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Daisuke Matsuzaka News & Rumors

Dice-K: Rehab going well
July 16
Boston Herald
 
"The only member of the Red Sox rotation that definitely won't pitch again this season showed up to catch a ballgame anyway yesterday. Daisuke Matsuzaka drove two-plus hours from his summer home in Fort Myers to visit with his teammates and have trainer Mike Reinold examine his right elbow, on which he had Tommy John surgery June 10. Matsuzaka is expected to be out until the middle of next season at the earliest, but he voiced optimism about his progress thus far. "According to (my physical therapy), it's going really well, as far as (my) range of motion," Matsuzaka said through an interpreter before last night's game against the Rays. "(Red Sox right-hander Junichi Tazawa) did the same"
Daisuke Matsuzaka has surgery
June 11
ESPN.com
 
"Boston Red Sox pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka underwent Tommy John surgery Friday in Los Angeles. The surgery was performed by specialist Dr. Lewis Yocum. "Dr. Yocum said he was real pleased with how it went," manager Terry Francona said. "(Matsuzaka's) got another appointment with Dr. Yocum in 10 days and, after that, we'll see if he can start doing some things to get started on his journey back.""
Forecast for Dice-K looks cloudy
June 6
Boston Herald
 
"Five years ago, Daisuke Matsuzaka joined the Red Sox with all the ballyhoo and pomp of an international superstar. Now, as he prepares to leave the team, all that remains is uncertainty. Matsuzaka will have surgery this week in Los Angeles to repair the torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. The procedure will require a recovery of 12-15 months, casting doubt on his future with the Red Sox. And yesterday, as he made his first public comments since opting for surgery, the right-hander confessed he feels "a little bit of anxiety." "It's my first time to get an operation," Matsuzaka said through a translator, "and all I can say is I'm very shocked when it comes to these results.""
For Matsuzaka, the end comes quietly
June 5
Boston Globe
 
"There were several hundred reporters and dozens of television cameras at Fenway Park in 2006 when Daisuke Matsuzaka was introduced to Boston. His arrival from Japan was one of the biggest baseball events of the year. Matsuzaka even took the field on a cold day and threw a pitch to John Henry as agent Scott Boras looked on nodding in approval. At 11:45 a.m. today, Matsuzaka stood in the middle of the Red Sox clubhouse and spoke to eight reporters about the reconstructive elbow surgery that could well end his career with the team after five largely disappointing seasons. Teammates passed by without glancing up. No team executives were present."
Matsuzaka surgery set
June 4
Boston Globe
 
"Daisuke Matsuzaka arrived at Fenway Park yesterday and tried to go about his business as usual. He stretched on the field. Then he played catch with interpreter Kenta Yamada, tossing the ball softly. When the Red Sox took batting practice, Matsuzaka stood out in center field — by himself — and shagged flies, gingerly tossing the balls back to a collection point behind second base. Nothing strenuous. Nothing out of the ordinary. Although he faces season-ending Tommy John surgery on his right elbow, Matsuzaka comported himself before last night's game against the Oakland A's as though everything was status quo, when the truth was it was anything but. On Thursday, the team's offday, Matsuzaka"
Medical updates on Hill, Matsuzaka
June 3
Boston Globe
 
"Lefthanded reliever Rich Hill, who left yesterday's game clutching his arm, has a serious injury according to a major league source and is likely to require season-ending surgery. Hill and the Red Sox will seek a second opinion, but the MRI taken yesterday confirmed what seemed obvious as he walked off the mound. It is devastating news for Hill, a Milton native who underwent shoulder surgery in 2009 and resurrected his career as a sidearm reliever. Hill had appeared in nine games this season and not allowed a run in eight innings. He gave up only three hits, walked three and struck out 12. With Hill out, the Red Sox do not have a lefty reliever. They could remedy that before tomorrow"
As Daisuke Matsuzaka exits, what options do the Red Sox have to replace him?
June 3
Boston Globe
 
