« Chris Bootcheck Elects Free Agency | Main | Odds & Ends: Mariners, Pujols, Indians, Lincecum »

Odds & Ends: Towers, Kikuchi, Marlins, Astros

By Ben Nicholson-Smith [October 20, 2009 at 6:08pm CST]

Some links before the playoff baseball begins...

Yahoo's Tim Brown reports that Kevin Towers is at the ALCS. The former Padres GM isn't working yet; instead, he's paddleboarding, golfing and doing pilates.
The Dodgers don't appear to be going all out for Yusei Kikuchi at this point, but other teams are intensifying their efforts to sign the Japanese teen. As MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan reports, Derek Holland is helping the Rangers pursue Kikuchi.
Former Marlins pitching coach Mark Wiley tells Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post that he was surprised to be fired, but not as surprised as he was when the Indians fired him after their 1998 ALCS appearance.
Astros icon Jose Cruz will return to the work for the club's community relations department next year, according to MLB.com's Brian McTaggart.
MLB players will have more time than expected to file a collusion grievance over last year's free agent market, according to the AP (via ESPN).

Comments

I really dont see how signing Kikuchi would hurt the dodgers in Asia. I know the countries dont want the kid to leave, but we dont have 'trades' with Asian teams like we do in the US, and the only way i can see it being a problem is with a posting fee. However, if the dodgers offer 50M to talk to any FA in the future, there is no way they can actually deny it, IMO. Am I missing something?

Posted by: lakersdodgersyankees4life | October 20, 2009 at 06:17 PM

Why is Holland travelling in this case? Does he know the language or something? That's a serious question. I'm very confused as to why it concerns him so much that he, as a rookie, has to go on a recruitment trip. The Rangers barely have any money to spend and should spend it on their offense, if anything...I know, scary thing to say that their offense was their downfall in 09, right?

Posted by: BaseballFan0707 | October 20, 2009 at 07:36 PM

This should explain it...

from www.npdtracker.com

This is an exert from Kikuchi's interview after meeting all the teams...

-you met a major leaguer

"He had an aura of playing in the best place in the world."

Rangers: sent Jim Colborn and lefty Derek Holland; espoused the team’s development system and let Kikuchi ask questions.

Texas was the only team to have someone that has been through the minor league system recently come to answer questions... This basically allows Texas to try and use their minor league development system and Hollands skyrocketing success as a LHP through their system as a recruiting tool. Not a very bad approach when everyone else is just going to allow their pacific rim and front office guys to give their standard internal FA pitch.

Posted by: laxtonto | October 20, 2009 at 08:01 PM

lax, thats interesting... I wonder if the Dodgers do the same with Kershaw after the playoffs are done...

Posted by: lakersdodgersyankees4life | October 20, 2009 at 08:13 PM

These are the only rounds o meetings with Kikuchi.

It is either the States or the Japan and he is supposedly going to make a fairly quick decision.

Posted by: laxtonto | October 20, 2009 at 08:23 PM

Ok, I can accept that as an answer, I suppose. Since they really didn't give any indication as to why he went, I thought he was trying to suck up or something. Not to sound mean, of course, I don't have any ill feelings towards the Rangers.

Posted by: BaseballFan0707 | October 20, 2009 at 08:38 PM

shows how much I've been paying attention...

I do hope he makes a quick choice, MLB or NPB. Then let the bidding start, either way

Posted by: lakersdodgersyankees4life | October 20, 2009 at 09:33 PM

"...but we dont have 'trades' with Asian teams like we do in the US, and the only way i can see it being a problem is with a posting fee."

There is no posting fee--Kikuchi is an 18-year old amateur player who is currently unaffiliated with a professional team.

In that sense, he's just like an 18-year old high school player in the US who could be drafted and signed by an MLB team. But he's more like the 17 and 18-year olds from Venezuela and the Dominican Republic in that he would be an international free agent if he signed with an MLB team.

(The slightest difference is that in Venezuela and the Dominican Republic, there are no comparable professional baseball leagues to MLB right now, while in Japan, there are.)

Posted by: StarryEyed | October 21, 2009 at 04:04 PM

starryeyed, i know. I was talking more about in the future. Lets say there was a team that felt he should sign with them, but signs with the Dodgers. In the future, if the dodgers ever have to deal with this team(ie, wanting one of their players and required a posting fee. That team MAY want more $ from the Dodgers to talk to the player, because they 'took' him from the team in the past...' see what I mean?

Posted by: lakersdodgersyankees4life | October 21, 2009 at 07:18 PM

Verify your Comment

Previewing your Comment

Posted by: |

This is only a preview. Your comment has not yet been posted.

Your comment could not be posted. Error type:

Your comment has been posted. Post another comment

The letters and numbers you entered did not match the image. Please try again.

As a final step before posting your comment, enter the letters and numbers you see in the image below. This prevents automated programs from posting comments.

Having trouble reading this image? View an alternate.

Odds & Ends: Towers, Kikuchi, Marlins, Astros

Comments

Verify your Comment

Previewing your Comment

Post a comment

Top Stories

Search MLBTR

MLBTR Features

Recent Posts

MLBTR Mailing List

Rumors By Team

Monthly Archives

Live Chats


Home Contact About Advertise Archives Widget Twitter RSS Usage