Boston Set To Sign Junichi Tazawa

Everything we've seen, scouting reports and actual videos suggest hes more igawa than matsuzaka, good luck with that.

Wong, thats pretty ignorant.

For one thing, both of those players were considered ready to go in the majors.
Tazawa will spend time in the minors. The huge difference between Tazawa and Igawa is that the Yankees spent 26 million for his bid and 20 million on his total contract. The Red Sox, making a good investment, are spending a total of 3 million.

Low risk, high reward move for an international pitcher that could turn out to be a good back of the rotation starter.

Say you had enough game to get drafted in MLB rounds 25 or later, and some Japanese scout liked your curve and offered you a one or two year deal for a mill or so, wouldn't you sign?

"The huge difference between Tazawa and Igawa is that the Yankees spent 26 million for his bid and 20 million on his total contract. The Red Sox, making a good investment, are spending a total of 3 million."

The other huge difference between the two is that Igawa had professional success in Japan when he was signed, and has enjoyed very good numbers in AAA. Tazawa has accomplished neither.

That said, I agree that it's a low-risk, high-reward move for the Red Sox. I'm not sure where you got your $3M figure from, however, because reports suggest it will be higher.

Tex in Boston,

Fair enough, however, before you also make ignorant comments, please don't make assumptions on my allegences. I root for the Cubs, a team the Red Sox and Yankees definitely don't give money to.

This whole situation may actually force us to put something down on paper with the Japanese, to ensure neither side begins to bleed prospects.

Something along the lines of MLB/ Nippon only being able to pay X amount of money to an amateur on the other side for X years. That way, money is not the main incentive for someone to want to leave their native land.

How many of you think that Tazawa would be playing for Japan next year if he knew he could get the same money for the next 4 years as he could with an MLB team?

I just think that an amateur player should be able to play wherever they want, and try to get the most money that somebody is willing to pay them. Just like any other job.

He still hasn't declined the offer from the M's and the deal i heard Boston put was only around 3 mil not 6.

How many 22 year old kids in the minors don't have stamina problems? there is a reason for innings limits.

He goes to the minors, why people are treating him as anything but a good prospect is as perplexing as it is stupid.

Casanova Wong -- for 2 million bucks a year, who cares who he's like. Perfect risk vs reward in my opinion.

The Sox have a great track record with Japanese pitchers too--unlike the Yankees.

and i cant type today if u couldn't tell :-p

First off no one knows where tazawa stands. so making any judgement call at this point is just ignorant. Hes been clocked during games as throwing in the upper 80s to low 90's, but has been clocked i've heard as high as 97 on the gun. So, I myself before making any judgment calls will see what happens with him. There is very little available information at this point.

His offspeed supposedly also have VERY good movement contrary to what many of you are saying. His location is the issue with the offspeed pitches. Where these rumors came about his "spotty" fastball control came from i dunno cause I heard control was his specialty with the fastball and he could put it literally anywhere he wants it.

And I'm watching a video on youtube right now clocking him at 145-149kph which is 90-92mph. just an fyi. thats in a game. in that inning he struck out two and one ground out with one of the best curveballs i've seen in awhile. very nice 12/6 action.

O o and one more thing. Heres a funny little tidbit.

from rotoworld: "Some GM's including the Yankees' Brian Cashman, believe Japanese pitcher Junichi Tazawa should be considered off limits by MLB clubs."

So suddenly Mr. Cashman is "Mr. Ethical". I mean A-rod opting out in the middle of the world series... no response. Hank steinbrenner accused of MULTIPLE tampering allegations... no response. Has NO PROBLEM with the MLB allowing the Yankees 150 mil more than any other team in payroll some years, but Tazawa violating the conditions which were "ok'd" by the Nippon league is unethical. Why cant cashman and steinbrenner both just sit down and STFU cause they both make themselves look very foolish.

I am actually aware the game is different in Japan, but the point isn't.

Every kid in the minors would have the same stamina issues if they were subject to 150 pitches a game at age 22.

The RS or whomever signs the kid is not going to let that happen, he will become like all US players, and the stamina issues will disappear, especially over time as he gets used to a 5 day rotation like Matsuzaka who was far better in his second year.

so therefore good deal for the sox no?

I dont know how this is a new rumor. Wasnt there specualtion that he was going to sign with the Red Sox last week?

Hahaha steinbrenner called hideki irabu a fat toad, not jap. If he called someone a fat jap you would still be hearing about it today. And what exactly does igawas flameout have to do with the yankees reputation in Japan. Nice try at making two things connect that are unrelated. Last I remember the guy on all the billboards over there besides matsuzaka and ichiro was one hideki matsui.