"It's all over but the press release when it comes to Daisuke Matsuzaka. The Red Sox will issue a statement saying something and eventually the righthander will get Tommy John surgery. Whether it's tomorrow or next month doesn't much matter. The odds of his pitching again for the Red Sox this season are pretty much zero. At this point, rehashing all things Dice-K is pointless. He was a good solid starter for two years, borderline useless for two years and now he's hurt. Good luck to him. Enjoy the insurance money, John Henry. A better question is how do the Red Sox fill the hole in their rotation. Let's look at the options: Tim Wakefield: Wake is like baseball's version of Jason Voorhees."
Matsuzaka to have surgery
June 3
Boston Globe
 
"Daisuke Matsuzaka has thrown his last pitch for the Red Sox this season. Perhaps forever. Multiple major league sources said yesterday that the righthander has decided to undergo reconstructive surgery on his elbow, a decision that could bring to an end his tumultuous career in Boston. The Red Sox plan to review the matter one more time with the doctors involved before giving their approval. But Matsuzaka already has tentative plans to travel to California next week for the surgery, which will be performed by Dr. Lewis Yocum. Matsuzaka has a torn ulnar collateral ligament and will undergo what is known as Tommy John surgery. In what has become a common procedure in baseball, a tendon taken"
Shrugging off Dice-K
June 3
Boston Herald
 columnist John Tomase
"So this is how it ends with Daisuke Matsuzaka, first on the other side of the world, and then the other side of the country, deciding his future while the Red Sox sit in the dark. The communication breakdowns that defined Matsuzaka's five seasons here as much as anything he did on the field fittingly carried through his presumptive final moments in a Red Sox uniform. The sides met yesterday to discuss his elbow, but really, what was there to decide? Matsuzaka already knew he wanted to have Tommy John tendon transplant surgery and if we've learned anything since he arrived in 2007, it's that he can be pretty stubborn when it comes to getting his way. That he's probably right in this case —"
Tommy John surgery expected for Daisuke Matsuzaka
June 3
Boston Herald
 
"Although a final decision won't be made until later today, the Red Sox are bracing for Daisuke Matsuzaka to have season-ending surgery on his right elbow, possibly as soon as next week. Matsuzaka met yesterday with team officials to continue a discussion about treatment options for the partial tear of his ulnar collateral ligament. Based on the findings of their medical staff, the Red Sox have advocated managing the injury with rest and rehabilitation, but Matsuzaka would rather undergo Tommy John ligament replacement surgery, according to a source with knowledge of the talks. All signs point to the pitcher getting his way, with the surgery likely to be performed in Los Angeles by Dr."
Dice-K to have Tommy John surgery
June 2
SI.com
 
"Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka will undergo Tommy John surgery and is out for the rest of the year. The surgery will be performed by Dr. Lewis Yocum, probably next week. Recovery time for the ligament-replacement surgery, which has become somewhat common around baseball, is usually about one year."
Report: Daisuke Matsuzaka wants Tommy John surgery
June 2
Boston Herald
 
"For the past week, Red Sox manager Terry Francona has been insisting there are no plans for right-hander Daisuke Matsuzaka to undergo surgery on his balky right elbow. A report out of Japan suggested otherwise last night. According to Nikkan Sports, Matsuzaka will inform the Red Sox of his intention to have Tommy John surgery on his torn ulnar collateral ligament. He traveled back to Boston yesterday after getting a second opinion Tuesday from noted Dr. Lewis Yocum in Los Angeles. Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein didn't respond to a message last night. Francona reiterated yesterday that surgery has not been discussed. The Sox' medical staff has recommended rest and rehab."
Dice-K sees doc tomorrow
May 30
Boston Herald
 
