Anyone else hoping Matsuzaka is a $100M bomb?

[rkmsuf]

Originally Posted by st.cronin

Boston baseball fans are way more passionate and knowledgeable than New York baseball fans. New York football fans are more passionate and knowledgeable than Boston football fans.

Boston is a nastier city, but has better colleges.

I call it a draw.

football is a lost cause as far as knowledgable fans around boston.

[Desnudo]

Originally Posted by st.cronin

This is just utter bullshit. I hate Boston as much as anybody, but the myth that it's some racist homogenous O'shantytown is just a lie.

Having grown up there, I respectfully disagree.

You basically have two classes: The "O'shantytown" and the college educated liberals, but not in my neighborhood, crowd.

Good Will Hunting pretty much hit the target.

[st.cronin]

Originally Posted by Desnudo

Having grown up there, I respectfully disagree.

You basically have two classes: The "O'shantytown" and the college educated liberals, but not in my neighborhood, crowd.

Good Will Hunting pretty much hit the target.

In terms of what you're talking about, It's no different from New York or Chicago. No different at all.

I've lived in all three towns.

[rkmsuf]

New Hampshire welcomes our neighbors from the East with open arms and an empty stomach. Allez! Cuisine!

[SirFozzie]

Got him!

They're flying back to Boston now to do the physical, no way that it would have happened unless they either are just wrapping up the details or have reached a basic agreement already

[SirFozzie]

Update: CNNSI is reporting that the deal is 6 years/52 million, with an escalator incentives to 6/60.

[Desnudo]

Originally Posted by st.cronin

In terms of what you're talking about, It's no different from New York or Chicago. No different at all.

I've lived in all three towns.

I think you have a much wider demographic in New York or Chicago due to population. They aren't really comparable cities. Boston is a mid-sized regiona capital, while NY and Chicago are metropolis'.

[Leonidas]

Originally Posted by molson

I don't see why that's so difficult for people to understand. The Red Sox ARE scrappy underdogs to the Yankees, the evil empire to everyone else.

HAHAHAHAHAHA! Scrappy underdogs? I'm an Indians fan, a team agonizing over whether spending $11M on David Delucci is the right move or could put the team financially under. That's a scrappy underdog compared with a team that puts up $50M just for the right to talk to a guy. Geeze, they put about as much cash up for negotiating rights as my team's entire player budget. Sorry, both of them are evil empires to everyone else (outside of LA who once was part of the evil empire themselves and aspires to it once again).

[molson]

Originally Posted by Leonidas

HAHAHAHAHAHA! Scrappy underdogs? I'm an Indians fan, a team agonizing over whether spending $11M on David Delucci is the right move or could put the team financially under. That's a scrappy underdog compared with a team that puts up $50M just for the right to talk to a guy. Geeze, they put about as much cash up for negotiating rights as my team's entire player budget. Sorry, both of them are evil empires to everyone else (outside of LA who once was part of the evil empire themselves and aspires to it once again).

If you could attempt to read what I wrote again, you'll see that I'm not disagreeing with you.

[ISiddiqui]

Yeah, it's called sarcasm .

[Galaril]

Originally Posted by rkmsuf

Red Sox fans are just stupid overall. Goes for most Boston pro sports fans. I'll give New Yorkers credit. Even if they are annoying they know their sports.

Listen to WEEI sometime if you are up around Boston. Will numb your brain.

Originally Posted by Desnudo

BTW, no one has brought up the fact that Boston, culturally speaking, is probably not going to work for this guy. To the Yankees, Seattle, SF, or LA within two years.

Originally Posted by molson

Did Boston College reject your application or something?

It's pretty amusing rooting for crappy Patriots and Red Sox teams my whole life, and then overnight I'm "stupid, arrogant, and obnoxious". I don't get it. I've never hated Yankee fans. They just got attached to a different team when they were going up. It reeks of jealousy.

And no one's saying Boston's small market - but the difference between the Red Sox's and Yankee's payroll is the same as the difference between the Red Sox and Pirates.

Originally Posted by st.cronin

Boston baseball fans are way more passionate and knowledgeable than New York baseball fans. New York football fans are more passionate and knowledgeable than Boston football fans.

Boston is a nastier city, but has better colleges.

I call it a draw.

Originally Posted by st.cronin

This is just utter bullshit. I hate Boston as much as anybody, but the myth that it's some racist homogenous O'shantytown is just a lie.

