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Hideki Okajima

Softbank Hawks Release Hideki Okajima

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The Softbank Hawks have released Hideki Okajima so that he can pursue a return to Major League Baseball, according to Nikkan Sports (Japanese link translated by NPB Tracker's Patrick Newman on Twitter).

The Athletics are said to be interested in Okajima, who pitched to a 0.94 ERA, 6.8 K/9 and 1.1 BB/9 in 47 2/3 innings for the Hawks last season. The 37-year-old southpaw returned to Nippon Professional Baseball last season after an injury to his left shoulder caused his minor league deal with the Yankees to fall through.

Okajima has a 3.11 ERA, 7.9 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9 over the course of 246 1/3 Major League innings — all coming with the Red Sox from 2007-11. He finished sixth in the American League Rookie of the Year voting as a 31-year-old in 2007 and also represented the AL in the All-Star Game that season.

Athletics Interested In Hideki Okajima

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The Athletics are considering signing Hideki Okajima, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. The left-hander spent the 2012 season pitching with the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks after pitching with the Red Sox from 2007-11.

Okajima posted a 0.94 ERA with 6.8 K/9 and 1.1 BB/9 over the course of 47 2/3 innings in Japan last year. He was a key contributor in Boston's bullpen from 2007-10, posting a 3.06 ERA with 7.9 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9 over the course of 254 appearances during that four-year period. Agent Joe Rosen represents Okajima, who turned 37 last month.

Left-handed relievers Sean Doolittle, Jerry Blevins and Jordan Norberto provide the A's with depth entering the 2013 season. However, bringing in Okajima would presumably be a low-risk move from the team’s perspective.

Cafardo On Red Sox, Cabrera, Okajima, Quentin

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Red Sox General Manager Ben Cherington will focus on trying to fix his team’s pitching from top to bottom this offseason, writes Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe.  Since drafting Jon Lester in 2002, the only major league starting pitchers the Red Sox have developed are Clay Buchholz, Felix Doubront, and Justin Masterson.  And while they had good luck with relievers Jonathan Papelbon and Daniel Bard, Craig Hansen and Michael Bowden didn't work out as well.  When it comes to grooming their pitchers of the future, Cafardo suggests that the Red Sox should reach out to Rick Peterson to help steer the ship.  Here's more from today's column..

  • If Giants outfielder Melky Cabrera doesn't have any additional fallout relating to his 50-game suspension, GMs that were asked said they would look at him as a one-year contract possibility.  However, one GM noted that “If there’s competition for him, someone will go multiyear.”
  • Former Red Sox left-hander Hideki Okajima is in Japan and trying to work his way back to the majors.  Okajima is pitching extremely well in Japan, where many thought he wanted to stay, but  he wants another shot at the majors and may get it.
  • Carlos Quentin's contract is very reasonable for the small-market Padres, but they could still be open to moving him this offseason.  Quentin inked a three-year, $27MM extension with the club in July that includes a $10MM mutual option for 2016.
  • One veteran talent evaluator thinks many teams missed the boat on acquiring Cubs outfielder Alfonso Soriano.  While he’s not the centerpiece of any lineup he would be a good left field option for a team seeking a righthanded middle-of-the-order bat.
  • The Cubs will likely make a push for Red Sox hitting coach Dave Magadan, bullpen coach Gary Tuck, and possibly even bench coach Tim Bogar.  However, Bogar might prefer to stay in Boston.

Softbank Hawks Sign Hideki Okajima

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The Softbank Hawks have signed Hideki Okajima, according to Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker. The Hawks announced the Okajima signing at a press conference. Okajima is represented by Joe Rosen.

The 36-year-old lefty looked to be jumping from one division rival to another earlier this offseason when he signed with the Yankees, but a failed physical due to left shoulder concerns voided the deal. According to Newman, Okajima downplayed concerns over his shoulder and told reporters he is eager to "show what he did in America." This will mark Okajima's first season back in his native Japan since 2006. He's appeared in Boston's bullpen in each of the past five seasons, albeit very briefly in 2011.

Okajima has recorded a 3.11 ERA in 246 1/3 Major League innings, with a 7.9 K/9, 3.1 BB/9, and 36.8% groundball rate. His strikeouts have dipped heavily since the 2008 season, however, and in 2010 his control began eluding him as well. He walked five batters in just 8 1/3 innings in 2011 before being designated for assignment in May when the Sox acquired Franklin Morales. Okajima has earned a total of $7MM in his MLB career to date, according to Baseball Reference.

Okajima Fails Physical, Will Not Join Yankees

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10:22pm: It was Okajima's left shoulder that raised a red flag for Yankees doctors, tweets David Waldstein of the New York Times.

