The Cleveland Indians have signed former Red Sox and (two time MVP of the World Baseball Classic!!) Daisuke Matsuzaka or “Dice-K”. CBS’s Jon Heyman’s reports that deal could worth as much as $4 million.
Dice-K agrees to #indians deal
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) February 10, 2013
Dice-K has chance to make $4M w/ #indians deal. #gyroball
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) February 10, 2013
And the PlainDealer’s Paul Hoynes reported that his base salary would be $1.6 million.
Daisuke Matsuzaka will make $1.5 million in base salary if he passes physical and makes team. #Indians.
— paul hoynes (@hoynsie) February 10, 2013
Like Jason Giambi, signing the 32 year old Matsuzaka is another low-risk, high-reward move. After having Tommy John surgery in 2011, Dice-K was just 1-7 with an 8.28 ERA for the Red Sox in 2012, giving up 11 HRs in just 45 innings.
Known for his “gyroball“, in 2006, the Red Sox paid $51 million just for the rights to negotiate with Matsuzaka and then proceeded to sign him for another $52 million. Dice-K went 50-7 in his six years in Boston, with an ERA of 4.52 and posting a 1.418 WHIP.
I wonder how much new manager Terry Francona had to do with this signing. Francona has talked in the past at how he’s happy to be out of the crucible that is Boston Sports. Assuming he’s healthy, I bet pitching in a no-pressure situation in Cleveland would be good for Matsuzaka (not to mention not having to live up to the expectations come with a $100 million contract).
[Related: Hafner Heads East. PEACE]
