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Yusei Kikuchi

Odds & Ends: Henry, Kikuchi, Accardo

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Links for Friday…

  • MLB.com's Brian McTaggart tells us via Twitter that the Astros released pitchers Chad Paronto and Billy Sadler.
  • The Nationals interviewed longtime Braves scouting director Roy Clark, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
  • The Blue Jays fired J.P. Ricciardi advisor Dick Scott, according to Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun.
  • Interesting note from WEEI's Alex Speier.  Back in 2002, upon purchasing the Red Sox and selling the Marlins, John Henry attempted to have Josh Beckett and A.J. Burnett transferred to the Sox.
  • NPB Tracker's Patrick Newman says NPB is lobbying Japan's High School Baseball Federation to have Yusei Kikuchi appear in person for meetings with NPB teams but not MLB clubs.  Newman still likes the Rangers as Kikuchi's top suitor, based on reports.
  • Newman also tells us that pitcher Koji Mitsui, who was posted twice last winter but received no bids, has been released and will attempt to sign with an MLB team.
  • Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times has a plan for the Cubs that includes signing Chone Figgins and avoiding long-term free agent deals.
  • Padres exec Paul DePodesta explains the team's recent roster moves.
  • Via Twitter, ESPN's Jorge Arangure Jr. passes along info from Miguel Angel Sano's agent Rob Plummer. 
  • In an MLB.com chat, Blue Jays reliever Jeremy Accardo says that his first choice is to stay with Toronto for his entire career, but his second choice is to pitch on the West Coast.

Odds & Ends: Henry, Kikuchi, Accardo

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Links for Friday…

  • MLB.com's Brian McTaggart tells us via Twitter that the Astros released pitchers Chad Paronto and Billy Sadler.
  • The Nationals interviewed longtime Braves scouting director Roy Clark, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
  • The Blue Jays fired J.P. Ricciardi advisor Dick Scott, according to Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun.
  • Interesting note from WEEI's Alex Speier.  Back in 2002, upon purchasing the Red Sox and selling the Marlins, John Henry attempted to have Josh Beckett and A.J. Burnett transferred to the Sox.
  • NPB Tracker's Patrick Newman says NPB is lobbying Japan's High School Baseball Federation to have Yusei Kikuchi appear in person for meetings with NPB teams but not MLB clubs.  Newman still likes the Rangers as Kikuchi's top suitor, based on reports.
  • Newman also tells us that pitcher Koji Mitsui, who was posted twice last winter but received no bids, has been released and will attempt to sign with an MLB team.
  • Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times has a plan for the Cubs that includes signing Chone Figgins and avoiding long-term free agent deals.
  • Padres exec Paul DePodesta explains the team's recent roster moves.
  • Via Twitter, ESPN's Jorge Arangure Jr. passes along info from Miguel Angel Sano's agent Rob Plummer. 
  • In an MLB.com chat, Blue Jays reliever Jeremy Accardo says that his first choice is to stay with Toronto for his entire career, but his second choice is to pitch on the West Coast.

Odds & Ends: Cubs, Giambi, Kikuchi

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Some links to check out as we await the crowning of the 2009 AL Central Champions:

  • Major League Baseball announced today that the transfer of the Chicago Cubs to Tom Ricketts was unanimously approved.  Ricketts will assume day-to-day control of the club when the deal is finalized, which should take place before the end of the month.
  • Jack Curry of the New York Times reports via Twitter that Jason Giambi "raved about the Rockies and said he wants to play in 2010." 
  • Decision time is drawing near for Japanese high school pitcher Yusei Kikuchi and NPB Tracker took a glance at what lies ahead for the hard-throwing lefty.  The 18-year-old is deciding between MLB and Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) and is believed to have more than 20 clubs interested in his services.  Kikuchi originally planned to speak with only a select few MLB teams, but has now resolved that he will talk to all interested suitors.  
  • More from NPB Tracker as Ryota Igarashi – reliever for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows – eyes a move to MLB.  Igarashi is keeping mum on the subject for now as his team is in the playoff hunt.
  • ESPN's Keith Law chatted about new Toronto GM Alex Anthopoulos on the radio today and Drunk Jays Fans has a transcript of the interview as well as a link to the audio.
  • Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times offered up his take on how the internet has changed the way baseball is covered.
  • From the Fish Bytes blog comes the news that the Marlins did not extend contract offers to pitching coach Mark Wiley and first-base coach Andy Fox.  Both men were offered positions elsewhere in the organization.  The rest of the coaching staff will be retained.
  • Dick Kaegel of MLB.com brings us similar news out of Kansas City.  Everyone on the Royals staff will return to their current roles, except for bullpen coach John Mizerock and first-base coach Rusty Kuntz.  Mizerock has been let go whereas Kuntz will become a special assistant to GM Dayton Moore.

