Ganbatte, Lucchino-san! Ganbatte!

I guess if only Nixon can go to China (or to San Francisco, who needs a decent outfielder), then only Larry Lucchino can go to Japan. Red Sox CEO Larry Lucchino has been over in Japan "forging a long-term working relationship" with the Seibu Lions on behalf of the Red Sox. All reports seem to indicate, however, that he is somehow leaning on the Lions to be an active participant in the negotiations with Daisuke Matsuzaka. In other words, he's looking for a partial refund of that $51.1 million that the Sox can turn around and use to sweeten Matsuzaka's contract offer. Is this wise? Is he bringing some sort of dishonor to the whole process? Is the whole concept of dishonor and losing face as relevant in Japanese business as it was in the 1980's? Are we still talking about Gung Ho here?

As far as I'm concerned, business is business. Larry Lucchino has the potential of being a very abrasive guy, I think, but one thing he is not is stupid. Of the three (or four parties) involved in this negotiation, the Seibu Lions have the most to lose. If it falls apart, the Sox lose a starting pitcher, but successfully keep him away from the Yankees for a year and get back their $51.1 million. Matsuzaka loses his contract money and the MLB competition for a year, and comes back next year as a free agent. Scott Boras loses a year of fat commission but will get it back next year. But the Lions- they lose big. If this falls apart, they lose $51.1 million. They get Matsuzaka's pitching services for another year, which is good, but then lose him to free agency next year with little or no compensation. They are the ones that want to see this deal with the Sox happen the most.

So is it stupid or dishonorable of Lucchino to suggest that if talks stall between the Sox and Boras over, say $3 million per year- the Sox offer $11, he wants $14- wouldn't it be in the Lions' best interest to make up that difference? They might be out $9 million over three years, but they'd still be left with $42 million, which is still better than the Mets' offer of $40 million and a damn sight better than the squadoosh that they get if the deal falls apart. I'm not suggesting that the Sox deliberately negotiate with Boras in bad faith, i.e. intentionally lowball him (I've heard reports of $7-8 million per year, which I hope are either false, or standard first offers). But if there is some gap to be bridged, the Lions have got to at least consider helping out. And the Sox would have to be incredibly naive not to at least ask the question. I'm sure that a decent translator could help smooth out Lucchino's abrasiveness.