RED SOX SET TO SIGN TAZAWA

Junichi Tazawa, a 22-year-old pitcher from Yokohama, Japan, is set to sign with the Boston Red Sox. Tazawa was being scouted by the Rangers, Mariners, Braves, and Tigers, among others, but ultimately chose to join countrymen Daisuke Matsuzaka and Hideki Okajima in Boston.

The right-hander played last season with the Nippon Oil of the Japanese Industrial League, a league specifically for amateur players. He told Japanese professional teams not to draft him so he could pursue a deal with a team in Major League Baseball. In his final start for Nippon on November 21, Tazawa threw a complete game shutout.

The Red Sox reportedly offered Tazawa slightly less money than the Rangers, but the righty wanted the chance to play on a team with one of his idols, Matsuzaka. Reports say that the Red Sox offer was for $6 million over three seasons.

This looks like a nice signing for Boston. While they have a deep rotation as is, with Beckett, Matsuzaka, Lester, and Wakefield, more pitchers are always needed. And since Tazawa hasn't really pitched professionally before, it is looking like he will start the year in the minors. There is always a chance the Sox could use him as a reliever as well.

While this isn't the big splash that many have been expecting from the Red Sox, it is certainly a very nice signing that should help the team's chances in 2009. They are expected to announce the signing as early as December 1.