Odds & Ends: Cubs, Giambi, Kikuchi

By | at

Some links to check out as we await the crowning of the 2009 AL Central Champions:

  • Major League Baseball announced today that the transfer of the Chicago Cubs to Tom Ricketts was unanimously approved.  Ricketts will assume day-to-day control of the club when the deal is finalized, which should take place before the end of the month.
  • Jack Curry of the New York Times reports via Twitter that Jason Giambi "raved about the Rockies and said he wants to play in 2010." 
  • Decision time is drawing near for Japanese high school pitcher Yusei Kikuchi and NPB Tracker took a glance at what lies ahead for the hard-throwing lefty.  The 18-year-old is deciding between MLB and Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) and is believed to have more than 20 clubs interested in his services.  Kikuchi originally planned to speak with only a select few MLB teams, but has now resolved that he will talk to all interested suitors.  
  • More from NPB Tracker as Ryota Igarashi – reliever for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows – eyes a move to MLB.  Igarashi is keeping mum on the subject for now as his team is in the playoff hunt.
  • ESPN's Keith Law chatted about new Toronto GM Alex Anthopoulos on the radio today and Drunk Jays Fans has a transcript of the interview as well as a link to the audio.
  • Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times offered up his take on how the internet has changed the way baseball is covered.
  • From the Fish Bytes blog comes the news that the Marlins did not extend contract offers to pitching coach Mark Wiley and first-base coach Andy Fox.  Both men were offered positions elsewhere in the organization.  The rest of the coaching staff will be retained.
  • Dick Kaegel of MLB.com brings us similar news out of Kansas City.  Everyone on the Royals staff will return to their current roles, except for bullpen coach John Mizerock and first-base coach Rusty Kuntz.  Mizerock has been let go whereas Kuntz will become a special assistant to GM Dayton Moore.

Odds & Ends: Kikuchi, Dye, Varitek

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Links for Monday…

Odds & Ends: Kikuchi, Bengie Molina, Marlon Byrd

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Links for Wednesday…

Will Yusei Kikuchi Choose MLB?

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Yusei Kikuchi may decide this week between Japanese baseball and MLB, according to Bobbie Dittmeier of MLB.com.  As Dittmeier says, the hard-throwing 18-year-old southpaw would "become the first high school player to bypass Japan's draft and sign with a Major League organization."

Dittmeier says the Yankees, Mets, Dodgers, Cubs, Giants, Tigers, Braves, Rangers, Mariners and Indians have reportedly scouted Kikuchi.  She passes along a Kyodo News quote from Kikuchi's high school coach indicating the pitcher is 50-50 on his decision.

NPB Tracker's Patrick Newman has covered Kikuchi extensively.  Back in May, Newman explained to MLBTR the differences between Kikuchi and Junichi Tazawa.

Odds And Ends: Santana, Sano, Zambrano

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More links, with less than a week remaining for contenders to add pieces…

Odds & Ends: Wagner, Red Sox, Kikuchi

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I'm proud of you fellas. You all kept your head on a swivel, and that's what you gotta do when you find yourself in a vicious link fight…

  • The Boston Herald reports that Bean Stringfellow, agent for reliever Billy Wagner, said his client is willing to waive his no-trade clause to go anywhere that would give him a shot to win a championship. "Certainly, the Red Sox would give him a chance to win a World Series, and this year that’s first and foremost,” Stringfellow said. “From where we sit, that’s all that matters right now. Over the next six weeks he’d have a chance to win, and then we could think about next year.”
  • Meanwhile, Alex Speier of WEEI.com says that some Red Sox relievers are puzzled by the Wagner waiver claim. Closer Jonathan Papelbon said it's "kind of like the (Eric) Gagne thing, I guess.”
  • Patrick at NPB Tracker passes along a report were Mets GM Omar Minaya commented on having some interest in Japanese high school pitcher Yusei Kikuchi. “I haven’t seen him throw myself, but I’ve heard his name. He wants to come to the majors? If so we’ll continue watching him," said Minaya. Patrick offered up a brief scouting report on Kikuchi earlier in the week.

Odds And Ends: Rizzo, Rangers, Hall

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More links for the morning…

  • Adam Dunn tells MLB.com's Bill Ladson that it would have been wrong for the Nats to give the GM job to anybody but Mike Rizzo, who will be formally introduced in about four hours.
  • Via Twitter, ESPN.com's Jorge Arangure Jr. reports that the Rangers signed Dominican righty David Perez for $425k.
  • Bill Hall tells Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times that he put too much pressure on himself after inking a $24MM deal with the Brewers.
  • Newsday's Ken Davidoff points out that the Mets can watch Jeff Francoeur play 40 more games before they have to decide whether to offer him a contract for next year.
  • As Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker shows, Yusei Kikuchi is a Japanese high schooler who can throw 96mph and has attracted at least some interest from MLB teams. 
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