First off, RKMSF considering how many posts you have and know that there are a lot of longtime Boston area people on the board here it surprises me that you total shit evryone from the city of Boston with your narrowed minded post. .................. Oh, yeah congrats you are the first guy in four years on the board that makes my ignore list since I could care less what you have to say.

Desnudo, I have also heard that about this area . That it is not asian friendly but I disagree and my wife is asian. She might partly agree with what you mean but in my eyes she has done pretty well in spite of it.

Molson, I agree. His post had a very strong personal attack feel to it, like from someone who had a bad experience with a local here

I agree that fans here can be obnoxious and rude but no one can accuse them of being ignorant maybe homers/fanboys but not ignorant. That is a a generalization. And for the record I am not nor ever have been a Patriots fan, I am an old Oiler/Titans fan. So, I will agree that a lot of PATS fans are pompous and arrogant.

Also, I love WEEI especially the arguing. My wife can stand to listen to it.She always makes me put on my headphones to listen to it.

[wade moore]

Originally Posted by Galaril

First off, RKMSF considering how many posts you have and know that there are a lot of longtime Boston area people on the board here it surprises me that you total shit evryone from the city of Boston with your narrowed minded post. .................. Oh, yeah congrats you are the first guy in four years on the board that makes my ignore list since I could care less what you have to say.

You are aware that rkmsuf is a Boston fan, right? I'm 99% sure about that at least.

[RendeR]

I think was most people see in new England sports teams fans that they call ignorance is the utter and complete unwillingness of said fans to engage in any real debate. instead of using well made arguments most of said fans will resort to insults and even threats to feel superior to anyone else in a discussion/argument/debate*laff* of sports topics.

The "sports talk" on the radio stations in the Boston area is laughable, its more like a bunch of 5 yr olds talking smack to their friends from the other side of town than any real commentary on sports.

[Galaril]

Originally Posted by wade moore

You are aware that rkmsuf is a Boston fan, right? I'm 99% sure about that at least.

If that is true than I take it back.

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by RendeR

I think was most people see in new England sports teams fans that they call ignorance is the utter and complete unwillingness of said fans to engage in any real debate. instead of using well made arguments most of said fans will resort to insults and even threats to feel superior to anyone else in a discussion/argument/debate*laff* of sports topics.

Bingo. A friend of mine in the office pisses me off to no end by constantly repeating the mantra that the Patriots are going to win the Superbowl. That's fine by itself, but trying to debate him and talking about, oh, the San Diego Chargers or Baltimore Ravens, the answer is that I'm just not accepting the truth that the Patriots will win. No argument, no backing facts, just the same tired line over and over. At least try to make a counterpoint, ffs!

[bbgunn]

Anyway, back to the subject at hand...

I've seen Matsuzaka in plenty of games here, with his Seibu Lions routinely demolishing my beloved Orix Buffaloes, but I digress... He's one of the best in the world when he's on, but he was inconsistent this past season, one reason why Seibu put him up for posting, instead of letting him walk away for nothing as a free agent next year.

I'll go out on a limb and say he won't be worth much of the contract he's getting... not as a #1 starter, anyway.

[oykib]

Holy s#$%. There's another FOFCer in this town?!

In related note, reports are that Igawa signed for 5 years for $20 million.

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by bbgunn

Anyway, back to the subject at hand...

I've seen Matsuzaka in plenty of games here, with his Seibu Lions routinely demolishing my beloved Orix Buffaloes, but I digress... He's one of the best in the world when he's on, but he was inconsistent this past season, one reason why Seibu put him up for posting, instead of letting him walk away for nothing as a free agent next year.

I'll go out on a limb and say he won't be worth much of the contract he's getting... not as a #1 starter, anyway.

Interesting. My first thought was...how inconsistent can a guy with a 2.13 ERA be?...but then I thought of Dontrelle Willis. As good as Willis' numbers look, he's always good for 3 or 4 of those 3 IP, 7 ER games a year and I'd never trust him in a big game (one of the many reasons why the Marlins are crazy for not trading him this offseason). So this guy might be a Japanese Dontrelle Willis in a foreign land with a big market team whose fans actually care. Hmmm.....

[rkmsuf]

Originally Posted by Galaril

Also, I love WEEI especially the arguing. My wife can stand to listen to it.She always makes me put on my headphones to listen to it.