"Daisuke Matsuzaka returned home to Japan, in part to seek traditional treatment options and remedies for the damaged ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. Manager Terry Francona said yesterday that Matsuzaka is "feeling better daily." Nevertheless, Matsuzaka still intends to seek the opinion of Dr. Lewis Yocum in Los Angeles tomorrow before rejoining the Red Sox. Yocum is among the foremost experts in treating elbow injuries in pitchers. The Red Sox medical staff, led by Dr. Tom Gill, has diagnosed that Matsuzaka can manage the injury through rest and rehabilitation."
Matsuzaka to seek second opinion, "not going to have surgery"
May 24
Providence Journal
 
"Contrary to a report from SI.com's Jon Heyman, Daisuke Matsuzaka does not need Tommy John surgery. Manager Terry Francona said on Monday that Matsuzaka, currently on the disabled list with a right elbow strain in his ulnar collateral ligament, will receive a second opinion later this month from Dr. Lewis Yocum in California. Matsuzaka is also currently in Japan, although that is due to an unrelated personal matter, according to Francona. "He's not going to have surgery. He's not going to have Tommy John," Francona said after Monday's loss to the Indians. "Some reports aren't very professional. That's a shame. It's a shame that we have to do that.""
No decision for Dice-K
May 24
Boston Herald
 
"Daisuke Matsuzaka may wind up needing Tommy John surgery on his right elbow, but any decision on that significant procedure, which would require a 12-month minimum layoff, is believed to be weeks away. In the meantime, Matsuzaka flew home to Japan yesterday, in part to seek traditional Japanese treatment opinions and remedies for his ailing right elbow. Even if the more extensive MRI reveals a full tear, there is still a chance Matsuzaka will be able to pitch with it and not risk further injury, as there are currently major league pitchers with partially or fully torn UCL's doing that, according to a baseball source familiar with the type of injury Matsuzaka has. The Red Sox and Matsuzaka"
Matsuzaka may miss a month
May 19
Boston Globe
 
"The Red Sox placed Daisuke Matsuzaka on the 15-day disabled list yesterday, retroactive to Tuesday, but the righthander could be out at least a month after an MRI Tuesday confirmed he had a sprained ligament in his elbow. Matsuzaka experienced tightness during his last start, a no-decision in an 8-7 victory over the Orioles Monday in which he lasted 4 1/3 innings and allowed five runs on five hits and seven walks. "In general, I could hold the pain and still continue to throw before, but at this point I can't really,'' Matsuzaka said through an interpreter. "It's difficult to hold it and throw with this kind of pain. So I usually have a very high tolerance, but this time it's hard for me"
No surgery for Daisuke Matsuzaka
May 19
Boston Herald
 
"Rehab, and not surgery, is expected to be enough to get Daisuke Matsuzaka's sprained right elbow healthy again, a team source said yesterday, but it might be July before he will pitch for the Red Sox. Matsuzaka was placed on the 15-day disabled list as expected yesterday, and he won't pitch for two weeks before the club reassesses the sprain in his right elbow. Manager Terry Francona said the chance of Matsuzaka getting the green light to throw in two weeks is "probably ambitious," adding, "I don't think we should expect him to be ready to throw then." If it took Matsuzaka another week, that would push his timetable to approximately six weeks, which means July. "Normally, time down, that's"
Matsuzaka joining Lackey on disabled list
May 18
Boston Globe
 
"In a span of roughly 24 hours, the Red Sox lost 40 percent of their rotation. Daisuke Matsuzaka was diagnosed with a sprained ligament in his right elbow yesterday and will be placed on the 15-day disabled list today, joining John Lackey. Alfredo Aceves will come out of the bullpen to start against the Chicago Cubs Saturday, with Tim Wakefield scheduled for Sunday."
Red Sox disable Dice-K
May 18
Boston Herald
 
