The Cubs have released infielder Munenori Kawasaki, Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times was among those to report on Twitter. In addition to avoiding Article XX(B) obligations, the move allows Kawasaki to look for a shot at making another organization’s Opening Day roster.
If Kawasaki isn’t able to find greener pastures, says Wittenmyer, the Cubs would like to bring him back. That’s not surprising given that the veteran utilityman, a noted clubhouse character, accompanied the team on its successful journey to the World Series even though he wasn’t on the postseason roster and had appeared in just 14 regular-season games.
That’s not to say that Kawasaki doesn’t have his uses as a player. He has only seen limited action over the past two MLB seasons, but has taken 738 trips to the plate at the game’s highest level. While Kawasaki has hit just .237/.320/.289 in that span, he is known as a good and versatile defender.
COME BACK TO TORONTO MUNI
I second this! Idk where they’d find a bench spot for him, but man would that be awesome!
he’d probably be a minor league player/coach helping the kids
I don’t know f they’d have room for him on the opening day roster but I’d definitely call him up before I fall back to Ryan Goins.
any team would be lucky to have a great clubhouse presence like him
Curious..did you work for one of his teams to know this?
Curious..did you read all the different articles on how great a teammate he is and that every players loves the guy?
best was when he ran in place pretending to steal second. i believe he was with seattle at the time
Cause you can believe everything you read..and players never rip teammates its bad form.
BUSH PARTY TIME!!! Come back to the 6 baby!
The Cubs have a stand up organization. They know Muni would be second or third in line for a call-up and are thinking of his happiness first. With all the team’s talent, there is no room to keep him on the 40-man roster. Let him be a FA and pick his own destination. If he comes back, it was meant to be. He might even get a special assistant’s job as VP of Yuks — under Dempster, of course.
Sorry just wiping off my throw up.
The cubs are being heralded for releasing a player at the end of spring training?? How exclusive and noble of them
I’m a Cubs fan and I agree….BARF
Muno got skills I wish him the best where ever it be
Same thing happened when they rejected Hammel’s option lol they just didn’t want the guy and it was obvious.
Being heralded by one clown. Don’t classify the smart baseball fans who are Cubs fans with this Bozo.
Pot, meet Kettle.
The Cubs could have easily kept him to his contract and mired in Iowa. They offered him a spot to come back, if he gets no better offers. At this point in his career, he deserves that. His salary is no big deal. Doing things this way is a whole lot classier than the way the Yankees bundled the worthless Brendan Ryan in a trade to unload his million dollar contract.
BTW, I live to make you BARF. LOL!!!
Kawasaki is a veteran that deserves to have the option, in his later years, to be able to get the best deal. Oh BTW, the Cubs are still talking to him to re-sign. I guess you’ll have to eat your BARF, Mr Cynic.
They cut him so they wouldn’t have to give him a retention bonus. He’ll probably re-sign.
You will be missed. What a great clubhouse guy.
How do you know he is a great club house guy??
I guess you’ve never really seen him. I suggest looking at his interviews and stuff. The guy always seemed to make things fun.
Then he should fill in for sideshow Bob!
Very well said @yankees_fan74..these guys act like they were in there with him.
not very well said nor researched. You won’t find a guy bad mouth him. Every one of his teammates love him. you can YouTube about 100 interviews he had with former teammates, the dude is very well liked.
Ok so unless you personally see a guy and meet him you can’t do the eye and ear test ? Trusting what others say about them? Crazy
Some team has to find a spot for him. He’s too fun to not be in the majors. As a player, he’s competent at 3 positions and still runs well. Despite whatever language barrier (I don’t know to what degree is his fluency in English), I would think he would be a fantastic mentor for younger players.
they gave Chesney Young a ton of time at SS this spring they must feel he can handle it at AAA & if an injury occurs.
he looks like DJ LeMahieu to me. – but that’s a high bar.
High bar? Manny has a Aybar too….
Nope not funny
I think he would be a great teammate for Bartolo Colon.
It’s a business.
Great personality, entirely replaceable ball player. Toronto need not bring this guy back, good luck elsewhere.
Can he play third? I’ll take basically anyone over the dump heap referred to as Jhonny Peralta.
The Cubs ride Kawasaki into the sunset.
Maybe the Yankees should pick him up to fill in for Gregorius? Platoon him with Torreyes…
“You have no……you have no…..MARBLES!”
What movie?
Ha, Major League. Kick it old school
Major League II
That sucks. He was so entertaining with karaoke last year in spring training.