10:38am: Left-hander Hideki Okajima has failed his physical with the Yankees, reports Waldstein (Twitter link).  This means the minor league contract Okajima and the Yankees agreed upon last December is now voided.

Okajima, 36, spent most of last season in the minors after the Red Sox designated him for assignment in May.  Okajima struggled the last two years after posting a sterling 2.72 ERA, an 8.3 K/9 rate and a 2.89 K/BB ratio in 198 games for Boston between 2007-09.

Yankees To Sign Hideki Okajima

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The Yankees agreed to a minor league deal with reliever Hideki Okajima, tweets David Waldstein of the New York Times.  Earlier, Sports Hochi in Japan reported talks between the two parties were in the final stages and a deal could be reached shortly after the new year (as translated by NPB Tracker's Patrick Newman).

Okajima, 36, has a 3.11 ERA across 246 1/3 big league innings, all with the Red Sox from 2007-11.  He spent most of 2011 at Triple-A, posting a 2.29 ERA, 8.5 K/9, 1.6 BB/9, and 0.53 HR/9 in 51 innings.  As you'd expect, Okajima has been better against lefties in the Majors, with a 8.2 K/9, 2.7 BB/9, 0.67 HR/9, and 3.87 xFIP across 107 1/3 innings per FanGraphs.

Red Sox Notes: Francona, Epstein, Papi, Free Agents

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It's been a tumultuous few weeks for the Red Sox and their fans, and this array of links can speak to that…

  • Steve Buckley of the Boston Herald writes that the ownership trio of John Henry, Tom Werner, and Larry Lucchino deserve some of the blame for Terry Francona's departure from Boston.
  • Boston's brass doesn't want to comment on the possibility of GM Theo Epstein winding up with the Cubs, says the Boston Herald's Scott Lauber, but until they address the situation or until Chicago hires someone, the potential is there.
  • Ken Rosenthal quotes a rival GM who says that when the Red Sox are in crisis mode, "all bets are off," meaning that they could conceivably let Epstein interview for the Cubs' position (Twitter link).
  • In a second tweet, Rosenthal relays a thought from another GM: what could Epstein fetch in return from the Cubs after the White Sox netted two minor leaguers for Ozzie Guillen?
  • Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe wonders if Epstein is the next to head through the Red Sox "spin cycle." Abraham discusses the possibility of Epstein going to the Cubs, and the intriguing possibility of him hiring Francona as his manager there.
  • In the same piece, Abraham notes that if Epstein were to leave the Red Sox, senior vice president and assistant GM Ben Cherington would be a logical replacement. MLBTR's Ben Nicholson-Smith looked at Cherington as a GM candidate back in August.
  • Still in Abraham's article, David Ortiz says he wants to return to the Red Sox in 2012 and beyond, and that Boston fans "don't deserve what we offered them."
  • Hideki Okajima, Drew Sutton, and Dennys Reyes, join yesterday's list of minor leaguers who officially declared free agency, according to Abraham.

Hideki Okajima Pondering Retirement

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Reliever Hideki Okajima, currently pitching for Boston's Triple-A affiliate, says that his future beyond this season is up in the air, writes Brian MacPherson of The Providence Journal.  Okajima will consider his options, including retirement.

"I don't know what I'm going to be doing next season," Okajima said through an interpreter. "I might retire. I might go back to Japan. I might be over here again. I'm not really sure. I just have to see where the offseason takes me once I get there."

After being clearing waivers and accepting a Triple-A assignment in May, the veteran said that he would like to be traded.  In 34 appearances for the Pawtucket Red Sox this season, Okajima has a 2.29 ERA with 8.5 K/9 and 1.6 BB/9.

Hideki Okajima Hopes For Trade

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Red Sox lefty Hideki Okajima is hoping for a trade, he told Michael Vega of the Boston Globe.  Okajima has been pitching in Triple-A since clearing waivers on May 24th.  He told Vega through an interpreter he'd rather not be called up to the Red Sox following Rich Hill's injury.  Perhaps he didn't enjoy being used sparingly while in the bigs.

Okajima, 36, has excelled in eight Triple-A appearances this year.  It appears that the Red Sox explored the trade market for him a couple of weeks ago when he was designated for assignment, and found no takers.

Hideki Okajima Clears Waivers

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Red Sox lefty Hideki Okajima cleared waivers and accepted a Triple-A assignment, tweets Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe.  Okajima had been designated for assignment on Thursday to clear a spot for Franklin Morales.

As WEEI's Alex Speier noted four days ago, Okajima has had a rough year but does not regret re-signing with the Red Sox in January.

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