"It has been nearly three weeks since Daisuke Matsuzaka walked off the mound at Fenway Park in the fifth inning of a start against the Seattle Mariners because of stiffness in his right elbow. Now, the right-hander is about to be placed on the disabled list. It's not clear whether Matsuzaka's elbow sprain, revealed yesterday by an MRI exam, is related to the discomfort he felt on April 29, although Red Sox manager Terry Francona said "it's hard to imagine it's not." Regardless, the Sox will be without Matsuzaka for at least 15 days — and likely longer. "We're going to shut him down for a period of whatever time we need," Francona said after rain postponed last night's game against the"
A sound delay for Dice
May 9
Boston Herald
 
"The threat of another long rain had dissipated before the national anthem, but it appeared Red Sox starter Daisuke Matsuzaka was destined for an early shower in yesterday's 9-5 victory over the Minnesota Twins at Fenway Park. Matsuzaka regrouped after a lengthy effort in the top of the first to capture his third win in his last four starts. Matsuzaka improved to 3-3 with a 4.64 ERA, including 3-1 with a 2.42 ERA over his last five starts. The right-hander threw six innings yesterday and allowed four earned runs on five hits with two walks, three strikeouts and a solo home run in the fourth. He threw 102 pitches, 34 in the first inning, with 62 for strikes. "The first inning he gives up"
Matsuzaka, Red Sox fall to Angels in 13 innings
May 5
Boston Globe
 
"In a game that appeared to have everything but an ending, the Angels scratched out two runs in the 13th inning off Daisuke Matsuzaka to defeat the Red Sox, 5-3, at 2:45 a.m. in a game that lasted almost eight hours at Fenway Park. Matsuzaka, making his first relief appearance in the majors, gave up a single to Howie Kendrick to open the 13th, and a two-out single by Peter Bourjos. "It was a tough spot to put Daisuke in,'' said manager Terry Francona. "But we had no other choice. The good news was today was his day to pitch.''"
Elbow pain causes early exit
April 30
Boston Globe
 
"As much as Daisuke Matsuzaka tried to fight through the stiffness in his right elbow, he couldn't disguise his body's warning sent to manager Terry Francona in the Red Sox dugout. "We watched him in between innings and it looked like he was stretching out his arm in between innings, so we were keeping an eye on him,'' Francona said. When Matsuzaka gave up a leadoff single to Ichiro Suzuki in the fifth, Francona saw all he needed to see. He immediately rushed from the dugout with trainer Mike Reinold and assistant trainer Masai Takahashi, who served as interpreter on the mound with the manager, pitcher, and catcher Jason Varitek. When Francona heard the words "stiff'' and "elbow,'' there"
Sox lose Daisuke Matsuzaka
April 30
Boston Herald
 
"After the fourth inning last night, Daisuke Matsuzaka returned to the Red Sox dugout and stretched his right arm, catching the eye of manager Terry Francona. Then, as he released his first few pitches in the fifth, he altered his delivery enough that it got catcher Jason Varitek's attention. Clearly, something was amiss. So, after Seattle Mariners star Ichiro Suzuki drove a leadoff single up the middle, Francona, Varitek and athletic trainer Mike Reinold visited the mound. And although Matsuzaka believed he could keep pitching, he admitted to feeling "stiffness" in his elbow and consented to leave the game with nobody out in the fifth inning and the Red Sox leading by two runs. The good"
Daisuke Matsuzaka's 1 to watch
April 24
Boston Herald
 
"Ten days ago, Daisuke Matsuzaka wondered if he was making his last start in a Red Sox uniform. Now he's the guy who only throws one-hitters. On a night when the Sox needed Matsuzaka to spare their battered bullpen, he more than delivered in a 5-0 victory against the Los Angeles Angels. For the second straight start, he allowed only one hit. Against the Toronto Blue Jays on Patriots Day, he went seven shutout innings. Last night, he went eight innings and struck out nine. The right-hander was asked if the last two outings qualify as the best he has had with the Red Sox. "You can see the results," Matsuzaka said. "I think so." The only hit surrendered was an Alberto Callaspo liner off the"
That's more like it, Red Sox
April 24
Boston Herald
 
