they then could offer Matsuzaka a take-it-or-leave-it minimum bid, like a six-year, $6 million deal. Matsuzaka and agent Scott Boras, with just 30 days to negotiate and with no ability to generate a competing bid from another major league team, would have the stark choice of taking the Orioles' lowball offer or remaining in Japan. If Matsuzaka came to the U.S. under those circumstances -- and that would seem very unlikely -- the Orioles would have a frontline pitcher for much less than the total package of $80 million that everybody expects it will cost to get Matsuzaka. And if he were to stay in Japan after such a lowball offer, the Orioles would get their posting fee back and would still serve their own purposes, as well, by keeping him out of the hands of the Red Sox and Yankees.

.

And this is exactly what we should do.

[BaltimOrioles]

The posting system is deeply flawed. For example, here's one sabotage scenario that might interest a team like Baltimore, which is faced with the possibility that Matsuzaka will land with either of the big market monsters in its division, the Yankees or the Red Sox. The Orioles could post a huge bid -- say $50 million -- and blow everybody else out of the water. With exclusive negotiating rights, they then could offer Matsuzaka a take-it-or-leave-it minimum bid, like a six-year, $6 million deal. Matsuzaka and agent Scott Boras, with just 30 days to negotiate and with no ability to generate a competing bid from another major league team, would have the stark choice of taking the Orioles' lowball offer or remaining in Japan. If Matsuzaka came to the U.S. under those circumstances -- and that would seem very unlikely -- the Orioles would have a frontline pitcher for much less than the total package of $80 million that everybody expects it will cost to get Matsuzaka. And if he were to stay in Japan after such a lowball offer, the Orioles would get their posting fee back and would still serve their own purposes, as well, by keeping him out of the hands of the Red Sox and Yankees.

I never knew the Orioles front office was capable of pulling off something like this...come on FDA, you can do it!

[OregonBird]

Brilliant move!

It would probably prevent us from ever doing a deal w/the Yankees or the BoSox but that would be unlikely anway.

[srock]

From Buster Olney...

In pursuit of Matsuzakaposted: Wednesday, November 1, 2006 | Feedback | Print Entry

The Orioles are thinking about getting in on the Daisuke Matsuzaka bidding, writes Jeff Zrebiec.

The posting system is deeply flawed. For example, here's one sabotage scenario that might interest a team like Baltimore, which is faced with the possibility that Matsuzaka will land with either of the big market monsters in its division, the Yankees or the Red Sox. The Orioles could post a huge bid -- say $50 million -- and blow everybody else out of the water. With exclusive negotiating rights, they then could offer Matsuzaka a take-it-or-leave-it minimum bid, like a six-year, $6 million deal. Matsuzaka and agent Scott Boras, with just 30 days to negotiate and with no ability to generate a competing bid from another major league team, would have the stark choice of taking the Orioles' lowball offer or remaining in Japan. If Matsuzaka came to the U.S. under those circumstances -- and that would seem very unlikely -- the Orioles would have a frontline pitcher for much less than the total package of $80 million that everybody expects it will cost to get Matsuzaka. And if he were to stay in Japan after such a lowball offer, the Orioles would get their posting fee back and would still serve their own purposes, as well, by keeping him out of the hands of the Red Sox and Yankees.

How to further discredit a already discredited organization and turn the MLBPA against your team completely.

If the bid is won, a legitamite offer needs to be made. Boras will demand Oswalt/Zito money but you can call his bluff on this. So long as the Orioles will pay him an order of magnitude more then he makes in Japan, he isn't going to turn down the money. If he does for some idiot reason, then the strategic block is effective with no face lost by the Orioles.

[SilentJames]

Brilliant move!

It would probably prevent us from ever doing a deal w/the Yankees or the BoSox but that would be unlikely anway.

Or Matuzaka, or any Japanese player ever again. We already have a reputation in the league, why make it worse?

[Flosman]

I think the 50 million post followed by an incredible lowball offer would cause problems. But a slightly higher than expected posting and a honest effort to work a deal would be fine. The posting process is crazy. I would think there are situations where the Japanese team could end up in the negotiations also. A nightmare for the team from Japan is a deal does not get worked out and the player is sent back and leaves after next year without having to be posted. If a team like Baltimore really wanted to play hardball it could get really interesting. Boras knows he has little to no leverage so I would suspect the winning team signs him. I also suspect the deal could get really kinky. The options and incentives could be very complex. I could even see a deal something like a 30 mil posting and a 3/27 followed by 3 12-15 milion dollar team options. I could even see some sort of player buyout option after the third year say at something like half the posting fee. I suspect unless the Yankees win the bid this will be a ground breaking contract (the Yankees will just pay him).

[Crazysilver03]

I see a flaw with that plan. I think Seibu will pick the bid. Obviously, they would pick NY, even if they only offered 10 million and the Orioles offered 30 million. They know NY will negotiate with him so they are going to get compensated for losing him. They know that a few teams might try to sabotage.

Remember, its a business and the Lions are trying to make money off of this as well.

[OregonBird]

Or Matuzaka, or any Japanese player ever again. We already have a reputation in the league, why make it worse?

I don't have a problem with it if they make a good faith effort to negotiate w/him. Boras can ask for $15M a year all he wants but he remains an unknown and therefore a risk. The article mentions $6M/yr, maybe that's low or high, I don't know but its not peanuts for an unknown. Maybe the number is $8-10/yr?

Remember, Irabu was supposed to be the best thing since Hideo Nomo.

[srock]

I see a flaw with that plan. I think Seibu will pick the bid. Obviously, they would pick NY, even if they only offered 10 million and the Orioles offered 30 million. They know NY will negotiate with him so they are going to get compensated for losing him. They know that a few teams might try to sabotage.

Remember, its a business and the Lions are trying to make money off of this as well.

Does Seibu have that option?

From Sean McAdams at ESPN:

Interested teams will then submit blind bids to the commissioner's office, which will forward the winning bid to the Lions. The highest-bidding team will then have 30 days to reach an agreement with Matsuzaka and his agent, Scott Boras.

Not saying your wrong, but are sure that is how it works?

[Crazysilver03]

Does Seibu have that option?

From Sean McAdams at ESPN:

Not saying your wrong, but are sure that is how it works?

Nevermind. I had heard conflicting things. I forgot they had to go through the commisioners office.

[Flosman]

I see a flaw with that plan. I think Seibu will pick the bid. Obviously, they would pick NY, even if they only offered 10 million and the Orioles offered 30 million. They know NY will negotiate with him so they are going to get compensated for losing him. They know that a few teams might try to sabotage.

Remember, its a business and the Lions are trying to make money off of this as well.

It is not a best bid situation it is a highest bid situation and the team from Japan would have to be able to PROVE a bid was in bad faith in a court then collect damages from the team after the fact, assuming the pitcher was sent back leaving Seibu holding the bag so to speak.

[srock]

It is not a best bid situation it is a highest bid situation and the team from Japan would have to be able to PROVE a bid was in bad faith in a court then collect damages from the team after the fact, assuming the pitcher was sent back leaving Seibu holding the bag so to speak.

If something goes to court, that would be the one time I am ecstatic Angelos owns the team.

[rolliefingers]

Paul Konerko, Part Deux.