 |
| Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images |
Apparently, the last few seasons have not soured the Red Sox on bidding for talent from Japan. After shelling out over $100 million for
Daisuke Matsuzaka (for 50 wins in six years),
Boston is back in a bidding war for a Japanese pitcher. This time, it's an 18-year old high school player named
Shohei Otani (see pic)—who reportedly has a 100-MPH fastball. The Evil Ones, Rangers and Dodgers will also be in on the bidding, so this could end up being another big cash commitment for an unknown quantity. Perhaps the presence (and recent success) of
Junichi Tazawa will work in Boston's favor. Tazawa was the first Japanese amateur to jump right to the majors in America—in his case from a corporate team.
