BOSTON -- The conspiracy theorists are definitely out there regarding the likelihood that the Red Sox are going to be declared the winners of the bidding for prized international pitching star Daisuke Matsuzaka.

The line of thinking goes something like this: "The Red Sox made a bid that blew every other team out of the water mainly so they could block the Yankees from Matsuzaka. Even if they can't sign him within the 30-day period granted by Major League Baseball, Matsuzaka would simply go back to the Lions and not be able to torment the Red Sox from the Bronx."

From a technical standpoint, that is true. From a practical standpoint, that has little to do with why the Red Sox made a massive bid for Matsuzaka, believed to be in excess of $40 million.

The Red Sox want Matsuzaka for themselves -- desperately. And that takes precedence over any thoughts of playing defense against a certain juggernaut known as the Yankees.

In case anyone forgot, the Red Sox -- who finished 26th in Major League Baseball in ERA in 2006 -- need another frontline starter.

As much as the Red Sox value Curt Schilling's ability, guts and heart, the man is 40 years old. He can no longer be counted on to anchor a staff by himself.

Josh Beckett, as talented as he is, struggled in his first year in the American League. If anything, the Sox would like to put less of a burden on him in '07. Jonathan Papelbon? He has electric stuff and was dominant as the closer. But until he demonstrates that same dominance upon his move back to the rotation, there are no guarantees.

Tim Wakefield, like Schilling, is 40. He is coming off the first injury-plagued season of his career. The thinking is that Wakefield will bounce back to be an innings-eater and a double-digit winner, but he's not someone you build your staff around.

Enter Matsuzaka. He's young, he's good and, if the World Baseball Classic was any indication, he thrives under the bright lights.

The Red Sox, as they do every winter, have taken a thorough look at the marketplace. They've examined every possible means of getting better. When it comes to the Major League market, the Red Sox don't see any pitcher who can make an impact comparable to Matsuzaka.

Barry Zito is going to demand monster money, and as a left-handed flyball pitcher, making his living in Fenway Park would seem a risky recipe. Besides, Boston looks at him as more of a No. 2 or 3 starter than an ace.

Jason Schmidt is filthy when healthy, but that is a dicey gamble. Roger Clemens? The Sox and their fans keep hoping, but the big Texan keeps winding up back in Houston.

Obviously, the Red Sox made Matsuzaka their primary target for this offseason -- just as they did with Pedro Martinez following the 1997 season and just as they did with Schilling after the '03 season.

In both those cases, the Red Sox were rewarded for their persistence -- and their bank account.

If you look at the Red Sox from 1986 through now, the one thing they've almost always had is a bona fide ace. The torch was passed from Clemens to Martinez to Schilling, and with the latter entering his final Major League season, the Sox again need to get that ace to become the face of their pitching staff.

Assuming the bidding reports have been accurate, it's a whole lot of money just to earn the right to negotiate with a pitcher. But consider this: The Red Sox are a major brand, one that could now sell itself all over Japan if Matsuzaka relocates to Fenway Park.

Seibu Lions president Hidekazu Ota recently referred to Matsuzaka as a national treasure in Japan. Imagine, then, how many fans would be flocking to the shelves in Japan to buy those Matsuzaka Red Sox jerseys.

Boston's baseball operations department -- led by international scouting director Craig Shipley -- has scouted Matsuzaka as thoroughly as possible.

You can also be sure that the money-makers in the organization (from president/CEO Larry Lucchino to chief operating officer Mike Dee to VP of sales and marketing Sam Kennedy) have been instructed to project what type of revenue Matsuzaka could provide the organization.

If the Sox didn't think they'd be able to recoup a good bit of that bidding money, they probably wouldn't have made such a lavish bid.

Of course, there is one more obstacle the Red Sox must overcome before handing Matsuzaka that cap with the "B" on it.

His name is Scott Boras. It's fair to say that some Major League teams are leery of Boras.

Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein has formed a strong relationship with Boras over the past four years. They've worked long and hard on negotiations, some of which have panned out while others didn't end as well.

Epstein and Boras found common ground after the 2004 season on a four-year, $40 million deal with catcher Jason Varitek. While many teams didn't draft reliever Craig Hansen in 2005 because of the Boras factor, the Sox went for him and landed the right-hander with a four-year, $4 million pact.

True, there was the whole Johnny Damon thing this past winter, but Epstein, it should be noted, was not under the employ of the Sox when the center fielder bolted for the Bronx. Maybe it would have ended up differently or perhaps Damon still would have gone to New York.

Fact of the matter is, Epstein has built a good track record with Boras, one that could come in handy over the next month. And keep in mind that another Boras client -- outfielder J.D. Drew -- is currently being targeted by the Sox.

The Sox will find out for sure on Tuesday night at 8 p.m. ET if they've landed the rights to Matsuzaka. If their bid was indeed successful, you can be sure they'll be thinking a lot more about themselves than the Yankees.