You guys are crazy. Santana you think he will have a Matsuzaka type first season? Matsuzaka cost 50 mil just to talk to if you all have forgotten. He was a proven talent. This kid is a prospect. He has never even played in the Nippon. Anyone that thinks he starts any higher than Pawtucket is nuts. He may even start in AA ball. But with that being said, why not pick him up. This gentlemen's agreement thing is a load of bull. This is a business. If Japan thinks they can sign american prospects I say go for it. Either the prospects laughs in their face or goes to play there to develop a little and comes back. Who cares either way. This was Tazawa's choice to come here not Boston's so I see nothing wrong with Boston signing him. I say good pickup but let's all stop talking about him as a starter in the big game cuz he won't be here for a while if ever.

"If the Japanese teams really believed such a gentlemens agreement existed they would have drafted the guy?"

I think that's the biggest point. Had an NPB team drafted him then we're talking about questionable ethics. However since no Japanese team signed him no breach of any ethics has occurred.

Ultimately this signing is no different than drafting a college kid from a competitive division. Good experience, good stuff... but waaay too rough to start in the majors, this situation is far different than Matz. Odds are Matz and Okaji will be asked to mentor the kid during ST

Theo has been bitten a couple of times trying to rush kids to the majors: Meredith and Hansen. Tazawa will get an invite to ST to get a non-competitive taste of the majors, then he'll be shuttled off to Portland or Salem (new high A affiliate of the Sox) to be taught the finer points of baseball MLB style. If he progresses fast, maybe a few innings in September. But really no Sox fan should count on him in the majors for a year and a half.

OH, East Coast baseball...ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.

Obviously NPB thought there was a gentleman's agreement which is why they didn't draft him. They were hoping no mlb team would sign him so he would be forced to enter the NPB draft next year. The big problem is this now sets a dangerous precedent for japanese amateur talent to forgo their draft and come sign in America as free agents. Its no problem for MLb because now theres another source of young talent, but now NPB league could lose their future superstars.

Interesting to see now if the japanese catcher they signed over this past summer (name i forgot) who was having Visa problems arriving in the US to play will be allowed to come over and maybe he will be catching Tazawa at whatever level he is at, instead of maybe Exposito, or wagner the top sox catching prospects at A and AA levels.

The Sox have a former Japanese leage roving pitching instructor which should greatly help Tazawa also along the next year in the minors, so if he really does have anything to offer, the Sox organization should have about the best chance to get him along with fellow countrymen all along the way to the MLB level as pitching tudors and teammates.

Forgotten in all of theis regarding signing this talented japanese player, is that the current FA's from Japan mut play 9 years I believe before they are allowed to leave on they're own unless the team that owns their rights posts them to the highest bidder. Just how "free" is that to teams besides the Sox, yanks, Cubs etc??

Maybe if the Japanese teams would redo there own rules regarding FA's and players rights, signing these amateurs would not occure and they would not feel like being chained to 1 team for so long, or auctioned off like cattle to the highest bidder.

Yet one more reason we need an international draft.

My only area of concern is should American prospects start to sign with Japanese teams as "free agents" instead of drafted players, they could sign limited 1 year deals.

This is similar to the loophole that Boras exploited years back with Varitek/Drew by having them sign independent league contracts instead of playing for the teams that drafted them. By doing this, the players were free to negotiate with all teams instead of just the one that drafted them after their 1 year of independant league ball.

Lets not be so naive as to think top US prospects wouldn't jump ship and start signing 1 year deals abroad, thus making them paid professionals who could sign MLB contracts as "free agents" with any team after their 1 year of service in Japan.

I am all for all countries having an equal shot at all prospects; however I think the terms regarding Free Agency and contract lengths need to be established in unison in order to prevent problems.

I like this signing by Boston and hope both leagues work together to develop a system by which anyone, anywhere can draft any player. In the end, it should be up to the player which career path they want to take; assuming both leagues can get on board to make sure the path has the same inherent guidelines.

Hah! The filter will let you post "fat Jap", but not "fat pus_sy".

I really like this signing. The kid is definitely going to need time in the minors to develop, but he provides solid depth if the Red Sox want to trade away one of their young pitchers for a catcher. I'm not really counting on much from him this year, except outside of maybe a spot start or Sept. call-up, but I'd imagine he'll get a shot out of Spring Training next year to make the team (esp. if Wake hangs em up).