Daisuke Matsuzaka

The Red Sox have nine days and counting to agree to terms on a contract with Japanese pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka and his agent, the evil Scott Boras. The Red Sox, who paid $51.1-million just for the right to negotiate with Matsuzaka, are reportedly offering 4-years/$8-million-per-year while the Boras/Matsuzaka camp is looking more for 4-years/$15-million-per-year. Combining the $51.1-million "posting fee" the total Red Sox bid is worth roughly $83-million over the four years to the Sox while the Boras offer is worth roughly $111-million. And as much as I hate to say so, the Red Sox need to start getting closer to the Boras number. The reason being, have you seen the money that free agent starters are getting this winter? Vicente Padilla, a mediocre-to-average pitcher with both the Phillies and Rangers just resigned with Texas for 3-years and $34-million. Gil Meche and Ted Lilly are looking at getting $10-million-per-year for 4-years. Barry Zito will probably ink a contract (along with his agent ... Boras) for 6-years and $90-100-million. Pitching ain't cheap. And that's why the Sox need to pay Matsuzaka. If Theo and the Front Office think he's worth the $51.1-million posting fee, than they must be confident to pay him market value. If they have to go up to $13-14-million-per-year than so be it. In other Sox news... I really hope they avoid paying Julio Lugo the 4-years/$36-40-million he is seeking to play shortstop. I just don't believe he has that sort of value. I would rather see the Sox platoon Alex Cora and Dustin Pedroia at short, find a secondbaseman (too bad Mark Loretta seems to be off the market), and invest in pitching. They need a closer, another set-up man, and cash to get Matsuzaka... As for J.D. Drew, I'm not sold on this guy. No matter what Curt Schilling, Grady Little, and the Stat Boys tell us, Drew is what he is ... a very talented player who has not been able to stay healthy in his career. Maybe that's behind, maybe it's not -- but as a successful Texas football coach once told us, "You are who you are." And to boot, it seems he could be replacing Manny Ramirez in the lineup. Manny isn't perfect but he is a Hall-of-Fame slugger who has produced more good at the plate than negatives off the field. Now, in a perfect world, Drew will come here and be healthy and will bat behind Big Papi and Manny in the Sox lineup... Keep Manny! He does nothing but hit and the headaches he generates in the clubhouse will seem like a yawn compared to the problems that will come from David Ortiz getting walked 175-times in 2007... The Yankees are being suspiciously quiet. Could Cashman secretly be working on an A-Rod trade? Doubtful, but interesting...