Yusei Kikuchi Rumors

Odds & Ends: Chapman, Cubs, Holliday, Damon

Links for Saturday afternoon ... Anthony McCarron of the New York Daily News spoke with a baseball executive who believes the Yankees will wind up with Aroldis Chapman. "My bet is that it'll come down to the Yankees and Red Sox, like it always does..." said the executive. "And I think the Yankees will get him. They can give him a big-league contract over five years for $20 million and they don't even feel that." The NY Post's Bart Hubbuch reports that the rumored three-way deal involving Milton Bradley, Kevin Millwood and Luis Castillo "isn't happening because the Rangers aren't...   Continue Reading

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Odds & Ends: Kikuchi, Astros, Smoltz, Hermida

Some links to read for Thursday morning... The AP reports (via the Miami Herald) that the Seibu Lions won the rights to negotiate with top Japanese amateur Yusei Kikuchi. Another top young pitcher, Stephen Strasburg, hit 100 mph repeatedly in his third AFL start, according to ESPN.com's Jason Grey. Richard Justice of the Houston Chronicle says fans and media members need to hold Astros owner Drayton McLane accountable, and says it wasn't GM Ed Wade's fault that managerial candidate Manny Acta signed with the Indians. Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch hears that the Cardinals still have interest in...   Continue Reading

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Yusei Kikuchi To Stay In Japan

SUNDAY, 8:52pm: NPB Tracker's Patrick Newman brings us his thoughts on Kikuchi's long-awaited decision. On a human level, Newman is happy to see the youngster stay in Japan as the process appeared to be bringing him a great deal of stress. Dealing with the American media at the age of 18 would require a very thick skin. SATURDAY, 10:05pm: Highly touted left-handed pitcher Yusei Kikuchi has announced that he will stay in Japan after meeting with eight MLB teams and 12 NPB clubs, according to Kyodo News. Kikuchi chatted with the Red Sox, Dodgers, Rangers, Giants, Indians, Yankees, Mets and...   Continue Reading

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Kikuchi To Announce Intentions Tomorrow?

Japanese teenage lefthander Yusei Kikuchi has scheduled a press conference for tomorrow morning according to Patrick Newman at NPB Tracker. Kikuchi is expected to announce whether he'll remain in Japan or come to the United States at the presser. Patrick passes along two reports which indicate that Kikuchi will remain in Japan, however he qualifies that by saying "we’ve seen a pattern of Japanese media outlets hearing what they want to hear with regards to the highly-regarded lefty." Kikuchi was scheduled to begin meeting with seven MLB teams and a dozen Japanese clubs starting last week. The NPB draft is...   Continue Reading

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Odds & Ends: Parker, Okajima, Kikuchi, La Russa

Links for Thursday... Bad news for D'Backs fans: top prospect Jarrod Parker is headed for Tommy John surgery. Reynolds Sports Management broke the news via their Twitter feed, check it out. Red Sox reliever Hideki Okajima has dismissed agent Peter Greenberg in favor of Boston-based Joe Rosen, according to a Japanese report passed along by NPB Tracker's Ryo Shinkawa. Shinkawa takes this as a sign Okajima wants to stay with the Red Sox. He is already under team control through 2012 as an arbitration-eligible player. Yusei Kikuchi's NPB-vs.-MLB decision seems to be coming within a few days, says Patrick Newman...   Continue Reading

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Odds & Ends: Towers, Kikuchi, Marlins, Astros

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...   Continue Reading

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Odds & Ends: Johjima, Rockies, Kikuchi

Links for Tuesday... Chat today, 2pm CST. The Hanshin Tigers are interested in Kenji Johjima, according to Kyodo News. The Rockies are expected to re-sign GM Dan O'Dowd and manager Jim Tracy this week, according to Patrick Saunders and Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post. Dylan Hernandez of the L.A. Times says the Dodgers "are mindful that [signing Yusei Kikuchi] could harm the club's long-standing ties in Japan." Kikuchi told Kyodo News that interviewing with 12 NPB and eight MLB clubs made his decision even more difficult. NPB Tracker has more. Richard Justice of the Houston Chronicle says Brad...   Continue Reading

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Odds & Ends: Eyre, Rockies, Red Sox

Links for Monday... Slate's Craig Fehrman writes about "the sports media's unique mindset toward [online] aggregators" and how MLBTR fits in. On his MLB.com blog, Phillies reliever Scott Eyre suggests he and catcher Paul Bako are reconsidering retirement because they're having so much fun. Dodgers GM Ned Colletti told CBSSports.com's Danny Knobler that he offered four players to the Indians for Cliff Lee back in July. Lee instead landed with the Phillies and shut down the Dodgers last night. Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City Star believes it's very difficult for fans and reporters to create realistic trade scenarios. Do...   Continue Reading

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Odds & Ends: Indians, Padres, Marlins

Some more links on this Sunday evening: Terry Pluto of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that the Indians "are expected to cut their managerial search to five or fewer candidates this week." Pluto advises us not to be surprised if former Nationals skipper Manny Acta is among the finalists. Acta is also in contention for the Astros' job. Pluto goes on to write that Cleveland has interviewed ten candidates so far. The aforementioned Acta, Bobby Valentine, Travis Fryman (manager of Indians' single-A affiliate) and Torey Lovullo (Indians' triple-A manager) are among those under consideration. Pluto is in the dark regarding...   Continue Reading

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Odds & Ends: Mattingly, La Russa, Kikuchi

Let's take a look around the web as we get ready for Dodgers-Phillies: Dodgers' hitting coach Don Mattingly tells Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe that he is ready to be a manager. Donnie Baseball expects to be interviewed for openings and would strongly consider accepting one if he is given such an offer. Although it has been suggested that Cards' skipper Tony La Russa could take a year off and return to manage in 2011, the 65-year-old won't consider that as an option, writes John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle. The Mariners are in pursuit of Japanese pitcher...   Continue Reading

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