Comments on: Today in Matsuzaka land: an offer has been made…but is it good that we know? http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2006/11/28/today-in-matsuzaka-land-an-offer-has-been-madebut-is-it-good-that-we-know/ Media, Baseball, Boston, the Red Sox, Music, Literature, and Mnookins Mon, 13 Oct 2008 17:04:57 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: tinisoli http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2006/11/28/today-in-matsuzaka-land-an-offer-has-been-madebut-is-it-good-that-we-know/#comment-2397 tinisoli Tue, 28 Nov 2006 19:25:22 +0000 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2006/11/28/today-in-matsuzaka-land-an-offer-has-been-madebut-is-it-good-that-we-know/#comment-2397 Seems like they are negotiating in private; Lucchino is merely announcing that the Sox have made an offer and the ball is, for the moment, in Matsuzaka's corner. We don't have any details yet, right? The one thing I took as meaningful from Lucchino's statement was this: "We know it's been his dream to play in the major leagues and we are proud that he will live out his dream in Boston with the Boston Red Sox." This sentence to me brilliantly, gently, and firmly sums up the predicament Diasuke is in. If he wants to be in the majors next season, he has to sign with the Sox. If he refuses a contract offer most of Japan will think he's being greedy and/or cowardly. The Sox know this, Boras knows it, and it's probably going to work in the Sox favor. Luckily for us, Japan's values are not quite as entrenched in the bottom line, and pride is both a personal and a national force. The petulance and greed that are now par for the course in negotiating with MLB veterans (or first-round draft picks like J.D. Drew) are still anethema to Japanese players looking to leap across the Pacific to the Show. Maybe when his next contact comes around Daisuke will simply go to the highest bidder, but right now he runs the risk of losing face--the worst thing that can happen to someone in Japan--if he walks away from a deal that is, as Lucchino has framed it, "fair and comprehensive." Seems like they are negotiating in private; Lucchino is merely announcing that the Sox have made an offer and the ball is, for the moment, in Matsuzaka’s corner. We don’t have any details yet, right? The one thing I took as meaningful from Lucchino’s statement was this:

“We know it’s been his dream to play in the major leagues and we are proud that he will live out his dream in Boston with the Boston Red Sox.”

This sentence to me brilliantly, gently, and firmly sums up the predicament Diasuke is in. If he wants to be in the majors next season, he has to sign with the Sox. If he refuses a contract offer most of Japan will think he’s being greedy and/or cowardly. The Sox know this, Boras knows it, and it’s probably going to work in the Sox favor. Luckily for us, Japan’s values are not quite as entrenched in the bottom line, and pride is both a personal and a national force. The petulance and greed that are now par for the course in negotiating with MLB veterans (or first-round draft picks like J.D. Drew) are still anethema to Japanese players looking to leap across the Pacific to the Show. Maybe when his next contact comes around Daisuke will simply go to the highest bidder, but right now he runs the risk of losing face–the worst thing that can happen to someone in Japan–if he walks away from a deal that is, as Lucchino has framed it, “fair and comprehensive.”

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