Comments on: Five Players File For Free Agency

By: Patrick

Patrick — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:35:49 +0000

Anyone know a Japanese player expected to use his international free agency right for 2011; or a player you think a team will decide to post for 2011?

>>>we’ll look at that topic later in the offseason

Anyone know if Seung Yeop Lee of the Yomiuri Giants is going to use his out clause for free agency since the Giants won the ‘09 Title?

>>>last I read he was staying with Yomiuri for 2010. He doesn’t project as an MLB regular at this point, and it would be foolish to opt out of 500m yen or so that he’s slated to earn next year.

By: Jeff Hainey

Jeff Hainey — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:05:23 +0000

Anyone know a Japanese player expected to use his international free agency right for 2011; or a player you think a team will decide to post for 2011?
Anyone know if Seung Yeop Lee of the Yomiuri Giants is going to use his out clause for free agency since the Giants won the ‘09 Title?

By: Mark

Mark — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:53:29 +0000

Takahashi is not a mlb starter, long reliever at best. His Japanese #’s averaged per season are similar to Saito’s, he would only be so lucky if he puts up those numbers in the bigs.

Igarashi is at least a setup man, probably a closer on a team like PIT. His Japanese #’s averaged per season are similar to Okajima’s.

Possible contracts: Igarashi maybe a 3year/6 mill deal, Takahashi maybe a 2 year/2.5 mill deal.

By: Jeff Hainey

Jeff Hainey — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:38:05 +0000

This is a wonderful site. Keep up the great work.
Takahashi kept his desires (playing in the US) secret, probably because of how Koji Uehara was treated by the Giants his last couple of seasons. Where do you thinK these two pitchers fit in for MLB’s 2010? Lefty starters (Takahashi) are very valuable in the American League East…where Yankee stadium and Fenway park were designed to take advantage of great left handed hitters (Ruth, Williams, respectively). I’m thinking Takahashi seems to fit as a #3 starter and that Igarashi will be a closer for some team…as he rates as probably the best available free agent closer behind Billy Wagner and Jose Valverde for 2010. It would be hard for me to choose a Fernando Rodney or a Mike Gonzalez, over Igarashi’s experience and high 90’s heat. There are however, many trade scenerios involving closers possibly on the move (Capps, Cordero, Street, K.Wood, Papelbon, Jenks and H.Bell), that could keep down the number of vacancies that appear to be there (Washington, Florida, Chicago Cubs, Houston, Arizona, Detroit, Tampa Bay, Toronto and Baltimore).
It’s also interesting to note that Baltimore has decided to put Uehara in the bullpen for 2010 to keep him healthier, and a few club officials have stated that they would feel comfortable with Koji closing games for the team in 2010.
Is there any news on 1B Seung Yeop Lee of Yomiuri? He had a contract that said if the Giants won the Title, that he had an out clause? Is he going to use it (or am I miss-informed)?
It’s a little early…but are there Japanese athletes with notions to try out the MLB game in 2011 that won’t be claiming free agency this year…but may be letting themselves available for 2011?