BOSTON -- The month-long odyssey of wooing Daisuke Matsuzaka finally complete, the Red Sox proudly unveiled the Japanese right-hander late Thursday afternoon at a packed Fenway Park press conference like no other in the history of the fabled franchise.
With roughly 300 members of the media gathered in a glassed-in function room behind home plate, and enough camera flashes to blur the eyes of those on the podium, Matsuzaka formally addressed Red Sox Nation for the first time.
"You don't know what's going to happen, so I'm just going trying to do as well as possible," said Matsuzaka through an interpreter. "I'm very happy and excited to be a member of the Boston Red Sox."
It was a joyous event for the Red Sox, announcing the signing of the Most Valuable Player of last March's World Baseball Classic to a six-year contract worth $52 million with escalator clauses that could bring it to $60 million.
"Today, what we're really doing is announcing the signing of a national treasure," said Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein. "We've followed Daisuke since Koshien in 1998, throughout his entire professional career and all his accomplishments. We understand his importance in Japan. We know what he represents."
The Red Sox hope he will represent steady greatness on the mound. Matsuzaka, who posed with his new No. 18 Red Sox jersey, didn't try to hide the excitement of his new opportunity.
"Very many interesting things have happened in my life," Matsuzaka said. "Besides getting married and having a baby, this is the most exciting thing."
With roughly 300 members of the media gathered in a glassed-in function room behind home plate, and enough camera flashes to blur the eyes of those on the podium, Matsuzaka formally addressed Red Sox Nation for the first time.
"You don't know what's going to happen, so I'm just going trying to do as well as possible," said Matsuzaka through an interpreter. "I'm very happy and excited to be a member of the Boston Red Sox."
It was a joyous event for the Red Sox, announcing the signing of the Most Valuable Player of last March's World Baseball Classic to a six-year contract worth $52 million with escalator clauses that could bring it to $60 million.
"Today, what we're really doing is announcing the signing of a national treasure," said Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein. "We've followed Daisuke since Koshien in 1998, throughout his entire professional career and all his accomplishments. We understand his importance in Japan. We know what he represents."
The Red Sox hope he will represent steady greatness on the mound. Matsuzaka, who posed with his new No. 18 Red Sox jersey, didn't try to hide the excitement of his new opportunity.
"Very many interesting things have happened in my life," Matsuzaka said. "Besides getting married and having a baby, this is the most exciting thing."
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