Nikkansports.com has reported that Junichi Tazawa has settled on the Red Sox and will officially sign with them in early December. “They want me to come over, and I understand how I can develop. I feel like it’s a good team,” Tazawa told Nikkan Sports.
The contract is for three years. Tazawa will earn $1 million a year and start off in Double-A. He will remain a starter, be assigned a translator and will have a major league contract.
This would presumably mean the Sox control Tazawa for six years (and can renew/send to arbitration), but that information has yet to be made public. Due to it being a major league contract, the option years on Tazawa will expire at the end of his contract.
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Off the top of my head, this sounds similar to the contract the Red Sox had given Craig Hansen out of St. Johns. I see this as low risk/high reward.
Wait… The Sox gave Hansen $3 million??
Here’s what I was able to find on Hansen:
“signed 4-year deal worth 4M thru 2008 on 7/25/05- + he receives 1.325M signing bonus and salaries of 575K in 2005 and then 700K each year in 2006, 2007 and 2008- + signing bonus is paid in installments of $441,667 within 15 days of the contract being approved, $441,667 on Jan. 15, 2006 and $441,666 on Aug. 15, 2006″
Yeah, that sounds about right for Hansen. Remember, at the time he was considered the top overall pitching prospect in that draft. For what its worth, the Red Sox’s evaluation of him was no different than anyone else.
If the Tazawa signing is true, I think this is a great signing for the Red Sox. Getting a top Japanese prospect without the Japanese league’s wear and tear on his arm is huge. If this is the contract as well it shows how having Dice-K and Okajima makes things cheaper for the Red Sox since Tazawa had larger offers elsewhere.
Best news I’ve heard all day.
Great news. Tazawa was a must-sign for me. As Tim has said, is a low risk/HIGH reward move for us. And, more importantly, it’s a move in the right direction: reinforce the pitching. With this move, we are not only adding pitching depth, but increasing the flexibility we need to make necessary trades.
Have signed and will sign are two different things…
In fact, I am surprised for for the low cost of the contract. I was expecting to pay much more. This kid seems to have taken a substancial paycut to sign with Boston.
Welcome to Boston (Portland), Tazawa-kun.
Voice of Reason is right…I wouldn’t consider this done until the ink is dry. It sounds likely but I’ve also hear he has met with the Rangers and they offered ore money and the sources being cited since this Tazawa frenzy has started seem a little dubious…a lot of conflicting information. Either way, if it is true good addition at that price. I would like to add him but I’m tepid in my enthusiasm…you have to remember that Dice-K was dominant in the professional leagues over there and his transition has been good but not necessarily easy. Tazawa was pitching in a in an independent league and while he was slated to be a first round pick in their professional league he has not accomplished nearly as much. That coupled with the fact his fastball is much more 89-93 then mid nineties from most reports makes me hope people realize that this guy will need time if ever makes it. His curve and splitter are both nice looking pitches but the fastball is straight and a little above avg by mlb standards. Either way, if true…nice addition at that price although I probably would have just as easily preferred spending the money on Michael Inoa (generational talent) or signing Alex Meyer (further away but higher ceiling).
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D94L7LE81&show_article=1
here is a link from this morning that sort of makes it sound like it is not necessarily a done deal…again, who knows with all these sources reporting different information.
It is unprecedented for the Red Sox to sign someone from Japan when they are not a proven commodity overseas before moving here to North America. Who knows how this will pan out. Maybe he will be a bust or maybe he’ll be the next Matt Garza – no one knows yet, my thoughts http://jib-sports-culture.blogspot.com/2008/11/is-junichi-tazawa-worth-6-million.html
Coco-RRam, Tazawa, Tek . . . when the Sox get moving they really scoot. What next? Kawakami? Penny? Shoppach? Baldelli? I hope so, and IMO, that’s all that’s needed to get back to the WS. Teix as frosting on the cake? I think it will all be done in a month.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/hotstove08/news/story?id=3717007&campaign=rss&source=MLBHeadlines
Here is the article from Jim Allen if anyone missed it…a couple of scouts review Tazawa with less then glowing reports. If it is truly 3 years/3 mil I like it anyways…while they say he is mostly 88-90 I’ve heard and seen enough 91-93 with nice looking off-speed stuff.
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