The Matsuzaka Has Landed

Well, the world of Red Sox fans can breathe a sliver easier this morning; Daisuke Matsuzaka has signed his (reasonable, really) deal and is now officially a target of the Boston faithful. We find it amusing that one of the first things he had to do when his plane landed was undergo a physical; turning his head and coughing is an act that seems oddly similar for what he'll ultimately be in for down Yawkey Way. (Oh, nice coat, by the way.)

As we marvel at a shockingly entertaining column from Dan Shaughnessy this morning, we wonder, once again, how little Matsuzaka must understand what he's in for. We don't mean that in the normal way, which implies that an athlete like Matsuzaka is somehow simple-minded and confused about these Crazy American Sports. We mean that the level of assimilation and comfort he must muster almost immediately — there's a press conference at 5 p.m. today; fingers crossed that Epstein wears the gorilla costume again — seems like a bar too daunting to reach. We agree with one section of Shaughnessy's column: Throw away the AM radio.

Some Friendly Suggestions For Matuszaka [Boston.com]