Epstein Knocks Out Boras;
No 'Fort Knox' for Dice-K

Sox Roll the Dice, Come Up With Daisuke at Good Price

Edes: Matsuzaka-san Agrees to Terms on $52M, 6-Year Deal
Cafardo: Decision Goes to Sox

"If they were fleeced by Scott Boras in giving J.D. Drew a five-year, $70 million deal with no other teams bidding, the Red Sox have evened the score with Daisuke Matsuzaka." -- 12.14.06, Nick Cafardo, Boston Globe

Gammons: Sox Get Matsuzaka Their Way

"Boras argued that the posting price was part of the negotiations and therefore Matsuzaka should get more in his contract, but it didn't work. Seibu's fiscal problems demanded immediate cash; the Japanese team could hold Matsuzaka to a minimal contract if he didn't go to the Red Sox and provide the $51.1M -- and it could send him to the minors for a couple of weeks and make him wait until after the 2008 season to be a free agent." -- 12.13.06, Peter Gammons, ESPN.com Insider Blog (subscription)

Valentine Has His Say

"The danger that Matsuzaka faces, that if catcher Jason Varitek sees he throws the ball 95 mph, then he'll [Varitek] think we have to keep throwing this fastball until we're ahead in the count and then we'll throw a breaking ball; or if we're behind the count, we have to throw a fastball because of his 95 mph speed...if he(Daisuke) falls into the trap of following a catcher that doesn't call his strengths, I think he can fall into trouble...

"The Red Sox have to realize that he can throw it 95, but he doesn't have to because he has these other pitches that he can throw over any time in the count which makes him special, but if the Red Sox try to make him ordinary and eliminate pitches; throw just three pitches; throw your fastball when you're behind in the count and pitch outside; this 'American-menatlity' of machoism...he can fall into a deep hole...." -- 12.14.06, Bobby Valentine, Baseball This Morning, XM Radio 175

Herald: Lions Considered Sending Dice-K to Minors
Mnookin: What a Bargain!
Rosenthal: Sox Didn't Rule Out Moving Beckett at Winter Meetings