"All along, this is what the Red Sox were supposed to look like. The master plan, conceived of by general manager Theo Epstein and financed by John Henry and his ownership partners, was supposed to yield a roster that would produce timely hitting throughout a deep lineup, shutdown pitching from five starters, and night after night after night of convincing victories. Better three weeks late than never, the Red Sox have arrived. The latest demonstration of their exceeding potential came last night, almost 3,000 miles from home, while most of New England was riveted to a double-overtime NHL playoff game. Daisuke Matsuzaka, maligned only 10 days ago, mustered another eight shutout innings,"
Change from Matsuzaka
April 19
Boston Globe
 
"Daisuke Matsuzaka knew he was walking a tightrope. He could sense patience was running thin. That much was evident when he took the mound for yesterday's Marathon matinee against the Blue Jays at Fenway Park and he was booed by the crowd of 37,916. The memory of Matsuzaka's two-inning, seven-run, eight-hit debacle against the Rays the previous Monday lingered. And after the struggling Red Sox had put together back-to-back wins against the Sons of John Farrell, Matsuzaka didn't want to kill the momentum before the team left on a 10-day trip to the West Coast. "If I pitched badly, I thought there might not be another chance,'' Matsuzaka said."
Positively Dice-K
April 19
Boston Herald
 
"There are times when it seems like Daisuke Matsuzaka is oblivious to the outside world. For all the outrage Matsuzaka's inconsistent starts cause, the Red Sox pitcher never shows much emotion. Matsuzaka doesn't interact much with his teammates, and in his fifth year removed from Japan, he still conducts his interviews through an interpreter. But Matsuzaka wasn't immune to the negativity after his dismal start to the season, when he went 0-2 with a 12.86 ERA. Before taking the mound at Fenway Park yesterday and earning the win in a 9-1 Sox victory against the Toronto Blue Jays, Matsuzaka's most recent outing was a two-inning, seven-run pounding at the hands of the Tampa Bay Rays. After"
It's a roll of the dice
April 13
Boston Globe
 
"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."
Club can only roll Dice with Matsuzaka
April 13
Boston Herald
 columnist Steve Buckley
"Concern over Daisuke Matsuzaka's horrific performance against the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday night isn't limited to fans, beat writers and talk-show hosts. The Red Sox front office is just as concerned as you are. And more so, considering they're signing the paychecks for a pitcher with a no-trade contract who will earn $10 million in each of the next two seasons. A club official confirmed yesterday that the Red Sox have had "internal discussions" in the wake of Matsuzaka's Monday night outing, during which the right-hander allowed seven runs in two-plus innings. He was thunderously booed as he walked off the mound, a startling occurrence when one takes into account that Fenway has become a"
Situation's quite Dice-y
April 12
Boston Herald
 
"By the close of business late Sunday night at Fenway Park, Red Sox fans could rightly believe that the dark days of early April were over, that order had been restored in the American League East. Josh Beckett had just submitted a brilliant performance to lead the Sox to a convincing, we're-not-dead victory over the Yankees. It was their second win in three tries against their hated rivals from New York, and it allowed Sox fans to dismiss their team's season-opening, six-game losing streak as some kind of statistical fluke. And then Daisuke Matsuzaka went out to the mound last night at Fenway Park. So much for all that optimism. Unlike most outings, in which he is merely dull and plodding,"
Dice-K, Sox fail miserably
April 12
Boston Herald
 
"What is the one thing the Red Sox have managed not to lose this season? Momentum. How can you lose what you never had? After a 16-5 shellacking by the Tampa Bay Rays last night at Fenway Park, the 2-8 Red Sox find themselves again looking to match their season-high winning streak of one game tonight. The Sox did not exactly enter the series opener with their chests puffed out after winning 2-of-3 against the New York Yankees over the weekend, but there was a little wind in their sails, especially after the eight-inning gem Josh Beckett threw Sunday night. It took Daisuke Matsuzaka very little time to send the Red Sox back to the AL East cellar last night when he coughed up a six-run second"
A staff with lots of stuff — going on
April 10
Boston Globe
 
