O's consider Matsuzaka

[TonySoprano]

Yeah, but the fact that the Mariners are not even bidding suggests that there are a lot of behind the scenes, backroom talks, going on already. Teams have already spoken to Boras and know what it will take to sign Matsuzaka. Teams already seem to know what it will take to win the bid. I would suggest that MLB has already talked to any interested clubs and gotten an idea of what their intentions are. Any team which would make a blocking bid would probably find itself in some kind of hot water with MLB. I would further suggest that it's a foregone conlcusion that whoever wins the bid, that the signing will be just a formality.

Rosenthal is on MASN right now implying the same thing. He's assuming the Seibu Lions have done some behind the scenes shopping of Matsuzaka, to see who would realistically sign him. Then, behind the scenes, Rosenthal gives the scenario of a team paying $50 million up front, and Seibu sending them back $30 million after they close the deal with Matsuzaka.

[davearm]

It's not surprising that Seattle won't bid on him. They already owe Sexson and Beltre tons of money and I've read that they will be players for Zito and Schmidt as well as maybe Soriano. Not sure where they're getting all this money.

When will we find out who won the bid for Matsuzaka?

Should be real soon.

I never heard it reported officially, but there were rumblings that Seibu was scheduled to announce the posting in a news conference yesterday. That would set in motion a chain of events that should lead to the winning bidder being announced within a week.

Seibu alerts the Japanese commissioner of the posting.

Japanese commissioner alerts MLB commissioner.

MLB commissioner opens a 4-day window for MLB teams to submit blind bids.

MLB commissioner identifies the high bid amount.

Seibu given the option to accept or decline the high bid amount.

If accepted, winning bidder is revealed, and the 30-day negotiation window opens.

I suspect the first two steps could take place basically instantaneously (especially since this has been anticipated for weeks). The 4-day bidding window might very well open as early as today or tomorrow. Assuming the back end of the process is mostly a formality, I'd expect the winning bidder could be announced like Tuesday or Wednesday.

[davearm]

Rosenthal is on MASN right now implying the same thing. He's assuming the Seibu Lions have done some behind the scenes shopping of Matsuzaka, to see who would realistically sign him. Then, behind the scenes, Rosenthal gives the scenario of a team paying $50 million up front, and Seibu sending them back $30 million after they close the deal with Matsuzaka.

Interesting. Why would Seibu be giving money back??? What's their motivation there?

Besides, I thought the whole blind bidding process was intended to circumvent that sort of backroom dealmaking, giving each MLB team a level playing field. The field's not so level anymore if Seibu has agreed to give a particular team a kickback if they submit the high bid and finalize a contract.

[TradeAngelos]

Rosenthal is on MASN right now implying the same thing. He's assuming the Seibu Lions have done some behind the scenes shopping of Matsuzaka, to see who would realistically sign him. Then, behind the scenes, Rosenthal gives the scenario of a team paying $50 million up front, and Seibu sending them back $30 million after they close the deal with Matsuzaka.

I just heard Rosenthal as well and never realized all the details of the "rights" to him and the negotiations behind the scenes.

It just got me wondering,how many teams are going to pony up that kind of change to get him? Im sure I can think of 2,but if it is going to take 30 mill to get this guy on top of giving him some ridiculous Boras type deal,how many are REALLy in contention?

[srock]

Interesting. Why would Seibu be giving money back??? What's their motivation there?

Besides, I thought the whole blind bidding process was intended to circumvent that sort of backroom dealmaking, giving each MLB team a level playing field. The field's not so level anymore if Seibu has agreed to give a particular team a kickback if they submit the high bid and finalize a contract.

No contract means no sale. Motivation is to guarantee the sale occurs so Seibu can pocket all that cash. Since they have posted him they obviously want the money so it is in their best interest to make sure they get paid.

Backroom deals and MLB are a time honored tradition. Why wouldn't it occur in this situation.

[davearm]

No contract means no sale. Motivation is to guarantee the sale occurs so Seibu can pocket all that cash. Since they have posted him they obviously want the money so it is in their best interest to make sure they get paid.

Backroom deals and MLB are a time honored tradition. Why wouldn't it occur in this situation.

I have to think the other MLB teams, not to mention the commissioner's office, would be pretty vehemently opposed to this, and would raise heck if things went down this way.

Like I said, the whole point is to have this play out on a level playing field for all teams. Neither Seibu, nor Boras, nor Matsuzaka is supposed to have influence over who obtains the rights.

[TradeAngelos]

I have to think the other MLB teams, not to mention the commissioner's office, would be pretty vehemently opposed to this, and would raise heck if things went down this way.

Like I said, the whole point is to have this play out on a level playing field for all teams. Neither Seibu, nor Boras, nor Matsuzaka is supposed to have influence over who obtains the rights.

Rosenthal also mentioned that when Ichiro came here,the price was 13.1 million,and if MLb didnt step in then what power would they have to do so now?

Of course they are going to be against it,but what is going to stop a tam from doing a little side deal without anyone knowing??? Sure you can speculate that might have gone on,but you would have to prove it and even then is it against the rules,persay??

It is obvious that 25 teams are already mathematically limited from the sweepstakes,and with all this "the playing field is leveled with the new deal" talk it is clear that is BS.The field is only level for a handful of teams and noone else,and that wont change in my lifetime i would bet.

[crstrobel]

MLBTraderumors.com is reporting that according to Rotowire the O's are out of the bidding for him. Its down to 5 teams Yankees, Mets, Rangers, Cubs, and Red Sox.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/

[TonySoprano]

Tampering?

At least three teams have attempted under-the-table negotiations to obtain Japanese ace Daisuke Matsuzaka, a Japanese newspaper reported. Major League Baseball said yesterday that nothing has been brought to its attention.

Sankei Sports quoted an unnamed Seibu executive making the charge, and he refused to identify the teams. "It is tampering, so I refused to meet them," the executive said.

While the bidding process is sealed, a team could offer inducements other than cash if Seibu agreed to accept only part of the bid, allowing the team to make a larger bid to secure the right to sign Matsuzaka.

MLB, which reportedly sent out a memo to teams to warn them against tampering, said it is aware of such rumors and takes what safeguards it can against circumventing the system. And major-league teams would probably be eager to turn each other in if they had inklings of improprieties, which apparently has not happened in this case.

Source - N.J. Star-Ledger