Matsuzaka Back To The Mets? No So Fast...

First there was this:

Sports Hochi: Matsuzaka back to the Mets on a minor league deal; announcement in the next few days http://t.co/yZKGTj0vZ6
— Patrick Newman (@npbtracker) January 15, 2014

Then there was this:

I've been told by a #Mets person the Daisuke Matsuzaka report out of Japan is "not true at all." False alarm from Sports Hochi, perhaps.
— Adam Rubin (@AdamRubinESPN) January 15, 2014

Live by the rumor, die by the rumor.  Its a crazy world of up to the minute news we live in, but bring Daisuke Matsuzaka back to the Mets is a move that makes sense.  The Mets need a veteran who can not only compete for the fifth spot in the rotation, but is also willing to take a minor league deal. Matsuzaka fits that mold.  More importantly, he pitched well down the stretch last year.

After what looked like a busted experiment, Daisuke posted four consecutive very strong outings to close out the year.  The strong finish allowed him to post his lowest ERA since 2008 (yes, I'm aware its a small sample size).  Whether or not his brief bounce back to form is a direct result of Dan Warthen is anyone's guess, but you can't argue with the results.

As an aside, while I sit here explaining to you why I think its a good idea to bring Matsuzaka back this season, bear in mind that I tweeted this gem as recently as September.  Amazing how things can change in an instant...

Dear Everyone, No matter how well Dice-K pitches, he is not an option for the rotation next season...
— Rob Patterson (@RobPatterson83) September 15, 2013