Sox officially sign Junichi Tazawa
by Randy Booth on Dec 4, 2008 4:19 PM EST
in News
18 comments
With the second biggest splash of the offseason so far, the Red Sox have announced the signing of Junichi Tazawa:
The Red Sox have formally announced the signing of Japanese righthander Junichi Tazawa
The 22-year-old Tazawa reached an agreement with the Sox on a three-year contract earlier this week, and the Globe's Amalie Benjamin and Tony Massarotti have learned that the the total value of the contract is $3.3 million.
Tazawa will receive a $1.8 million bonus, with salaries of $450,000 in 2009, $500,000 in '10, and $550,000 in '11. The Sox retain his rights as a pre-arbitration eligible or arbitration eligible player until 2014.
With Tazawa being 22 and starting in Double-A, we have to consider him a prospect. How does this change the Red Sox rankings? I could see Tazawa sliding into the No. 3 spot potentially, behind two of my favorite prospects, Lars Anderson and Michael Bowden.
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still want to go with at least Bard and Reddick ahead of Tazawa, in addition to the two you named.
"Are you a real doctor, or a doctor like Dr. Pepper is a doctor?"
by Allen Chace on Dec 4, 2008 4:28 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
SoxProspects has him at 7th, behind the above mentioned players, and also Almanzar and Kelly.
Clutch: A measurement of how much better or worse a player does in high leverage situations than he would have done in a context neutral environment. http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/glossary/
by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Dec 4, 2008 4:31 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Interesting. I’ve heard a lot about him being MUCH better than AA talent. I heard he could be on the rotation in ‘09 (don’t know where I read that…)
by Randy Booth on Dec 4, 2008 4:41 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Well, would you rather him spend a week or two in AA dominating, having us miss out on him...
Or start him at the Major League level, and then have him explode?
Clutch: A measurement of how much better or worse a player does in high leverage situations than he would have done in a context neutral environment. http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/glossary/
by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Dec 4, 2008 4:44 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I’m not saying throw him out there Opening Day. I’ve just heard that he’s good enough to be in the bigs THIS YEAR if the Sox need him…
by Randy Booth on Dec 4, 2008 4:46 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Alright.
I misinterpreted your statement. My bad. Maybe he is, but that list is based on potential.
Clutch: A measurement of how much better or worse a player does in high leverage situations than he would have done in a context neutral environment. http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/glossary/
by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Dec 4, 2008 5:08 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Even if he is
Given the state of the Sox pitching-wise, the most aggressive the Sox might be is to give him a look in the bullpen in August/September. I can’t imagine anything earlier than that, and they’ll probably wait until 2010 unless he gives them no choice based on performance.
"Are you a real doctor, or a doctor like Dr. Pepper is a doctor?"
by Allen Chace on Dec 4, 2008 6:08 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I can’t imagine anything more than that, either. They’re going to take their time with this kid and not blow it.
Don’t kill the messenger ;-)
by Randy Booth on Dec 4, 2008 7:26 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
No killing.
I’m as excited as you. It’s a good risk for us to take, with the potential for high rewards and a very reasonable contract PLUS club control for a few years after this contract runs it course.
"Are you a real doctor, or a doctor like Dr. Pepper is a doctor?"
by Allen Chace on Dec 4, 2008 7:36 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
And by this I mean.
I realized that you said you’d seen reports.
I think there’s enough conflict in the reports to tell us that after Beckett, Lester, Daisuke, and Wake + ?, Buch, Bowden, Masterson (maybe), and possibly Hansack and/or Zink should still get 1st-5th cracks at a starter position if the ? falls or someone else is hurt.
"Are you a real doctor, or a doctor like Dr. Pepper is a doctor?"
by Allen Chace on Dec 4, 2008 7:40 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Some Japanese
NPB scouts have him as a tweener A-AA. He played in the industrial league which is a minor league system with over 250 ball teams. Matsui stated that comparing the minor league system of NPB and MLB is impossible. So chances are we really do not know his level just yet.
by SoxAcumen on Dec 4, 2008 8:37 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I doubt he is even close to League ready...
You can tell by the money is making. Imagine what Dice-K would have made had he been a true FA like this kid. Probably $100mil. I mean Kei Igawa got $20mil and he also wasn’t a FA. Tazawa is getting a lot less than the top picks in the draft (who also aren’t FA’s). His deal is fairly similar to Craig Hansen’s, IIRC. I don’t think we should have our expectations too high. He is equivalent to a good prospect, but no where near Bucholz (before last season), or Lester when he was coming up.
by BTLove on Dec 4, 2008 7:52 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
I'll paste what I wrote on the other Tazawa thread.
“The ultimate low-risk, high reward. Worst-case scenario, we loose $1MM a year for three years and Tazawa is a mediocre AA pitcher. Best-case scenario, Tazawa impresses in the minors, makes some spot starts for the Sox in August , and is part of our rotation in 2010 or 2011. Great signing.”
To be realistic, I think he will spend the year in AA and maybe make some BP appearances for the big club in Aug/Sept. In 2010, they will give him a spot start or two in the majors but otherwise just keep him between AA and AAA. Depending on how he performs, he could probably be ML ready in 2011, and be a reliever who makes starts when somebody in our rotation can’t pitch that day.
by Schulz on Dec 4, 2008 8:59 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Good move by Theo
Even if he only turns out to be a reliever, it’s still a low risk, potentially high reward situation.
Mother---- him and John Wayne!
by MerryGoByeBye on Dec 5, 2008 6:37 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
something not too stupid from Tony Massarotti...
he saidi:
“If and when the Red Sox sign a prominent free agent this offseason — Mark Teixeira, anyone? - that maneuver would require the Sox to forfeit a first-round selection in next year’s amateur draft. And so here comes Tazawa, a talented young man whom Sox officials privately have compared to a mid or high-first-round selection.”
Though probably not a mid- to high-level 1st round pick, Tazawa’s certainly comparable in terms of possible risks and rewards to a recent college graduate in the 1st or 2nd round. What makes Massarotti’s case most compelling are the numbers: the 3.3 million that Tazawa got himself is in line with the 4 million that 1st overall selection Pedro Alvarez got in 2008, and it would come as no surprise if those were the numbers used as a starting point during negotiations. The fact that we’re paying Tazawa less than Alvarez (and a year later, as well) probably says more about the short length of the contract than our assessment of his talent.
Does signing Tazawa ensure a Teixeira acquisition? Of course not. But it displays intelligence and planning, as well as a willingness by the Red Sox front office to hedge their bets.
Straight outta HP. Go MDC!!!
http://soxcentury.blogspot.com
by alfonzo on Dec 5, 2008 11:33 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
There’s also the intangible aspect of this: Strengthening our Japanese relations. I think Yahoo.com claimed that The Braves actually offered more but Tazawa preferred the Red Sox because Dice-K pitched with us. Looks like we are quickly become a preferred landing spot for Japanese players, and this only helps move that along
by Realistic on Dec 5, 2008 12:17 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Yep..
Braves offered him like 6 million I believe over 3 years but because of our Japanese players, he chose us. I was kind of shocked he had to put in no thought between our offer and the Mariners offer (I believe they made an offer aswell).
by Charged on Dec 5, 2008 3:08 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
U Tube of Tazawa
I found this video of Tazawa pitching in Japan. I like the 2 seamer and the splitter thing. He does seem a little stiff, but i am sure these things will be ironed out in the minors.
by SoxAcumen on Dec 5, 2008 4:35 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
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