[Previous entry: "Japanese Baseball News: Matsui Will Play Other Positions; Padres Meet with Takatsu Rep"] [Main Index] [Next entry: "Japanese Baseball News: Padres Deny Takatsu Story; Do MLB Teams Really Want Irabu Back?"]
11/14/2003 Archived Entry: "Japanese Baseball News: Takatsu, San Diego Close to Deal; Dodgers Most Likely Matsui Destination"
Japan's All Time Saves King to Visit SoCal Next Week
According to Sports Nippon, Yakult Swallows free agent closer Shingo Takatsu will make
around $700,000 in his first year in the San Diego Padres bullpen. Padres GM Kevin Towers and Takatsu's agent, Joe Urbon, met yesterday and reportedly made substantial progress on a pact that would bring the sidearming sinkerballer to the big leagues. With incentives, he could make well over $1 million and Takatsu hopes that those incentives will be boosted by the time that he arrives at LAX on November 17th.
Dodgers lefty Kazuhisa Ishii, who is also represented by Urbon, was hoping that Takatsu would be behind him in the L.A. pen, but Takatsu believes that given each team's pitching situation, he stands more of a chance to see frequent action with
the Padres. The Dodgers haven't made any outward displays of interest, though they had scouted him. Now we'll have to see if the Padres now back off of bidding for Chunichi Dragons closer Akinori Otsuka or if they will have a 1-2 Japanese punch finishing off their victories in 2004.
Matsui All But Decides for Dodgers
Amid L.A. GM Dan Evans effusively praising Seibu Lions shortstop Kazuo Matsui Thursday, comes news that Matsui now wishes to go to a team that doesn't already have a Japanese position player. That would mean he would be pushing the Yankees and Mariners aside and would almost certainly end up in Dodger Stadium.
Boston and the Mets are interested, too, but Matsui's druthers are pointed toward short, which makes him unlikely to go to Fenway while the Mets aren't a strong enough team in his view to contend.
Agbayani signs with Lotte
According to Sports Nippon, the Chiba Lotte Marines have added former Met Benny Agabayani to their roster. The Hawaii native arrived in Japan two days ago and had his first workout with them Wednesday. Now the question is whether Agbayani will remain healthy for the entire season, which has been a probelm for him.
Replies: 3 comments
Any word on the status of Tadahito Iguchi? Are the Hawks still strong arming him into staying?
Posted by Jon @ 11/16/2003 02:46 PM EST
What news sources reported Kaz's most recent wishes? I can't find it anywhere on the net or the wire services (both US and Japanese).
Posted by Bill @ 11/14/2003 09:39 AM EST
I saw Agabayani in the Nikkan Sports paper. Looks good. I hope he does well.
Posted by Seth Cervantes @ 11/14/2003 12:32 AM EST
