Rumors for Japan NPB
Brad Penny signs one-year deal with Japan’s Softbank Hawks
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Brad Penny has signed a one-year deal with Japan’s Softbank Hawks, according to the San Diego Tribune. The deal is for $4mm and includes $3.5mm in performance bonuses and a $4.5mm mutual option for 2013 (contract info provided by Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports).
Last season, Penny went 11-11 last season for the Detroit Tigers with a 5.30 ERA and 74 strikeouts in 31 games while earning $3mm.
Penny’s career year came in 2007 with the Dodgers when he went 16-4 with a 3.03 era, while striking out 135 in 208 innings. That year he earned $7.5mm as he was in the second year of a three-year deal he singed in 2006.
Penny has a 119-99 career record and a 4.23 ERA over a 12-year major league career.
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Rangers and Yu Darvish agree to six-year deal
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The Texas Rangers and Japanese pitcher Yu Darvish have agreed to a six-year deal worth $60mm, Jon Heyman of CBSSports reports on Twitter. The deal includes an extra $10mm in performance bonuses. Darvish has the ability to opt out of the deal after the fifth season if he is able to reach “high-end award levels” such as the Cy Young award.
The Rangers will now have five days to pay the entire $51mm posting fee. In total, the Rangers paid $111mm (possibly $121mm with bonuses) for the right hander.
Darvish is a 4-time All star, 2- time MVP, 2-time Gold Glove, all while going 93-38 with an ERA of 1.99 over a 7 year span.
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Yakult Swallows sign Lastings Milledge
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The Tokyo Yakult Swallows have formally announced the signing of outfielder Lastings Milledge according to a Sanso report (passed on from Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker.) The deal is worth $750k with unknown performance bonuses included as well as a club option for 2013.
Milledge last appeared in the Majors this past season (2 games) as a member of the Chicago White Sox. He spent most of the season in Triple-A where he posted a .295 avg in 505 plate appearances.
Milledge was once a top prospect in the Mets system when he was selected with the 12th overall pick in the 2003 draft. Since then, he has been unable to live up to the hype and has tried to latch on with the Nationals, Pirates and the White Sox since being traded from the Mets.
His best season (hit for average) came in 2009 when he hit .291 in 220 plate appearances (64 hits) with the Pirates.
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Texas Rangers win rights to Yu Darvish
Posted by: | CommentsThe Texas Rangers have won the rights to right-handed pitcher Yu Darvish by bidding $51.7 million, according to sources close to Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports. The Rangers will now have 30 days to negotiate a contract with Darvish. If the sides cannot agree to a deal, the Rangers will then be refunded their bid and Darvish will play the 2012 season in Japan.
Darvish is a 4-time All star, 2- time MVP, 2-time Gold Glove, all while going 93-38 with an ERA of 1.99 over 7 years.
If Darvish does sign with Texas, their rotation would consist of Neftali Feliz who is moving to the rotation from the bullpen, and a combination of Colby Lewis, Derek Holland, Alexi Ogando, Matt Harrison and Scott Feldman.
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Decision for Yu Darvish to be announced tonight
Posted by: | CommentsThe fate of of Yu Darvish will be announced sometime tonight, agent Don Nomura said (via Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com). A time frame has not been established, Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports adds.
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Orioles agree to terms with Tsuyoshi Wada
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The Baltimore Orioles have agreed to terms with left-handed starting pitcher Tsuyoshi Wada, according to a source close to Dan Connolly of The Baltimore Sun. The deal is for two-years, for $8.15 million with a 2014 option worth $5 million.
The Orioles may not be done raiding the Japanese league. The team has interest in left-handed pitcher Chen Wei-Yin, a Twaiwanese left-handed pitcher from the Chunichi Dragons.
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Wily Mo Pena close to deal with Japanese team
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The Fukuoka Softbank Hawks in Japan are closing on a two-year deal with Wily Mo Pena that will pay him a seven-figure annual salary, according to sources close to Alex Speier of WEEI. If signed, the deal will keep Pena in Japan until he’s 31-years-old. He can then pursue a Major League contract afterwards.
The former Red Sox outfielder hit .204/.250/.416 in 39 games in 2011.
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Rangers GM looking at Yu Darvish
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According to an article by T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com, Texas Rangers’ general manager, Jon Daniels, is looking at Japanese pitcher Yu Darvish.
One of the stars from the World Baseball Classic for Japan is a potential free agent. He is currently 8-2 with a 1.39 ERA for the Nippon Ham Fighters.
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Yankees RHP Romulo Sanchez to play in Japan
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The New York Yankees have designated right-handed pitcher Romulo Sanchez for assignment. The pitcher will accept an offer to play in Japan.
The move was first reported by Mark Feinsand of the NY Daily News. Feinsand at the time did not know where he was headed.
Sanchez only appeared in two games last season with the Yankees. He pitched 4.1 innings allowing one hit while walking three batters and striking out five opponents.
RHP Brian Bannister agrees to deal with Tokyo Giants
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According to Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports, right-handed pitcher Brian Bannister has signed a one-year deal with the Tokyo Giants. The deal includes a club option.
Bannister became a free agent in November when he refused an assignment by the Royals to Triple-A Omaha.
In 2010, the 29-year-old was 7-12 with a 6.34 ERA in 24 appearances (23 starts). He signed a one-year contract for $2.3 million in December 2009.
