Here’s more from the NL West…

• The Padres announced yesterday that they’ve hired former Major League right-hander Hideo Nomo as an advisor to their baseball operations staff. “We are proud to welcome Hideo to the Padres organization,” general manager A.J. Preller said in a statement announcing the move. “His career as a Major League pitcher speaks for itself. His expertise and passion for baseball will be a significant asset to the Padres and I look forward to having his input going forward.” Nomo will assist in the club’s player development process but also in expanding the Padres’ reach in the Pacific Rim, per the release. Nomo joins Moises Alou, Trevor Hoffman and Mark Loretta as former big leaguers that are now working with the Friars’ baseball ops department in some capacity.
• Padres ninth-inning hopeful Fernando Rodney has been dealing with a hamstring strain of late, but Preller believes that he’ll be a full go for Spring Training, tweets Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune. The Padres gave Rodney a $2MM guarantee, and he’s perhaps the favorite to win their closer’s role following the trades of Craig Kimbrel and Joaquin Benoit, plus the move of Brandon Maurer back to the rotation.
• Another somewhat minor but potentially impactful Padres note comes from MLB.com’s Corey Brock (on Twitter), who notes that new manager Andy Green has asked right-hander Andrew Cashner to make some mechanical fixes, which Cashner has embraced. The goal of the tweaks is to regain some sink on Cashner’s two-seam fastball, per Brock. Cashner still maintained a very solid ground-ball rate in 2015 (47.4 percent), but that number is down from the 52.5 percent mark he registered in 2013. How well Cashner incorporates those fixes will be worth keeping an eye on, as the 29-year-old stands to enter next year’s free agent class as one of the most appealing arms on the market.
• Tyler Clippard told the Arizona Republic’s Nick Piecoro that he was somewhat surprised by the lack of interest he received on the free-agent market this offseason but is happy to have landed with the D-backs, whom he identified as a team on the rise earlier this offseason. “I felt like I would have gotten more offers,” Clippard said. “I thought there was going to be a little more activity early on in the offseason.” Clippard voiced excitement over joining a team that has “[taken] the steps in the direction of becoming a championship organization,” referencing the club’s additions of Zack Greinke and Shelby Miller.

Nomo won 78 games in Japan in five seasons, and then exploited a loophole and retired from Japanese baseball.  He was a phenomenon in ’95, coming over as a free agent to win the ROY with the Dodgers as a 26 year-old.  He ended up winning 123 big league games. 

• The Mariners were one of four teams contacted by Frank Thomas’s agent. The A’s were obviously another. So who were the other two?
• With 24-year-old backstop Robinzon Diaz mashing in AAA, the Jays might look to spin off either Gregg Zaun or Rod Barajas come July.
• 39-year-old southpaw Mike Myers requested and was granted his unconditional release from the Dodgers.
• After DFAing him on Sunday, the Royals have placed Hideo Nomo on release waivers. If unclaimed by noon on Tuesday, he’ll become a free agent.
• Curtis Granderson says his allergies are killing him. I can empathize. Fret not, Curtis. If you’re like me, you’ll be in the clear next week.

Posted by Joe Pawlikowski.

• Saberscouting has a mock June draft up.
• Ryan Klesko officially retired.  Chipper Jones let the cat out of the bag in February.
• Voros McCracken sees the Evan Longoria contract as a low-risk proposition for the Rays.
• The A’s are still discussing an extension with Huston Street, though nothing appears imminent.
• The Giants DFA’d Rajai Davis.  Anyone need an outfield burner?
• Sam Mellinger explains how the Hideo Nomo signing was the type of move the Royals need to make.
• Our Brian Bannister Q&A continues to get mileage, this time snagging a mention in the Seattle Times.  I’m trying to line up some more player Q&As, by the way.

Over a year ago, I attempted to compile a list of all Japanese players who’d come to the Majors.  I also included a spreadsheet ranking their contributions.  It needs some updating, but check it out.