Daisuke Matsuzaka and Bobby Valentine

When Bobby Valentine was hired as the Red Sox skipper, a lot of folks speculated that he just might be able to rehabilitate Daisuke Matsuzaka.  Apparently, the logic is that because Valentine spent time in Japan, he understands the "Japanese mindset" and can thus fix a Japanese player.

Which strikes me as a little bit racist.  When Venezuelan players struggle, noone suggests that they all think alike so they just need to spend some time with Ozzie Guillen.  Nor did Lackey and his American mindset benefit from Francona's best efforts.

Ultimately, if Matsuzaka is going to make a comeback, it is on his shoulders.  And according to the Boston Herald, he sure is trying:

Matsuzaka has been throwing three times a week in Boston, and according to a source, is in excellent shape.  He looks like someone "on a mission" to re-prove himself after losing most of 2011 to injury.

Well, he sure doesn't look like the old Matsuzaka, that's for sure.  Check out the new look Matsuzaka in the below video, courtesy of NESN.  I'd say he's lost some weight, but maybe I'm just distracted by his hair.

If your time is short, skip ahead to about 4:30 in the video, when he is asked what he thinks about Bobby Valentine as a manager.  After his screwing up his face into a number of oddball expressions, the nicest thing he can come up with about his new manager is that he is, "really interesting to watch."

Related posts: What Can You Buy for $103 million?