Hiroki Kuroda coming to America

[phredmojo]

Hiroki Kuroda-S- PlayerOct. 19 - 12:55 pm et
Hiroki Kuroda confirmed that he planned to exercise the out clause in his contract with the Hiroshima Carp and pursue a career in the majors.
Kuroda is giving up about $8 million over three years by exercising the out, but he shouldn't have much trouble topping that figure in the U.S. Kuroda, 32, was 12-8 with a 3.56 ERA and a 123/42 K/BB in 179 2/3 IP this year. His best year with 2006, when he had a 1.85 ERA in 189 2/3 innings. With a quality fastball that tops out around 95 mph, he should be able to make it in the majors. However, he doesn't have the strikeout breaking ball to be a big difference maker. The Mariners and Cubs are known to be interested in him.


Hiroki Kuroda : Rotoworld.com - Hiroki Kuroda Biography from Rotoworld.com

[Jim Potable]

On Thursday, when Kuroda visited Carp HQ to formally announce his intention of exercising his right to get out of his four-year contract, I was happy for him. He seems like a cool, humble guy and deserves a shot at the Majors.

After meeting with the club, Kuroda said with a smile, "I wonder how many teams are interested in me?"

I understand there are at least ten MLB clubs that have been scouting him this year -- chiefly among them, the Mariners, Red Sox, Cubs, Yankees, and Mets. (My local paper -- Chunichi Shimbun -- however, wrote just "Mariners, etc." Might just be article space limitations.) Also, he hopes to earn an annual salary of at least $2.6M per (3 oku yen) -- the equivalent or better of what he is making now. It's either the Majors or return to the Carp. I'm sure some MLB team is going to give him a chance. (Just hope he doesn't hire that Boras dude as a State-side agent.)

"The Major Leagues are not easy. Not just anyone can get to that level. That's why I want to go."

Ironically, he is heading to the States tomorrow (the 21st) to get his right elbow examined, the same elbow he had surgery on last off-season. (What is it with this year's NPB FA and elbows? (Fukudome) And why do they go to the States for examinations and surgery? Yet, Arai, Fukuura, Wada, Iwase, et. al. haven't had particular elbow problems.)

Fastball-slider-forkball guy; last three years:

     G   W   L  SV    IP    H   HR   K   BB  HBP  ER   ERA
05  29  15  12   0  212.2  183  17  165  42   7   75  3.17
06  26  13   6   1  189.1  169  12  144  21   7   39  1.85
07  26  12   8   0  179.2  176  20  123  42   5   71  3.56

[bedir than average]

Prospect Insider - » The Japanese Scouting Report

Churchill on the four best candidates for an addition to the Mariners

[phredmojo]

Koji Uehara-S- PlayerOct. 23 - 12:30 am et
Koji Uehara was not one of the 68 players deemed eligible for free agency in the NPB commissioner's announcement Monday.
Uehara was supposed to be eligible for free agency after this year, but arm problems that caused him to missed time early in the season have prevented him from qualifying. A recent change will allow Kosuke Fukudome to file for free agency, though his injury would have caused him to fall short under the old rules. Uehara, however, still didn't have enough service time even with the rule change in effect. It's unlikely that he'll be posted, so he'll probably have to wait until 2009 to make the jump to MLB.
Source: JapaneseBaseball.com




Hiroki Kuroda-S- PlayerOct. 23 - 1:11 pm et
An examination by Dr. Lewis Yocum in Los Angeles detected no problems with Hiroki Kuroda's elbow, the Hiroshima Carp said in a statement.
Kuroda will stay in the U.S. and watch the World Series before returning to Japan. The 32-year-old right-hander is strongly considering jumping to MLB this winter.
Source: Kyodo News

[Jim Potable]

It seems most Seattle-based papers and blogs consider the Mariners the favorites to land Kuroda. Does that seem accurate? Even acknowledging we don't yet know for sure, but... the Mariners have probably wooed Kuroda more than any other team so far.

As Kuroda leaves for the States, there is a widely circulated report today saying that Kuroda will sign with the Dodgers.

If we lose out, where do we go for pitchers?

[Timberwolf]

K-Mart. Bavasi is looking for another Blue light special to go with Dickey.

[Jim Potable]

Yikes.

I see the State-side press is picking up the Kyodo story: Seattle P-I

Although there is also this from the Los Angeles Daily News:

Despite published reports out of Japan that free-agent right-hander Hiroki Kuroda had decided to sign with the Dodgers, general manager Ned Colletti and Asian operations director Acey Kohrogi both said they had no knowledge of such a development. But in what would seem to be a sign that such a decision is forthcoming, Kuroda reportedly boarded a flight in Tokyo on Tuesday night that was due to arrive in Los Angeles sometime this morning.

The Japanese reports do say he is leaving for the States, so... wait and see. In short, the Dodgers don't officially know it yet, but sources in Japan say he has decided to go there to sign a contract.

[phredmojo]

he's going to sign colon to fill his need for signing washed up former halo's, and he's going to pick up pavano for 400k when the yankees cut him for refusing to goto the minors becasue pavano is the one that got away from him and he'll be damned if he gets away again lol

[Jim Potable]

Indeed. Old, former Angels....

***

I was waiting to see a Kuroda interview, caught one on the evening news just a minute ago....

The press caught up with Kuroda as he was boarding his flight to LA today, and he said very clearly that he has not yet decided where he will sign. Clearly, he is off for the States; any report saying he's not flying there is mistaken.

Today's reports in Japan say he was leaning toward the Dodgers, according to sources.

Wait and see, indeed.