The price for Matsuzaka has two parts and we think we know one of them.  The second part is how much the Sox pay Matsuzaka.  The going rate for a pitcher like Matsuzaka appears to be around $15 mil per season.  If he signs a 5 year deal and if the posting price is $40 mil, then the Sox will have paid $8 mil per year on part one.  That leaves $7 per season for salary.

The negotiations with Matsuzaka will be interesting.  His options are to sign with the Sox or go back to Japan for one more year.  I don't think his Japanese team will be anxious to have him back, unless they don't need the $40 million, so there will be a lot of pressure on him to do a deal in the US.  Scott Boras his agent will have to use all his skills to get a good contract for his client.  The Sox will probably try to get Matsuzaka for $5 mil per year while Boras will be looking at $10m plus.

I think the Sox strategy is very good here.  They can make Boras a take it or leave it offer and the worst thing that can happen is that they don't do a deal.  If they don't do a deal their high bid will keep the Yankees from signing him.  Its a good strategy.

Sanchez, 23, was a combined 10-6 with a 2.53 ERA and 129 strikeouts in 123 innings with Triple-A Toledo and Double-A Erie this year. Whelan, 22, was 4-1 with a 2.67 ERA and 27 saves for Class A Lakeland. Claggett, 22, was 7-2 with an 0.91 ERA and 14 saves for Class A West Michigan.

Holy crap, that's quite a haul for a guy coming off injury who wil be 41 when the contract extension runs out in 2009. And a vet for three pitching prospects? Who says the Yankee glory days are over? What's next, Brian Cashman? Do the Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte Return to Pinstripes stories have any legs?

Mick, I think you're underrating Sheffield some.

And I recall another deal that involved three pitching prospects - coming to Toronto for David Cone. That one didn't work out so well. Of course, those were all in Class A, whereas only two are Class A prospects in this trade.

The Yankees obviously have several unique and substantial competitive advantages, but it's nevertheless impressive how they generally deal only from a position of strength.  They picked up Sheffield's option because they knew that it was good value for a marketable asset, regardless of whether they could (or even wanted to) find a place for him in the '07 lineup.  Now, they picked up a very good return on an aging and expensive player with serious injury concerns.  Keeping him would have been a good option; this trade offer presented an even better option.

The point is, they usually make the trades they want to make, not the trades they feel they have to make.   Sheffield is replaceable by talent on hand.  There's a lesson here for Jays fans who are clamouring for panic trades from a position of weakness.

I wonder if the Yankees had Sanchez in for a physical or if the deal is contingent on his health in some way.  For those who don't know, Sanchez was shut down in early August with a tender elbow.  Does anyone have an update on Sanchez's health?

I was a little surprised the Yankees traded Sheffield to an AL rival.  The Yankees are usually only worried about today, not tomorrow.  While they were able to acquire some very good prospects, the Yankees improved the Tigers' chances for 2007 while simultaneously reducing their own chances.  I'm not saying it's a bad trade.  I'm just saying that I can't remember the last time the Yankees traded a very good major league player to an AL playoff-caliber team for prospects.  Can anyone come up with a recent example?

Sanchez has reportedly been pitching in Florida although his injury history and body make him more likely to be a bullpen pitcher.

Rumour has it that Japanese teams share some of the posting fee with the player, so Matsuzaka might have a share of that.

Our old friend, the O-Dog, models Arizona's all-new uniforms.

I hadn't heard that rumour but if the Jays did want to trade Vernon the Dodgers would be a logical partner.  The Dodgers have a lot of prospects, the GM Ned Colletti came from San Francisco where older players were preferred to prospects, and where the Dodgers have money to spend.

I still don't beleieve the Jays should trade Vernon unless they are shut out in their efforts to sign a shortstop, a starter and a catcher.

The Blue Jays season ended six weeks ago now, I assume the Jays have spoken with Vernon and/or his agent.  The lack of news could be concerning, you would think that if there was a deal in the works we would have heard about it.