"It is hard, if not harsh, to assign the label "worst contract'' or even "really bad contract'' to a pitcher who has a 46-29 record in four-plus seasons.

But if the Red Sox could have a do-over with Daisuke Matsuzaka, would they? Of course they would, though nobody in the organization is willing to say it in on the record with the pitcher still in their employ.

The killer in the 2006 deal was the $51 million posting fee, which was basically the cost of doing business. Without putting that up, the Sox couldn't have negotiated a six-year, $52 million deal with the pitcher's agent, Scott Boras, who has hypnotized many a general manager into signing a contract he probably regretted."