2:28pm: The Orioles are in on Iwakuma, MLBTR has learned. New GM Dan Duquette has been active internationally, signing Tsuyoshi Wada and showing interest in Wei-Yin Chen, Yoenis Cespedes, and Chong Tae-Hyon.
2:03pm: The Mariners and two other American League teams are in the hunt for free agent starter Hisashi Iwakuma, tweets Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.
The Mariners rumor has been kicking around in Japanese reports since Friday. A week ago, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle wrote that four teams inquired on Iwakuma, with the Athletics in that mix but with "lukewarm" interest. Iwakuma may have been on the Twins' radar, though they added Jason Marquis in late December. Both teams bid on him in 2010 via the posting process. The A's won with a $19.1MM bid, but could not work out a contract with Iwakuma.
Iwakuma, a member of the Rakuten Golden Eagles in 2011, posted a 2.42 ERA, 6.8 K/9, 1.4 BB/9, and 0.45 HR/9 in 119 innings, battling a shoulder injury.
If he came cheap, I would like the Yankees to take a chance on him. He seems to be a poor man’s version of Kuroda
The M´s are close to signing him, pretty good deal for both sides according to some reports, and he likes west coast, specially Seattle, with Ichiro, Kawasaki and the Japanese owner, good sign Mariners!
He’s not signed yet.
Red Sox need a starter (actually, two) and have a Pacific League veteran as their manager.
I also read the CBS sports report that the M’s are close to signing Iwakuma. He actually seems to have better breaking stuff than Kuroda, but it remains to be seen if Iwakuma can fool MLB hitters. With the M’s close to signing SS Kawasaki and SP Iwakuma, it will be interesting to follow the relationships between them and Ichiro this spring.
Nothing like having interest with a pitcher who was battling a shoulder injury in 2011. Woooooooo!!!!
I realize Duquette doesn’t have the shiny post-Moneyball credentials of many of his younger peers; and he still has to deal with Angelos. But given the position he’s in with the condition of the O’s franchise, the general undesirability of Baltimore as a FA destination for the time being, and the new CBA limiting amateur spending, pouring his energy/attention/money into international FA signings is probably *exactly* what he should be doing. Good on him.
Uh oh, a bidding war between the O’s and M’s? I bet there’s some serious dough about to be thrown around.
Like playdough?
Iwakka wakka wakka
Hisashi Iwaka-flacka-kuma
I see what you did there…