For those wondering about Craig Brazell:

Saints Say "Okaerinasai" To Former Major Leaguer Craig Brazell

He donned the St. Paul Saints uniform for just one week in 2009, but he left an indelible mark.  Infielder Craig Brazell, who destroyed American Association pitching, has just re-signed with the Saints after spending the last four seasons launching long balls in Japan.

Source: official announcement

Former Hanshin Tiger Craig Brazell is at the Winter Meetings.

"I have not been contacted by any teams in Japan.  I am starting to consider other options. There is only so much I can do by myself in terms of training.  I will also lose the feel for playing in games.  I want to prepare myself so that I can play at any moment.  I want to find a place where I can play in games.  That might end up being the minor leagues," said Brazell.

Brazell would still like to end his career in Japan.  If he does not get any offers from Japan, he may try to find a team he can play for in the US with hopes that an NPB team will take notice.

Source: Sanspo 12/6/2012

According to a number of reports, the Rakuten Eagles are looking into Craig Brazell (32).

Brazell did not have a very good season this year, but Rakuten officials feel he might bounce back next year.  The four foreign players the Eagles' carried this year -- Jose Fernandez, Luis Garcia, Luis Terrero, and Brett Harper -- did not do much better and were released after the season.

Source: Sponichi 11/22/2012, Daily Sports 11/22/2012, Sports Hochi 11/22/2012

(continue reading...)

According to reports by Sports Hochi, the Softbank Hawks are looking into Craig Brazell as a possible replacement for Hiroki Kokubo at first base.  They also like that he is a left-handed bat with pop and can break up right-handed hitters Seiichi Uchikawa, Wily Mo Pena, and Nobuhiro Matsuda.

Nobuhiko Matsunaka is a possible internal candidate, but there is concern if he can stay healthy over the course of a full season.

Source: Sports Hochi Osaka 10/21/2012, Sports Hochi 10/21/2012

The Hanshin Tigers announced today that they informed Craig Brazell on Monday that they will not be offering him a contract for the 2013 season.

Source: official announcement

According to a number of reports -- like Sanspo, Sponichi, Daily Sports, Sports Hochi, Sankei News -- Craig Brazell will not return to the Hanshin Tigers next season.  When reporters caught up with Brazell at Kansai Airport before hopping on a flight back to the US earlier today he said, "This is really too bad.  I never thought I would be going back at this time of the year. ... There are no changes in discussions with the team. ... Even if I cannot be on Hanshin, playing in Japan is my first choice."

The same reports also claim that Matt Murton, Randy Messenger, and Jason Standridge are a part of the Tigers' plans for the 2013 season and will likely return.

===

UPDATE 9/19 @ 3:04pm - A few more quotes from Brazell...

Via Nikkan Sports: "I still have not discussed the 2013 season with the team.  I want nothing more than to return to the team, but if not, I will play for another team.  Playing in Japan is my first choice.  If I can, I would certainly like to take take revenge.  I still have a burning desire inside of me.  I would like to get that out when playing against the Tigers. ... Tigers are the best fans, not just in baseball, but all sports.  I hope they will continue to support me."

Via Sanspo: "I would like to return to the Tigers, but if not, I would like to play for another team in Japan.  Playing in Japan is my first choice.  I am also used to playing in Japan. ... [If I were to play against the Tigers] I am sure I will feel like taking revenge on them.  Personally, I still feel a fire inside of me.  If I were to play against the Tigers, I would like to take that out and use it. ... I was lucky to play for a great team and for great teammates. ... I was confident about putting up decent numbers if I got another 200 or so plate appearances.  I have, in the past, done well during the summer months.  This year, I was not given the opportunity to play during that time frame.  I do not think my home run numbers were that bad when considering the rest of the team. ... It does not make much sense to fuss about it now.  I want to move on. ... Hanshin fans are really great.  I do not know where I will play next year, but I hope they continue to support me. ... Kanemoto-san, Arai-san, Kyuji, Tori[tani], Sekimoto-san...  I was lucky to have such great teammates.  I was also able to play with other foreign players. ... I do not know how things will turn out in the future, but if Kyuji goes to the States, or Tori goes to the States, I wish them the best of luck."

