Yahoo’s Tim Brown heard yesterday that Hiroki Kuroda was close to agreeing to a new contract. However, it’s not clear which team is nearing a deal with the right-hander. Here are the details and more of Brown’s links from around MLB:
- The Mariners, Diamondbacks, Rockies, Rangers, Red Sox and Yankees were among the teams that informed Brown they were not the team nearing a deal with Kuroda.
- The Dodgers didn’t scout Yoenis Cespedes in earnest or consider bidding on Yu Darvish, Brown reports. It cost the Rangers $51.7MM for the rights to negotiate with Darvish and Cespedes figures to cost tens of millions as well, so the players are too expensive for the cash-strapped Dodgers to consider.
- Carlos Beltran figures to agree to terms by Sunday. His market includes the Cardinals, Blue Jays, Red Sox and a fourth team, possibly the Rays. Beltran is weighing two and three-year offers, Brown reports.
0bsessions
Wish the Sox were involved, but at least the Yankees allegedly aren’t either.
danistheguy
O’s?
Rcsully
I can’t imagine these older players with no rings going to the O’s. These are the types that want a final chance at jewelry.
YanksFanSince78
I can’t imagine the Yanks trading the prospects demanded for Garza or Gio and even harder to understand is why they aren’t in on guys like Oswalt and Kuroda?
danistheguy
If Oswalt wants a 1-year deal in order to get a bigger payday next year, pitching in the AL East isn’t the way to do that. I think he probably ends up out West somewhere.
Douglas Rau
Rumors have been that the Yankees like Kuroda “a lot”. Probably the fact that he won’t demand a huge contract, won’t cost a draft pick as compensation and won’t stop them from pursuing Hamels/Greinke/Haren/whoever else next off-season. The trick is convincing Kuroda to leave the West Coast.
stresspuppy
yes, it almost feel like they are waiting until well into the season to work on trades down the stretch. I know it’s only a couple of years from 2009 but I don’t know how they could feel confident about getting back to the WS with the rotation of one Ace and a bunch of end of rotation pitchers (despite some over-performing last year — and too soon for me to gauge Nova). Bullpen is solid but still…
YanksFanSince78
I still have faith that Hughes will be better than a back end guy and I can absolutely understand not wanting to commit that much money to CJ or Yu but one year deals for #2-#3 caliber guys are what we should be focusing on.
joeybw
Man, Beltran isn’t signing with Tampa, why do these rumors try to give me false hope?
Jonathan Kerasiotis
I don’t care about rumours anymore….thanks for getting my Yu hopes up
yabud
Who are you thanking?
Jonathan Kerasiotis
The rumours in general and this page to
mlbbaseball
o_O
bigpat
The Dodgers would be all-in on Cespedes if he was a 35 year old utility man.
Rcsully
Don’t count the Sox out just yet, Big Ben may just be playing Jedi Mind Tricks with MLBTR.
Douglas Rau
The Sox are out. You just don’t like it because “these aren’t the rumors you are looking for”.
Oilcanoworms
And how is it you know that?
rainyperez
Beltran’s got a good arm he could possibly be a 1 inning guy. Oh wait? They want more offense on top of more of offense.
riso30
Dark Horse: Royals. They were really high on Kuroda when he first came into the league, but got outbid by the Dodgers, and had to settle for Yubota.
zak chrzaszcz
How much is Kuroda expected to sign for could the Twins be a player or is he out of their price range
Dan B. 2
I would not be surprised if the twins had interest. They like to keep things quiet and they might have the money since cuddyer and kubel didn’t resign
Jeffrey Luck Lucas
Given his stated preference for the west coast I’m thinking Angels or Padres or (gasp) back to LAD. I know LAA has Williams and Richards, but they seem in win-now mode….. and Kuroda in that rotation would be awesome. And another middle finger to TEX.
jeremiah15y
Blue Jays
Mike McLellan
Hope not.
Mike McLellan
Hope not.
whatever
Goodbye Hiroki, I love you
optionn
Don’t the Detroit Tigers make some sense here? I know they had a lot of salary coming off the books with Guillen, Ordonez and Penny.
Guest 5696
They do have salary off the books but it’s already pretty much taken up by a huge raise for Verlander, small bumps for Cabrera, VMart, Valverde, Raburn, and Santiago, and arbitration raises for Scherzer, Porcello and Coke — plus Delmon Young will take $6M, and there’s the Dotel signing. But I think Illitch would greenlight a bigger budget this year for the right case, considering where they finished last year, and Kuroda would make a ton of sense for the Tigers for a year or two.
joeybw
Everyone wants Kuroda all the sudden. *watches him sign with Japan team*
Jason McNeely
I can see the Reds going after Oswalt on a year deal, moving Chapman into the closer’s role, and dangling either Arroyo or Wood as trade bait.
bglaszcz
Arroyo as trade bait? For what? A bucket of balls?
stl_cards16
Doesn’t really make sense to have a closer who can’t pitch consecutive days.
stl_cards16
Doesn’t really make sense to have a closer who can’t pitch consecutive days.
Mike McLellan
Kinda hope the Jays sign Beltran for 2 years to play LF. I feel like he would be a good temporary addition. With that, Snider can take another year to develop (remember, he’s still only 23) and maybe trade Thames.
**DO NOT TRADE SNIDER**ORBeltran can play DH while Snider has another kick at the can. If Beltran has a good year, maybe the Jays trade him at the deadline for something ….. He gives us options.
@McLellan2
cards2WS
Isn’t that like every team with reported interest?
Milmurph
What about a three way trade between Blue Jays, Padres, and Cubs?
QCCubsPerspective
Actually would rather see a three way trade between the Tigers, Padres, and Cubs since the Tigers have interest in Headley.
Milmurph
any players in particular?
Milmurph
any players in particular?
QCCubsPerspective
Actually would rather see a three way trade between the Tigers, Padres, and Cubs since the Tigers have interest in Headley.
Milmurph
Cubs send Garza, and Soriano to Jays, they send prospects hat San Diego likes to Padres, Padres send Rizzo and Headly to Cubs?
Mike McLellan
Soriano is of no use to the Jays. Old, overpaid and useless. No thanks. Garza on the other hand……
Milmurph
He could DH and or LF
Milmurph
He could DH and or LF
slider32
My guess is the Nats or Marlins, both are looking to upgrade with a veteran pitcher.
slider32
My guess is the Nats or Marlins, both are looking to upgrade with a veteran pitcher.
Milmurph
Would Nats take Zambrano?
slider32
The only team that might take Zambrano is the Marlins.
Kendall Adkins
For his offense maybe.
Milmurph
Would Nats take Zambrano?
Lefty
If the O’s step up and sign both Kuroda and Oswalt…. that could make things interesting in the AL East… interesting indeed.
Come on Kuroda do it man!
Let’s Go O’s!
MNTwins12
I really hope the Twins are working out a deal with Kuroda. The Twins rotation is lacking an ace, and besides Oswalt, Kuroda is the next best option. Edwin Jackson would be great too though!
faceforest
I don’t see how adding Kuroda or Oswalt would make the O’s “interesting”. They would have to odd more offense and a better bullpen then just one piece. Plus, I don’t see Oswalt doing too well in the AL East.