"It's alarming to watch Clay Buchholz get whacked around. That can't happen if the Red Sox are to get out of this 1-7 malaise to start the 2011 season. Because John Lackey, Josh Beckett, and Daisuke Matsuzaka have become the proverbial box of chocolates, it's imperative that Jon Lester and Buchholz give the Sox what they gave them last season — 36 wins or thereabouts."
Matsuzaka donates to kids, Japanese tsunami victims
April 7
Boston Herald
 
"Daisuke Matsuzaka will continue his charitable initiative this season to benefit the Red Sox Foundation, the team's official charity. The right-handed pitcher will donate $500 to the Red Sox Foundation for every strikeout he records during the regular season, extending the "Dice-K's Strikeouts for Kids" initiative he launched last year. His 133 strikeouts in 2010 resulted in a $66,500 contribution in the program's first year, which serves needy children in New England. This season, a portion of the donation made by Matsuzaka, a native of Tokyo, Japan, will benefit relief efforts in his home country to help the victims of the earthquake and subsequent tsunami that struck on March 11."
Francona to spring Daisuke Matsuzaka on Cleveland
April 6
Boston Herald
 
"And now it's Daisuke Matsuzaka's turn. With so much focus on the fate of the starting pitching staff in the opening series in Texas and then Josh Beckett losing in his debut last night against the Indians, Matsuzaka has been a forgotten man through the season's first week. But the right-hander will take center stage when he makes his first start of the season after an encouraging spring training. "I thought all spring, his arm strength was really good, coming right out of the chute," manager Terry Francona said before a 3-1 loss to the Indians. "I know he had that second and third game where the results weren't very good. But I thought the ball came out of his hand real well." Matsuzaka"
Matsuzaka accentuates the positives
March 21
Boston Globe
 
"Daisuke Matsuzaka took a two-hit shutout into the sixth inning against the Cardinals yesterday then got two quick outs. To that point, the righthander had thrown strike after strike and worked efficiently. He even twice successfully challenged Albert Pujols with fastballs in fastball counts, he was so confident in that pitch."
Dice so nice again
March 21
Boston Herald
 
"If Curt Young has figured out Daisuke Matsuzaka, he's already earned every penny the Red Sox ever will pay him. Two starts after Young altered Matsuzaka's between-starts throwing routine and encouraged him to be more aggressive within the strike zone, Matsuzaka continued to impress in a 10-3 loss yesterday to the Cardinals. Just days after shutting out the Tigers for five innings, Matsuzaka carried another shutout into the sixth before the Cards touched him for a two-out run. He departed and then watched the bullpen implode, but it hardly detracted from another stellar performance. He went 52/3 innings, allowing three hits and two runs. He walked two, struck out four, and challenged"
Matsuzaka finally delivers
March 16
Boston Globe
 
"Everyone knows he has this type of performance in him. He's done it before. He can go out and dominate. Maybe the stars have to align. Perhaps these performances are more flukes than anything. Whatever resulted in yesterday's five shutout innings against a very good Tigers lineup, it didn't matter. Daisuke Matsuzaka needed it."
Dice-K on attack
March 16
Boston Herald
 
"Red Sox manager Terry Francona was asked Monday if he was starting to feel concerned about Daisuke Matsuzaka's rough spring. Francona's answer was illuminating. "If I took Daisuke out of the rotation tomorrow," Francona said, "I wouldn't want to play for me." Francona was talking about his approach to spring training performances in general, but the statement certainly applied to Matsuzaka, who justified his manager's confidence yesterday. Facing a Detroit lineup featuring many of its regulars, Matsuzaka limited the Tigers to two hits in five scoreless innings of a 2-1 Sox victory at Joker Marchant Stadium. The right-hander struck out five and walked only one while attacking the strike"
Changing luck with Dice?
March 14
Boston Globe
 
