A Japanese team has shown a "strong interest" in acquiring Kenshin Kawakami from the Braves, according to MLB.com's Mark Bowman. Bowman writes that a Japanese reporter indicated that the Yomiuri Giants and Nippon Ham Fighters are interested in Kawakami. But there may be an even more attractive Japanese suitor making a play for the Atlanta right-hander.
Kawakami is entering the final season of a three-year, $23MM deal he signed with the Braves prior to the 2009 campaign. The unknown Japanese club interested in Kawakami is reportedly willing to pay Atlanta approximately $3MM of the righty's $6.67MM salary for 2011.
The 35-year-old played for the Chunichi Dragons prior to signing with the Braves. In two big league seasons, he has appeared in 50 games for Atlanta, recording a 4.32 ERA over 243.2 innings. While his ERA ballooned to 5.15 this season, his peripherals (6.1 K/9, 3.3 BB/9, 1.0 HR/9) were nearly identical to his 2009 numbers.
thank you Jesus, now only if another japanese team is interested in mclouth?
I concour…Hell I wouldnt care if it was a polish team that wanted Nate
My guess is the Nippon ham fighters need a CF like McLouth due to the fact that their current CF is a downgrade to McLouth.
There is a downgrade from Nate?????? Is that even possible? That would be like dividing by zero
Have to figure that if they’re willing to eat half his salary, they can at least get a B prospect back for him, and you never know what can happen with prospects.
maybe just a salary dump. Don’t Japaneese players have to spend 7 years in Japan before going to the U.S.? So I’m not sure what the Braves can get in return or if they can get anything in return.
I meant over here in the MLB. Sorry, wasn’t clear on that. Lol
I hear ya. Well it all depends on teams willing to eat salary for an underachieving P.
Poor KK. He deserved better than what he’s got thus far.
he sure did
I agree. KK was a decent pitcher for the Braves. He wasn’t outstanding and he wasn’t worth the money he was paid but he was a good #4 or #5 starter. His real problem this past year was when he was sent to the bullpen so that Kris Medlen could start. Bobby didn’t use him for 3 weeks and then, of course, he bombed out in the game where he finally made an appearance. After that his confidence was gone and he was sent to AAA. While Kris is a better pitcher he also was used to appearing out of the bullpen. The smart decision would have been to keep KK in the rotation and leave Kris in the bullpen until the end of this season.
I agree. KK was a decent pitcher for the Braves. He wasn’t outstanding and he wasn’t worth the money he was paid but he was a good #4 or #5 starter. His real problem this past year was when he was sent to the bullpen so that Kris Medlen could start. Bobby didn’t use him for 3 weeks and then, of course, he bombed out in the game where he finally made an appearance. After that his confidence was gone and he was sent to AAA. While Kris is a better pitcher he also was used to appearing out of the bullpen. The smart decision would have been to keep KK in the rotation and leave Kris in the bullpen until the end of this season.
Can the braves get players back at all, or money?
Talkingchop is saying if Hanshin Tigers are still interested in him, they could get Matt Murton back.
Ahhhh alright thanks for the info.
If Braves could pull that trade off, and Murton does what he has done in Japan, I would call that the steal of the decade.
wait unlike, did not mean to like this…don’t want the right handed mcclouth
Don’t blame McLouth for TP messing him up. Once TP got a hold of him, it was over, then Jones got a hold of him, and he started doing better. If you look at his numbers in September, his numbers went up drastically.
As a totally unrelated side note: I love the names of the Japanese teams! (How would you like to root for the Ham Fighters?)
I’m guessing their minor league teams are the Bologna Lickers and the Bacon Biters.
I’m guessing their minor league teams are the Bologna Lickers and the Bacon Biters.
They are the Fighters. The team is owned by the Nippon Ham corporation.
Don’t even think twice about it, Wren. Send him away and save some money. He can write us a postcard, or not.
Well they are actually named the Fighters, their parent company is Nippon Ham.
yeah but Ham Fighters sounds awesome!!!! It’s a team made up entirely of…nevermind lol that would just get erased anyway by the moderators.
give them to him and make them purchase him for 7 mill at least and it gives us money to go after Werth,Do it wren!
Good…see you later broski!!!!! Hopefully you regain the success back in Japan because he’s def talented…just on the other side of the Pacific
cant they just putchase it for say 7 mil…that would give the Braves plenty of money to spend
Would the Braves get a posting fee on top of all that? That’d be nice.
No, they don’t get a posting fee. The NPB and MLB rules are very difficult to understand, but I know American teams cannot do a posting fee. They can trade a player for money, but that’s all.
No, they don’t get a posting fee. The NPB and MLB rules are very difficult to understand, but I know American teams cannot do a posting fee. They can trade a player for money, but that’s all.
I have absolutely NO Jedi mind powers. If I did Japanese teams would be interested in Kei Igawa.
Five inning pitchers are useless.
The Braves should take whatever they can get for this glorified mop up man.