Post by Zack Attack Troll on Nov 16, 2007 18:07:08 GMT -5
The Royals, dipping into the Japanese market, are close to signing free-agent reliever Yasuhiko Yabuta to a two-year contract with a player option for a third season, according to major-league sources.
Yabuta, 34, spent 12 years with the Chiba Lotte Marines, the team managed by Bobby Valentine. A right-handed setup man, he was 4-6 last season with a 2.73 ERA and four saves in 58 games.
The White Sox reportedly had been interested in Yabuta, who struck out Alex Rodriguez, Johnny Damon and Derrek Lee in a second-round game against Team USA in the 2006 World Baseball Classic.
Yabuta's strikeout rate has declined from 8.73 per nine innings to 7.85 to 6.46 over the past three seasons. However, several Japanese relievers — including Dodgers right-hander Takashi Saito and Red Sox lefty Hideki Okajima — have enjoyed major-league success in recent years.
The Royals' new manager, Trey Hillman, has first-hand knowledge of Yabuta. Hillman has spent the past five years managing the Nippon Ham Fighters in Japan.
Yabuta was high-school teammates with another Japanese free agent, right-hander Hiroki Kuroda. The Mariners, Phillies and Cubs are among the teams believed to be interested in Kuroda, who is the top starting pitcher in this year's Japanese free-agent class.
Wooooo yea...should get a few nice years from him before the league "figures him out".
From Rosenthal... msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/7455470
Yabuta, 34, spent 12 years with the Chiba Lotte Marines, the team managed by Bobby Valentine. A right-handed setup man, he was 4-6 last season with a 2.73 ERA and four saves in 58 games.
The White Sox reportedly had been interested in Yabuta, who struck out Alex Rodriguez, Johnny Damon and Derrek Lee in a second-round game against Team USA in the 2006 World Baseball Classic.
Yabuta's strikeout rate has declined from 8.73 per nine innings to 7.85 to 6.46 over the past three seasons. However, several Japanese relievers — including Dodgers right-hander Takashi Saito and Red Sox lefty Hideki Okajima — have enjoyed major-league success in recent years.
The Royals' new manager, Trey Hillman, has first-hand knowledge of Yabuta. Hillman has spent the past five years managing the Nippon Ham Fighters in Japan.
Yabuta was high-school teammates with another Japanese free agent, right-hander Hiroki Kuroda. The Mariners, Phillies and Cubs are among the teams believed to be interested in Kuroda, who is the top starting pitcher in this year's Japanese free-agent class.
Wooooo yea...should get a few nice years from him before the league "figures him out".
From Rosenthal... msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/7455470