That pretty much says it all.

[rkmsuf]

Originally Posted by wade moore

You are aware that rkmsuf is a Boston fan, right? I'm 99% sure about that at least.

that is correct

[wade moore]

Originally Posted by rkmsuf

that is correct

Quoted incase Galaril still has you on ignore ...

I think admitting that many of your fellow fans are idiot is a good step to not being an idiot-fan yourself ...

[albionmoonlight]

So that's two people in one week now with rkmsuf on ignore: Galaril and Chuck Nevitt.

[rkmsuf]

Originally Posted by wade moore

Quoted incase Galaril still has you on ignore ...

I think admitting that many of your fellow fans are idiot is a good step to not being an idiot-fan yourself ...

RendeR nailed it but I guess it's possible I'm an idiot even if it's a remote one.

[bbgunn]

Originally Posted by oykib

Holy s#$%. There's another FOFCer in this town?!

In related note, reports are that Igawa signed for 5 years for $20 million.

Wow, and I thought I was the only one. Osaka is in the house, believe it or not FOFCers!!!

You can (almost) put money on this: if the reports are true, Igawa will be at least as good as Matsuzaka, if not better, in the majors.

[stevew]

I know someone else from Japan and he also seemed to think that Igawa was going to be a very good pitcher in MLB. We'll see.

[DaddyTorgo]

for the non-haters out there in Dice-K land

http://nichibeiredsox.blogspot.com/

retranslation of the press conference

[Galaril]

So I was going back looking for an old thread of mine and saw this one from a few years back. I wonder how many Boston fans would like for the Red Sox to have that 100 million back now to of spent on guys like Texiera or Halladay to name a few.

[Logan]

Wondering what kind of ROI they got on that money in terms of Japanese revenue.

[Galaril]

Originally Posted by Logan

Wondering what kind of ROI they got on that money in terms of Japanese revenue.

Good point. I am sure Henry the owner made out on that deal 5 fold. But us fans sure come out lossing.

[gstelmack]

Wasn't he a reasonable part of the last World Series run though? Or am I foggy on history? Sure of late he hasn't done much, but then again neither has any Red Sox pitcher not named Papelbon or Beckett.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by gstelmack

Wasn't he a reasonable part of the last World Series run though? Or am I foggy on history? Sure of late he hasn't done much, but then again neither has any Red Sox pitcher not named Papelbon or Beckett.

Yeah, 2007 World Series. Investment good.

[Galaril]

Originally Posted by gstelmack

Wasn't he a reasonable part of the last World Series run though? Or am I foggy on history? Sure of late he hasn't done much, but then again neither has any Red Sox pitcher not named Papelbon or Beckett.

Sure that is a decent argument but not a 100 million dollar one. Also, I did not equate the 2007 championship with Dice-K's pitching as much as a bunch of guys swing the sticks well and of course the Rockies collapse in the series. I mean that year the guy was 15-12 with a 4.40 ERA not exactly Cy Young there.
And while we are talking about stats his "career" numbers with thew Sox in three years:

W:34 L:20 ERA:4.11

[DaddyTorgo]

problem is the same as i thought it was going to be from day 1 - he didn't adapt the way he pitches - he throws too many pitches and tries to nibble too much

[RainMaker]

It's kind of weird how all the Japanese players flame out in a couple years.

[stevew]

Too bad Ichiro didn't come over here when he was younger.

[kcchief19]

Yeah, Ichiro flamed out, didn't he?

Between here and Japan the guy already has 3,200 career hits. He's only 35 and clearly has a few more good years in him. He's going to hit 2,000 hits over here by the end of the season.

I'm not ruling out that he plays five more years and plays well enough to get to 3,000 here. It seems unlikely but it's possible. Regardless, if Ichiro doesn't play another game, I'd put him in the HOF.

[sterlingice]

I think I'm in the minority but I definitely would have him in the Hall of Fame even if he retired after this season with just 2000 hits. He's a career .333 hitter, 2000 hits, All Star all 9 years, 8 gold gloves, 1 ROY, and 1 MVP.

EDIT: kcchief19 stole my thunder

SI

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by gstelmack

Wasn't he a reasonable part of the last World Series run though? Or am I foggy on history? Sure of late he hasn't done much, but then again neither has any Red Sox pitcher not named Papelbon or Beckett.

