Alright took way too much time off from this. Been quite busy. When I saw I'm 3 for 3 on my MLB award picks, figured it was a good time to get back into it.

Starting tomorrow a College Basketball pick of the day...(for recreational purposes only) We'll keep track and see how I do.

First a rant on Daisuke Matsuzaka. Now I know he seems to be a great pitcher and will do well in the majors, we all saw what he did in the World Baseball Classic. But over 51 million dollars to just talk to him for 30 days? Are you kidding me Red Sox?!!? What's even more crazy is that the Red Sox bid 10 million more at least the the 2nd highest bidder, the Yankees or Mets. This can mean one of two things. The Red Sox are so desperate for pitching that they would spend this much on a pitcher, cause its gonna cost at least another 50 million to sign Matsuzaka. So 100 million for him. Now that's gonna put a lot of pressure on him to perform. That 100 million would have put a nice chunk to get Barry Zito and Alfonso Soriano in a Boston uniform next year, but that's just me.

There is one other option. They only put up the posting fee and made it SO high to ensure that the Yankees weren't the top bid. Then simply if they couldn't sign Matsuzaka for cheap or not sign him, let him go back to Japan for next season and not have to pay the posting fee. Which also mean he wouldn't be in a Yankee uniform next season, which is all they are trying to accomplish.

I just can't see spending the 2006 Marlins payroll 3.5 times over just for the opportunity to talk to a player who has never played at the major league level except for the World Baseball Classic where he was 3-0. One win came against Chinese Taipei who stinks, so throw that out. He was spectacular against Mexico and Cuba, but the pitch count at 65 in the WBC we haven't really seen him be extended out against Major League talent.

I think he'll be an above average starter a 15 game winner with a 3.5 ERA in the majors, but that's not worth 100 million to me. Not when I could have Barry Zito and a 3.83 ERA and just 2 years older and be most of the way to giving a solid contract to 40-40-40 man Alfonso Soriano, give me a lineup with Soriano setting the table, Youkilis #2, and then Big Papi and Manny....yikes.