Six Years 52Million?

Sold Yourself Short, Dice-K

Daisuke Matsuzaka agreed to terms with the Bosox for 6 years and $52m. I'm shocked at how low that number is. He must have told Boras to STFU and rushed to sign the paper.

Daisuke Matsuzaka has reached a deal with the Boston Red Sox for six years, $52 million, a source close to the negotiations has told SI.com. The deal contains escalator clauses that could bring it up to $60 million.

The clauses are similar to the ones in the contract of Josh Beckett, another starting Red Sox pitcher, a person connected to the team said.

Matsuzaka and the Red Sox came to an agreement shortly before both sides boarded a private jet out of Orange County, Calif., around 9 a.m. PST on Wednesday. Matsuzaka is to take a physical shortly after landing in Boston.

The deadline to sign Matsuzaka, the most heralded pitcher in the Japan League, was midnight Thursday. But the sides rushed to finish the deal by early Wednesday so there'd be time to conduct a physical and to get the blood work back.

When Matsuzaka, agent Scott Boras and Red Sox officials all boarded the plane, speculation was high that a deal was at hand after very difficult negotiations over 29 days. "They all took off together,'' Red Sox owner John Henry wrote to the AP in an email. "Assume a deal is done or close.''

SI.com confirmed a deal had, in fact, been struck for the righthanded superstar who was 108-60 in his career with the Seibu Lions and MVP of the inaugural World Baseball Classic, won by Japan, this past spring.

Sort of dissappointed that Boras couldn't gouge more, but it probably means Igawa is going to come cheaply too.
God, what is the world coming to? :)