by Sean McAdam, Special to FOXSports.com

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But now last year seems like a long time ago and Daisuke Matsuzaka is lost. Not just lost to the Red Sox, who placed him on the disabled list Sunday with a right shoulder strain — lost, period.

The numbers — an ERA of 8.23, a batting-average against of .378, a 1-5 record — only tell part of the story. Matsuzaka bears little resemblance to the pitcher who won 33 regular season games in his first two seasons with the Sox. His command is non-existent, his shoulder is weak and his confidence is virtually shot.

Competitive and stubborn, Matsuzaka seldom acknowledges weakness. After telling the Red Sox that his shoulder wasn't responding as he would like in the second week of the season, then getting lit up in in his next start and lifted after failing to get an out in the second inning, he told reporters he had no idea why he was removed and insisted there were no physical issues.

But last Saturday, after he was booed mercilessly when the first five Atlanta Braves he faced reached base, Matsuzaka, finally, dropped the facade.

"I've had tough moments in the past,'' said Matsuzaka, 'but each time, I thought them out and tried different ways to get through it. Even if I couldn't see the answer right away, often I was able to push myself to work my way out of it. This time, I feel it's taking away way too much time to break through, so now might be the time where I need to reach out for some advice, for some help.''

As if on cue, the following day Matsuzaka walked into Terry Francona's office and told the Red Sox he would do whatever they wished. There was no denial, no false bravado, no ignoring the obvious this time.

"He's motivated to fix this,'' said a person with knowledge of the situation.

For that, the Red Sox are thankful.

An MRI and exam revealed inflammation around the rotator cuff and significant weakness in the shoulder. Meanwhile, it didn't take a thorough checkup to determine that Matsuzaka isn't in terrific shape, which may have contributed to his inability to repeat his delivery.

Command has never been a strong suit — Matsuzaka led the AL with 94 walks last year. But many of those walks came from nibbling around the corners and a reluctance to pitch to contact. This year, Matsuzaka has been erratic and when he misses the strike zone, it's usually not by an inch or two.

"He's missing (catcher Jason) Varitek by three feet at times,'' said a major league talent evaluator who has watched Matsuzaka pitch often this season.

With a weakened shoulder, Matsuzaka has had to work harder to generate velocity, causing a tendency to overthrow, and in turn, miss with his location — sometimes badly.

The shoulder issues — which he experienced last May during a month-long shutdown on the DL — are partly the result of his participation in the World Baseball Classic.

"You kind of look back to spring training,'' said pitching coach John Farrell, "and this is not to point the finger at any one tournament or any one thing, but when you take a starting pitcher and they're accustomed to a consistent progression year after year and outing after outing, and you interrupt that and ramp things up too quick, there are times when a pitcher will not have — the word that is being used lightly here is 'foundation.' But every pitcher has got to get himself physically and fundamentally prepared to get himself through a 162-game season.

"When you try and short-circuit that, whether it's though participation in the WBC , or any kind of short spring training, it can have an adverse affect on the individual pitcher.''

But the WBC is only one issue. The Sox are also frustrated with Matsuzaka's insistence that he continue to approach MLB the way he did in his native country. A common refrain from the pitcher is, "That's the way I did it in Japan.''

Matsuzaka is not, however, in Japan anymore. Here, the lineups are tougher and deeper, the hitters are stronger and starts come every five days and not, as he was accustomed, once per week.

Look for the Red Sox to try to convince Matsuzaka to remain in the U.S. this offseason, where his winter workouts can be supervised and a shoulder-strengthening program more closely monitored.

It's obvious that Matsuzaka's makeover will take much longer than the typical 15-day DL stint to get him back to where he needs to be. Farrell targeted Aug. 1 as a date for return, but some Red Sox officials think it could be closer to September before he rejoins the club.

The Red Sox have the rare luxury of being able to replace their top winner from a year ago while barely missing a beat. Josh Beckett and Jon Lester head their rotation while Brad Penny and Tim Wakefield provide experience and innings. This Thursday, John Smoltz will make his Red Sox debut, and should any of the starters falter, there's top prospect Clay Buchholz (5-1, 1.93) in reserve at Triple-A Pawtucket.

There's no need to rush Matsuzaka, but there is plenty of reason to get him straightened out. Counting the posting fee they paid to negotiate with him, the Sox have already invested more than $70 million in Matsuzaka and control him through the end of 2012.

And Matsuzaka's willingness — finally — to listen to others may be the smartest thing he's done this season.