Winning bid has been given on Matsuzaka--but Bud won't tell name of team

Major League Baseball, sensitive to leaks on this matter, ordered clubs Wednesday to not comment on whether they even made bids for Matsuzaka.

• Baseball's central office informed the Lions Wednesday of the amount of the winning bid, but not the team that placed that bid. The Lions will learn the identity of the bidder only upon accepting the bid.

Matsuzaka, 26, is considered the most promising Japanese pitching prospect to ever come West. He figures to command a four- or five- year contract for about $12 million a season. In Japan's unusual posting system, the winning bid -- for the right to negotiate with Matsuzaka -- was originally expected to be between $20 million and $30 million.

• However, Newsday's David Lennon, covering the Japan Series, reported Wednesday that the number might fall closer to the $13 million the Mariners paid the Orix Blue Wave to negotiate with Ichiro Suzuki, back in 2000.

Report from Newsday, by Ken Davidoff with Jim Baumbach Pitchers are risky business.

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