Let's jump into the weekend with one last batch of news items….
- Arthur Rhodes is close to deciding where he will play in 2012, reports Anthony Andro of Fox Sports Southwest (Twitter link). Rhodes also confirms that he will play next year, making it 21 Major League seasons for the 42-year-old southpaw. The Cardinals and Mariners have both shown interest in Rhodes this offseason.
- Some teams aren't convinced that Hiroki Kuroda will pitch in the majors next season and will instead return to Japan, tweets Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. Kuroda's asking price is reportedly $13-$14MM on a one-year deal, which is a slight increase from last month.
- Also from Heyman (via Twitter), Ryan Ludwick has received offers from at least four teams. The Reds, A's and Giants have been linked to Ludwick this winter, though it's unknown if any of those clubs actually offered the outfielder a contract.
- Bill Center of the San Diego Union-Tribune covers such Padres topics as a possible Carlos Quentin extension, the team's lack of interest in Eric Chavez and the Friars' plans for the newly-acquired Andrew Cashner in his weekly online chat with fans.
- The Tigers appear to be satisfied with Ramon Santiago and Ryan Raburn as their second base platoon, reports MLB.com's Jason Beck.
- Red Sox GM Ben Cherington says his team is looking for at least two "low-cost" starting pitchers to compete for the back end of the Boston rotation next year, reports Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. As Cafardo notes, this would seemingly take the Red Sox out of the running for more expensive free agent pitchers like Kuroda, Edwin Jackson or Joe Saunders. We heard earlier today that the Sox were among several teams interested in Paul Maholm.
Not a lick of difference in Saunders and Maholm anyway move either to the AL.. BP pitchers. Just like Saunders was showing when he was moved to Arizona several years back.
Both are back of the rotation at best fill ins.
Is there any team in Japan willing to pay him 13M? I really really really really really doubt it. Wasn’t it reported that Yu was seeking that and that the Ham Fighters couldn’t do it? So unless Kuroda is going all Japanese on a big discount I don’t see him going to Japan. If he is actually looking for that money and not just offering the US teams an ultimatum I think he stays in the US. It shouldn’t be hard to find someone to pay him 13M on a one year deal here.
I think it’s the opposite, as in he wants to return to Japan, and would be willing to do so for very little, but teams have to convince him to stay here by using their checkbook.
I don’t know if its really so much as that Japan is his first option as much as he is using that as leverage. I know that when he first signed with the Dodgers that he said he wanted to return to Japan eventually, but the year he was supposed to be doing that he resigned here so I am skeptical. I honestly don’t know what is holding up his signing. Is his agent waiting for Oswalt to set the market or something?
Rhodes is clearly worse than Sherrill, so less than 1 million should be enough, come on M´s we need another lefty reliever…!
A’s, please oh pleaseeee say no to ludwick/ross/jackson, focus on pitchers that’ll sign for 2 years max
edit: and if nobody else wants kuroda, we’d be happy to take him
Kuroda would make sense for the A’s on a 1 year deal. In that park he would be a very good pitcher and the A’s can just move him at the deadline for another prospect. They A’s should have no dreams of contending but him on a 1 year deal should at least make April-July bearable for fans.
Kuroda would sign for less to play on the west coast. He would have great stats playing in Oakland but if he wants a no trade clause that will hurt getting a deal done. The problem with the dodgers was his no trade clause. Beane needs to bring in 1 more starter not another old outfielder.
Ben Harden & Webb get at least one done.
Why. Harden is an injury risk and isn’t all that good any more. If he wants to revitalize his career he should be in the pen. As for Webb, one start in 3 years… nuff said.
Harden is an injury risk no doubt, but he also fared pretty well with the A’s last year and got back his strikeout power. So as far as low risk/high reward guys I think he is pretty good.
Red sox are desperate when they are looking into Joe Saunders?
Doesnt seem funny everyone knows what they want and each free agent has to be going a bit stir crazy, so why arent more signing getting done, AGENTS?