According to a number of reports, including Sports Hochi and Sanspo, the Hanshin Tigers have likely decided to part ways with thirty-two-year-old infielder Craig Brazell.

Brazell was taken off the active roster today and is expected to return to the States within the next few days.

===

Nikkan Sports is reporting that the Tigers will most likely not offer thirty-four-year-old pitcher Hiroyuki Kobayashi an extension for the 2013 season.  Kobayashi signed as a free agent before the 2011 season to fill a set-up role, but did not manage to fulfill expectations.  And while he did appear in forty-two Ichi-gun games last season, he has not managed to climb out of Ni-gun this season.  He and Kenji Jojima were also named as a failed high-priced solutions to fix the team during a stockholders meeting in June.

Nikkan Sports is reporting that the Tigers have an interest in bringing Matt Murton, Randy Messenger, Jason Standridge back for the 2013 season.  Both Messenger and Standridge have pitched well this season and are considered usable parts for the next season.  Murton did experience some problems this season, but the team likes his past track history and they feel he is a good candidate to bounce back next year.  They also see him as a possible replacement for Tomoaki Kanemoto in left.

The jury is still out on Craig Brazell.

Source: Nikkan Sports 9/15/2012

=

Nikkan Sports is also reporting that the team will most likely bring Shinjiro Hiyama back next year.  Source: Nikkan Sports 9/15/2012

Chiba Lotte Marines vs Hanshin Tigers at Koshien Stadium on Thursday night.

Bottom of the 9th, runners on second and third and one out.

Craig Brazell up to bat for Hanshin.

Yasuhiko Yabuta on the mound for Lotte.

Brazell grounds a 1-2 change through the right side for a walk-off single.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hky8ND211xk

Also got a little kick out of this quote by Brazell on tie games and baseball (taken from the hero interview above):

"It definitely is.  You don't wanna tie.  Uh, there's no ties in baseball.  I mean, you play the game to win and you don't play the game to tie.  Uh, I guess tying is about as good as kissing your sister."

Wednesday night game, Hanshin Tigers vs Hiroshima Carp at Mazda Stadium.

Top of the 5th inning, runners on first and second and two out.

Craig Brazell up to bat.  Yuya Fukui on the mound for Hiroshima.

With the count 1-1, Fukui threw a pitch inside that brushed Brazell back.

After two bench-clearing moments, Brazell gets ejected for provoking Hiroshima.

Sun TV

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJFYoifP3SY

JSports 1

Incidentally, this was Brazell's second ejection of his NPB career.  The other came in a game against the Chunichi Dragons on September 9, 2010.

UPDATE 4/12 @ 11:29am - Sports Hochi Osaka is carrying the following quote from the home plate umpire:

"I did say that [Brazell] was eject for provoking Hiroshima, but I was specifically referring to him starting the second bench-clearing incident.  Things settled down after the first time and then they started back up again.  [I am not sure about Hiroshima heckling Brazell,] Hanshin did mention something, but I was trying to get the game moving.  I was looking at the pitcher so I can not confirm.  If you were to say I was not looking, that would be the case, but there was really nothing I could do."

Brazell is also quoted as saying, "I know [Fukui] was not throwing at me.  But he glared at me a little."

Another Sports Hochi Osaka report includes this quote from Hiroshima GM Kiyoaki Suzuki: "I would like to hear [what the ump was thinking].  Perhaps he thought it was not such a big deal that [Brazell] went toward the mound.  But then it becomes a question of whether he thinks it is ok that young pitchers can be intimidated.  The ump needs to make the right call."

UPDATE 4/12 @ 12:14pm - Sponichi has a slightly different quote from Brazell: "[Fukui] glared at me a bit.  The second time a Hiroshima coach was saying something to me."

And a quote from Fukui: "I did not say anything to anyone, I did not do anything.  I just looked [at Brazell]."

UPDATE 4/12 @ 5:10pm - Brazell was given a stern warning and fined 100,000 yen by the commissioner's office today.

UPDATE 4/13 @ 1:50pm - According to Sanspo, the Tigers sat down with Brazell to get his side of the story and filed a report with the commissioner's office (not a protest).