Hmmm... according to ESPN and the Boston Herald, as of Saturday night, the Red Sox and Matsuzaka weren't close to getting a contract done. Actually, the term used was that they were "close to finding a common ground".

Negotiations between the team and the Japanese star pitcher have nearly broken down, the Boston Herald reported Sunday. A source familiar with the situation told the Herald late Saturday that unless "there is an abrupt change of course," the Red Sox will not strike a deal with Matsuzaka before the deadline midnight Thursday.

Even with the uncertainty surrounding what Matz (due to my own laziness, I choose not to write out his whole name so that's what I call him), taking him out of the equation changes the outlook for the Red Sox considerably. The Herald's source admitted that there is time for the outlook to change and with this much money on the table, there may yet be a last minute deal. Still, if there's no deal, I'd have to say that Toronto becomes the consensus #2 pick in the division.