Could Dice-K end up a Met...

In 2007, the Mets were one of the top bidders for Daisuke Matsuzaka. As we all know, the Red Sox ended up out bidding everyone for the pitcher and he had two successful years in Boston.

Last year, Dice-K went 18-3 in 29 starts with a 2.90 ERA, overall he's 34-20 in 69 starts with an ERA of 4.11.

On June 21st, Dice-K went on the disabled list which was the start of a strained relationship between the pitcher and the organization. The original diagnosis was shoulder weakness which the Sox's seemed to blame on the pitcher's participation in the WBC, which I'm sure didn't sit well with Dice-K's ultra-patriotic culture. Then Dice-K went back at the organization for their handling of his rehab.

"If I'm forced to continue to train in this environment, I may no longer be able to pitch like I did in Japan," Matsuzaka said to Japanese writer Taeko Yoshii. "The only reason why I managed to win games during the first and second years [with the Red Sox] was because I used the savings of the shoulder I built up in Japan. Since I came to the Major Leagues, I couldn't train in my own way, so now I've lost all those savings." source MLB.com

The Red Sox and the pitcher swear the fences have been mended but Boston is an organization that doesn't take criticism from players well. But the bottom line is that, Dice-K ended up on the 60 day DL with shoulder soreness and this season is 1-5 in eight starts with an 8.23 ERA. It's my understanding the Boston fans haven't been that enamoured with him over his post-season performances, he's 3-1 in seven starts (two post seasons) with a 4.79 ERA. The Boston Globe believes the Sox are hoping Dice-K returns and has a good Sept. so they can shop in during the off-season.

Look for the Red Sox to listen to teams inquiring about Daisuke Matsuzaka in the offseason. Although there’s been an attempt to straighten things out after the recent clash of cultures and workout routines, the hope is the righthander can return to the team, pitch well, and maintain his trade value. Matsuzaka will have to sign off on any deal, but given the many bumps in the road he and the Sox have had, that may not be a problem. source Boston Globe

The Mets need a solid #2 behind Johan Santana and Dice-K is only owed 28MM over the next three years ( 8MM-10; 10MM-11; 10MM-12). The Mets already extensively scouted him and liked what they saw enough to be one of the top bidders. The organization has always wanted to break into the lucrative Asian market with a popular player but have been unsuccessful despite numerous attempts. Could Dice-K be on the Mets horizon...