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Yankees bid $26 million to talk with Japanese pitcher

The trade balance between Japan and the United States has been destabilized again on Tuesday. Following the record breaking $51.1 million bid by the Boston Red Sox for Daisuke Matsuzaka, a 26-year-old right-hander, the New York Yankees spent $26 million for the rights of another Japanese pitcher, Kei Igawa, a 27-year-old left-hander. The Seibu Lions and the Hanshin Tigers will receive the sums only if the players end up signing with the new clubs within 30 days of each bid.

Interestingly, the New York Mets have made bids for both pitchers, twice falling for the two American League competitors. The Mets` $39 million bid for Matsuzaka and $15 million bid for Igawa leave them without either of the two top pitchers. While Matsuzaka is expected to make about $12-15 million per year, and be no. 1 or 2 in the pitching rotation, Igawa will likely earn about $4 million per year, and pitch third or fourth.

Igawa went 14-9 with a 2.97 ERA in 29 starts for Hanshin this season. He won the strikeout title with 194 K`s. Igawa was the 2003 Central League MVP, a season in which he won 20 games. He will join Randy Johnson and Mike Mussina in the rotation, as Mussina reached a two year contract agreement with the Yankees, with which he has played for six years and has not won a World Series title yet.