Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein studied pages and pages of reports and saw hours of video of Daisuke Matsuzaka.

But there’s nothing like watching in person a pitcher who cost Boston $103 million.

“You can always learn something about a guy seeing him up close and watching him throw an 80-, 100-pitch bullpen” session, Epstein said Wednesday. “You really get a feel for things he can do, manipulating the ball, changing the break on his breaking ball, throwing to exact spots, very impressive. It’s fun to watch.”

Matsuzaka is scheduled to make his fourth start of spring training, the third against a major-league team, on Friday against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Vero Beach.

He pitched three shutout innings at the Florida Marlins on March 6 then allowed four runs in four innings against Baltimore last Sunday.

Matsuzaka and Epstein weren’t concerned about that outing by the Japanese star with the $52 million contract. The Red Sox also paid $51 million to the Seibu Lions, his former team, just for the right to negotiate with him.

“It’s really what we thought it would be with the research we had done,” Epstein said of Matsuzaka’s skill and presence on the team. “But he’s uniquely qualified, I think, to handle this situation in which he’s been thrust. He can handle it. He’s a fun guy to have around. His teammates love him.”

AP-ES-03-14-07 1909EDT