Indians Sign Pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka to Minor League Deal - East Idaho News
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Indians Sign Pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka to Minor League Deal

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Getty Daisuke Matsuzaka?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1360598555327Jim Rogash/Getty Images(CLEVELAND) — New Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona is reaching back in the past for some help with his new club as the team has signed starting pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka to a minor league contract.

Matsuzaka played for Francona while the two were with the Boston Red Sox from 2007-2011. If he makes the team, Matsuzaka would get $1.5 million for 2013, and could reach $2.5 million in performance based bonuses.

In 2007, Matsuzaka signed a six-year deal with the Red Sox worth $52 million. He came to the United States with a mountain of hype, and he initially lived up to it. From 2007-2008, the 32-year-old Matsuzaka went 33-15 with a 3.72 ERA in his first two seasons in Boston.

However, the rest of his career has been desimated with injuries. Over the past two seasons, he’s been limited with elbow issues. Since going 18-3 in 2008, he’s gone just 17-22 over the past four seasons.

So far Justin Masterson, Brett Myers, and Ubaldo Jimenez have spots locked down in the Indians starting rotation.

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