World Baseball Classic MVP should add plenty to Boston rotation

BOSTON -- The Red Sox have a chance to turn their shaky rotation into a spectacular one.

If they sign Japanese ace Daisuke Matsuzaka after winning negotiating rights to him Tuesday night, he should fit nicely into a rotation that includes two other power-pitching right-handers who will be 26 when next season starts: Josh Beckett and Jonathan Papelbon.

Plus, veterans Curt Schilling and Tim Wakefield are expected back.

That's quite an improvement from last year when injuries forced Boston to use Kyle Snyder, Kason Gabbard, Kevin Jarvis, Jason Johnson and Devern Hansack as starters. None began the season with the Red Sox, and Snyder figures to be the only one with a decent chance to return.

The Red Sox finished third in the AL East after coming in second behind the New York Yankees the previous eight years.

They acquired the rights to negotiate with Matsuzaka, who spent the past eight seasons with the Seibu Lions of Japan's Pacific League, by offering that club $51.1 million. If the Red Sox don't reach a contract agreement in the next 30 days with Matsuzaka, who is represented by Scott Boras, they would keep the money and Matsuzaka would return to Seibu for 2007.

"We have long admired Mr. Matsuzaka's abilities and believe he would be a great fit with the Red Sox organization," Boston general manager Theo Epstein said at the general managers' meetings in Naples, Fla. "Clearly, we believe Mr. Matsuzaka is a real talent."

Matsuzaka was the MVP of the inaugural World Baseball Classic last March and started the championship game in which Japan beat Cuba. He also participated twice in the Olympics for Japan.

"I'm very happy," Hidekazu Ota, acting owner of the Lions, said at a news conference in Japan. "I want Daisuke to realize his dreams of playing in the major leagues. I talked to him today, and he is very happy."

During his eight-year career in Japan, Matsuzaka has led the Pacific League in wins three times and in strikeouts four times. He's won the ERA title twice and the Sawamura Award, Japan's version of the Cy Young award, once.

Matsuzaka has a 108-60 career record with a 2.95 ERA and 1,355 strikeouts in 204 games.

"He is a treasure in Japan and we are very pleased that the best possible evaluation has been made for him," Ota said.

During this year's Pacific League season with Seibu, Matsuzaka was 17-5 with a 2.13 ERA. In 186 1/3 innings, he struck out 200 batters.