"There's a perception that on a Red Sox team that doesn't seem to have many issues, there's nothing to do but play the schedule and get fitted for World Series rings. Not the case. Any team that has Daisuke Matsuzaka on it always will have something to worry about, team personnel scratching their heads trying to figure out what's going on with him. Wondering how they can turn him back into the pitcher international scouts felt so strongly about that a $51 million posting fee was paid to the Seibu Lions. After all, the Sox have seen glimpses — 33 wins in his first two seasons — but not much since. The last two seasons, it's been an exercise in futility, with some miscommunication thrown in."
Dice-y alteration
March 14
Boston Herald
 
"The evolution of Daisuke Matsuzaka continues. With a new translator and a new pitching coach, Matsuzaka is getting a new perspective on things this year. And after consulting with the latter, Curt Young, he is ready to change his much-discussed routine between starts to reflect more of an American approach. At the risk of getting too esoteric, Matsuzaka's Japanese routine, based on starting once every six days, called for him to long toss one day and throw a side session the next. However, with big leaguers pitching every five days, Matsuzaka was forced to long toss and throw his side on the same day. Young thought this was too much, and after a series of discussions with Matsuzaka and"
Source: Red Sox open to trade talks
March 13
ESPN.com
 
"With less than three weeks to the April 1 regular-season opener, the Boston Red Sox have let it be known that a number of players could be available in a trade, according to a major league source. The Red Sox would move pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka, who has a full no-trade clause, if they could add to their young catching inventory, the source said. Veteran Tim Wakefield is on the bubble, according to the source, and might be available for left-handed relief help. The Sox would also consider moving one of their two veteran right-handed hitting outfielders, Mike Cameron or Darnell McDonald, with interest in Cameron expected to increase as he plays more. Cameron was starting in left field here"
Thoughts miles away
March 12
Boston Globe
 
"As he usually does, Red Sox pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka checked his e-mail shortly after he woke yesterday. One of his messages contained word of a massive earthquake off the coast of northeast Japan. His thoughts immediately went to family and friends back home, including his parents. "I wasn't able to take in exactly what it was. Once I turned on the television and saw what was going on, it was very shocking, very scary to see that,'' Matsuzaka said. By the time he arrived at City of Palms Park, Matsuzaka had learned his parents were fine. He could not get through to them via telephone, but they exchanged e-mails. "I contacted my family and a few of my friends, and they all seem to be all"
One of Daisuke Matsuzaka's bad days
March 6
Boston Herald
 
"Pretty much since the day he arrived in 2007, Daisuke Matsuzaka has taken the notion of inconsistency and raised it to an art form. Dice-K can have a stifling effect on an opposing lineup with his baffling array of pitches when he is on his game. And when he is off, an opposing lineup can either wait to draw a walk or pounce on subpar pitches. In his second start of the spring yesterday, Matsuzaka was off. He wrecked the foundation from his decent first start with a crude second outing. Hit hard by the Marlins — six hits, seven runs, five earned, two walks, one home run, one strikeout — Matsuzaka earned the loss in the 11-2 Marlins victory. Rather than dwell on the results, Matsuzaka"
Matsuzaka as enigmatic as ever
February 17
Boston Globe
 
"It has happened several times already, and spring training is only a few days old. A Red Sox player is asked about the rotation and he forgets to mention Daisuke Matsuzaka. Jon Lester did it yesterday, talking about how much he enjoys working with Josh Beckett, Clay Buchholz, and John Lackey. Matsuzaka's name never came up. The Red Sox spent $103.1 million in 2006 to land Matsuzaka, a star in Japan. But as his fifth season with the team commences, the 30-year-old righthander is largely an afterthought. Even the large group of reporters representing media outlets in Japan has dwindled to a diehard dozen. New Twins infielder Tsuyoshi Nishioka is a bigger story."
A different role of Dice
February 17
Boston Herald
 
