Boston places highest Matsuzaka bid  —  Red Sox have 30 days to negotiate contract with ace  —  NAPLES, Fla. — The Boston Red Sox have won negotiating rights for Japanese League star Daisuke Matsuzaka, SI.com has confirmed.  —  The winning bid is thought to be for between $34 million and $38 million.

Red Sox should be smart with their money  —  NAPLES, Fla. - From every indication, the Red Sox are going as nuts for Japanese right-hander Daisuke Matsuzaka as Borat did for Pamela Anderson.  Their final payout for Matsuzaka could exceed $25 million per season, a sum that is as breathtaking as it is extreme.

Prize-Winning Red Sox Bid for a Big Off-Season  —  Wearing matching floral print shirts, the major league general managers spent a good chunk of Monday afternoon bowling at a nearby alley.  At stake was only pride, not a greater prize, like the exclusive negotiating rights to Daisuke Matsuzaka, the star right-handed pitcher from Japan.

Red Sox reportedly win Matsuzaka bid  —  Price to negotiate with Japanese star as high as $50 million  —  NAPLES, Fla. — The Boston Red Sox have apparently won the U.S. rights to star Japanese pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka, it was reported on several media outlets and substantiated by highly placed baseball officials on Monday.

GMs bowled over as meetings open  —  Execs hit the lanes in Naples; full agenda set for Tuesday  —  NAPLES, Fla. — On the first day of their annual meetings, the general managers went bowling.  That's right.  You heard right.  —  The winner was Kevin Towers of the Padres, who bowled in the mid-160s.

Angels lose out in bidding for Japanese pitcher  —  The Angels were among the eight or so teams that submitted bids for the highly regarded right-hander, but it appears the Red Sox posted the high bid.  —  The Angels are on the verge of falling to 0-2 this off-season.

Ramirez named NL Rookie of the Year  —  Hanley nips Zimmerman for BBWAA honor  —  MIAMI — To fully appreciate Hanley Ramirez's rookie season, some historical perspective is needed.  —  The gifted 22-year-old Marlins shortstop posted some first-year numbers that rival some of the game's all-time greats.

Tigers' Verlander, Marlins' Ramirez are top rookies  —  NEW YORK — Hanley Ramirez of the Florida Marlins won a tight race for NL Rookie of the Year, and Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander took home the AL award Monday.  —  Ramirez beat out Washington Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman …

Notes: Girardi joins YES broadcast team  —  Former Yankee heads to the booth; Wright has no hard feelings  —  NEW YORK — Joe Girardi is back in the Yankees family, but he won't be wearing pinstripes.  —  Girardi was introduced as the newest member of the YES Network broadcast team on Monday …