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 of NPB Tracker.
• Cardinals manager Tony La Russa is nearing his decision on whether to manage in 2010, says Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.  Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports says that "if La Russa manages next season, it will be with the Cardinals."
• Mark McGwire told The Sporting News' Jeff D'Alessio that Albert Pujols would be worth $30MM+ as a free agent.
• Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City Star feels the Royals should consider trading closer Joakim Soria.
• Baseball America's Jim Callis believes it's not far-fetched to think Bryce Harper could fall out of the first round in 2010 due to financial demands (hat tip River Ave. Blues).
• MLB.com's Matthew Leach and Jon Weisman of Dodgers Thoughts expect GM Ned Colletti to focus on the rotation this winter.