"When Daisuke Matsuzaka landed at Tampa International Airport en route to his first spring training in 2007, there were 17 photographers, 10 cameramen and 12 reporters (all Japanese) who demanded an impromptu press conference at baggage claim. Four years later, the $103 million man operates in relatively peaceful obscurity. About a dozen Japanese reporters and cameramen interviewed him yesterday, and those numbers should thin considerably once infielder Tsuyoshi Nishioka makes his ballyhooed debut with the Twins down the street in Lee County this week. Dice-K is yesterday's news. Now entering the fifth season of a landmark six-year contract that briefly inspired Matsuzaka-mania, he's long"
Matsuzaka trade buzz
December 27
Boston Globe
 (scroll down)
"With Zack Greinke traded by the Royals, there's still a buzz about whether Matsuzaka could be dealt. At the winter meetings, we were surprised to hear that the Sox didn't want to compromise their pitching depth by dealing Matsuzaka. For now anyway, the Sox haven't heard anything close to the value they would need in return for him. Here's the other thing: Japanese media members who know Matsuzaka well say he really likes Boston. Don't forget, he has a no-trade contract."
Is it worth it to roll the dice on a Matsuzaka deal?
October 10
Boston Globe
 
"Nearly a dozen scouts and team executives that we polled informally indicated that the Red Sox would have a substantial market for Daisuke Matsuzaka if they intend to deal him this offseason. Whether teams actually step up and try to acquire him is an entirely different issue. "With the state of pitching today, if a team can go out and get a still relatively young middle-of-the-rotation starter, they'll do it,'' said one veteran scout with an American League team, who had no doubt that teams would vie for Matsuzaka. "Everyone knows what he is,'' said an executive. "He can be frustrating to watch, walks a lot of guys, throws too many pitches, but at the end of the day his stuff is so good"
For starters, it wasn't a group effort
October 5
Boston Herald
 
"The starting rotation was supposed to carry the Red Sox in 2010. Instead it pretty much sank them. While Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz were outstanding, Josh Beckett and John Lackey, to be kind, were not. With their top five starters each under team control through at least 2012, what you see is what you get. The Becketts, Lackeys and Daisuke Matsuzakas of the world need to pitch better next year or the Red Sox will once again be on the outside looking in as far as the postseason is concerned. The Red Sox were supposed to be a team that could win with pitching and defense, but as GM Theo Epstein noted, "we fell short a little bit in that area, the way it turned out." Two words: Lester and"
Matsuzaka, Red Sox fall short again
September 21
Boston Globe
 
"The walks killed him, as they always do. Daisuke Matsuzaka issued five walks with two of the runners coming around to score, as the pitcher known for throwing too many pitches and allowing too many free passes continued that trend last night against the Orioles. Combined with his last two outings, Matsuzaka has 13 walks in his last 16 innings, exactly what a team does not want to see. Yet, that is who Matsuzaka has been over his four seasons in Boston, too willing to give up bases to opponents, too free with his walks. With all those extra chances allowed, Matsuzaka has given up at least four runs in each of his last seven starts and in eight of his last nine, a troubling trend for a team"
Daisuke Matsuzaka in free fall
September 21
Boston Herald
 
"In addition to baseball, Fenway Park has hosted hockey games, soccer matches, concerts and movie premieres this year. After watching Daisuke Matsuzaka pitch, tight-rope walks can be added to the ballpark's growing list of entertainment acts. Last night's 4-2 loss to the Baltimore Orioles was the latest installment of Matsuzaka's high-wire act. At times, the right-hander was able to navigate out of trouble. But, as has been the case throughout his career, Matsuzaka's control of the strike zone wobbled and his outing was ultimately tripped up. He took the loss after allowing four earned runs, six hits and five walks in 6 innings. When asked to rate his performance, Matsuzaka (9-6, 4.86 ERA)"