December 5, 2008 Daisuke pays off with Tazawa signing Play video

(NECN) - Winning a World Series in his rookie season with the Red Sox was a special accomplishment. Shaving 1.50 off his ERA, while posting an (18-3) record in 2008 was the realization of what the Red Sox had hoped for when they signed him before the 2007 season. But the icing on the cake for Daisuke Matsuzaka has been the international appeal he has added to the team.

On Wednesday, the Sox announced their newest signing -- 22-year-old Japanese pitcher Junichi Tazawa.

"When we signed Daisuke, we did so for baseball reason," Epstein said. "We saw it as an unique opportunity to acquire a 26-year-old, top of the rotation starter. That being said, we certainly hoped and considered the fact that signing Daisuke would allow us to establish a heightened presence in Japan and around the world, really. And that some day there might be some ancillary benefits to signing Daisuke."

It is apparent that one of those benefits is the signing of Tazawa to a 3-year deal, which also provides the Red Sox with arbitration rights through the 2014 season. On top of a beneficial development program, Tazawa listed the Japanese influence in Boston's clubhouse as a major factor in his signing there -- an influence which began with the signing of Matsuzaka.

"The development program, which I think is excellent," Tazawa said through a translator. "Another factor is there are Japanese players here, as well as Japanese staff and Japanese speakers, who are part of the Red

It looks as if the Daisuke signing continues to pay off for Boston.

"Certainly because of Junichi's admiration for Daisuke, and because of the Red Sox increased presence, perhaps we saw some of the benefits here in this signing," Epstein said.