As pointed out, a bit foggy . 15-12 with a 4.40 ERA and a 108 ERA+. It was 2008 when he seemed like the pitcher the Red Sox spent $100 million on. 18-3 with a 2.90 ERA, and a 159 ERA+. Of course then he got all injured and stuff this year.

[ISiddiqui]

Oh, and Ichiro is likely going in regardless due to the cultural impact of the first Asian position player to really succeed.

The issue with Ichiro for me is that while he hits very well, he doesn't walk much on top of that (career OBP of .378 which is good, but not great - it is about the same as Jorge Posada's, but Posada has much more power) and hits with little power. His career OPS+ is 118.

Of course he does play very good defense and his baserunning helps a bit too.

[PilotMan]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

Oh, and Ichiro is likely going in regardless due to the cultural impact of the first Asian position player to really succeed.

Chan....Ho....Park

Not stellar, but I wouldn't call 16 seasons a failure.

[Danny]

Notice he said position player

[SackAttack]

Originally Posted by PilotMan

Chan....Ho....Park

Not stellar, but I wouldn't call 16 seasons a failure.

In three of those seasons, he has a combined 12 innings pitched.

He might have pitched IN 16 seasons, but he sure as shit didn't pitch 16 seasons.

Of the other 13, five of 'em had ERAs over 5.00.

Basically, once he left LA, he sucked, and he kept getting extra chances because, c'mon - he won 18 games with an ERA in the 3.00s for the Dodgers! He must be pretty good!

If only it had been the Giants trotting him out there every 5th day after he left LA. I'd have laughed.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by Galaril

Desnudo, I have also heard that about this area . That it is not asian friendly but I disagree and my wife is asian. She might partly agree with what you mean but in my eyes she has done pretty well in spite of it.

3 years too late, but really? Boston is anti-Asian? I fully admit that I tend to run with a younger, probably more-college educated crowd, but if anything Asian girls are strongly encouraged.

Originally Posted by RendeR

I think was most people see in new England sports teams fans that they call ignorance is the utter and complete unwillingness of said fans to engage in any real debate. instead of using well made arguments most of said fans will resort to insults and even threats to feel superior to anyone else in a discussion/argument/debate*laff* of sports topics.

The "sports talk" on the radio stations in the Boston area is laughable, its more like a bunch of 5 yr olds talking smack to their friends from the other side of town than any real commentary on sports.

Are there other towns where sports talk radio is filled with insightful fans? Probably - the ones where the team has been terrible for 10+ years. An unfortunate side effect of winning is idiots rooting for your team. I don't think Boston is any worse in this regard than any other successful city.

Originally Posted by Galaril

So I was going back looking for an old thread of mine and saw this one from a few years back. I wonder how many Boston fans would like for the Red Sox to have that 100 million back now to of spent on guys like Texiera or Halladay to name a few.

I don't think it would have affected our pursuit of Teixeira. The RS FO seems to set a number and stick to it, even when going $20m higher and outbidding the Yankees for an impact player like Teixeira is possibly smarter in the long run.

Originally Posted by gstelmack

Wasn't he a reasonable part of the last World Series run though? Or am I foggy on history? Sure of late he hasn't done much, but then again neither has any Red Sox pitcher not named Papelbon or Beckett.

Jon Lester says hi.

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by Danny

Notice he said position player

Yep. There was this idea that while an Asian pitcher could succeed, Asian position players weren't there yet. Ichiro showed that wasn't the case. Then Hideki Matsui came over and showed that Asian position players could hit for power as well (which was the knock on them after Ichiro came over).

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by PilotMan

Chan....Ho....Park

Not stellar, but I wouldn't call 16 seasons a failure.

Haven't you read the thread titles? He sucks

SI

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

Are there other towns where sports talk radio is filled with insightful fans? Probably - the ones where the team has been terrible for 10+ years.

"Just one brave Gator fan to call.
Where are the Gator fans now?
All you Gator fans call when you win.
But now that you lose, you don't have the guts to call in.
I'm waiting for one, just one..."
"What the hell are Gators?"
"Football -- college."
"-- morons."
"-- mm-hmm."
"I'm a Gator fan, and I'm calling."
"And what do you have to say?"
"Well, you said we don't have the guts to call, and I'm calling."
"That's it? You're calling to say you're calling?"
"This town gives me a headache."

SI