Matsuzaka Watch

Above pitcture is courtesy the Matsuzaka Watch

The bids are all in and we should know in the next couple of days where the Cubs stand in the pursuit of Japanese phenom RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka. The Seibu Lions have received the bids from MLB. The Lions may disclose who the winner is as early as Friday, after a meeting by their Board of Directors, or as late as Sunday. Surfing the interweb for news on Matsuzaka I found several interesting items:

• At BTI one of the diaries is declaring the Cubs have won the bidding (you can't make this stuff up. LMAO)
• Here are: 5 things we should know about Matsuzaka from NY's Times Herald-Record.
• The New York Daily News confirmed the Yankees bid on Matsuzaka.
• At Bob Bavasi's JapanBall.com I found the AP style story on Matsuzaka
• Next I found a really interesting blog here on blogger. The Matsuzaka Watch is put together by Yankee fan Mike Plugh. Mike has been following Daisuke on his blog since back in June. I find it real interesting that Mike has heard a few rumors that the Lions might have been low balled by the MLB teams.
• And what would international baseball rumors (or should I say rumours) be without Breaking News from the UK? Here's what the Guardian Unlimited (ahhh baseball talk and the Tower of London, what could be better?) had to say.
  

As most of you know who have been following this for some time, having the highest bid is only the start to a long process. After receiving the bids Wednesday, Seibu has four days to consider the offer. They can accept or reject the offer. If they don't accept the offer, Matsuzaka will return to the Lions next season. If Seibu accepts the offer, that only gives the winning bidder the right to negotiate with Scott Boras for 30 days. What fun!

In other JapanBall news: Bidding will close on Friday for Yakult Swallows third sacker Akinori Iwamura. The Red Sox, Indians, and Padres are in the running. The Phillies were rumored to be interested, but Pat Gillick decided to pass on both Iwamura and Matsuzaka according to Phillies.com.