Tag: Free Agents

122 Players Became Free Agents Today

by on Dec.02, 2011 @ 10:11 pm, under NPB, Roster Updates

The NPB Commissioner's office released the remaining free agents after teams posted their holdover lists.

Free Agents

TmPosPlayer JPNPlayer ENGDOBHTWTTB
SOFP有馬 翔Arima, ShoJun. 5, 199017476LL
SOFPE.バリオスBarrios, EdisonOct. 11, 198818585RR
SOFPY.ブラゾバンBrazoban, YhencyNov. 6, 1980186113RR
SOFPJ.デレオンDeLeon, JuanJun. 24, 198018075RR
SOFP藤田 宗一Fujita, SoichiOct. 17, 197217378LL
SOFPD.J.ホールトンHoulton, D.J.Aug. 12, 1979193101RR
SOFPA.レルーLerew, AnthonyOct. 28, 1982194102RL
SOFP高橋 徹Takahashi, ToruFeb. 23, 198718380RR
SOFINF豊福 晃司Toyofuku, KojiMay 17, 199117976RL
SOFOFJ.オーティズOrtiz, JoseJun. 13, 197717780RR
SEIPA.グラマンGraman, AlexNov. 17, 197719391LL
SEIP岩崎 哲也Iwasaki, TetsuyaOct. 13, 198219093RR
SEIP山崎 敏Yamazaki, SatoshiApr. 8, 198117273LL
SEIP朱 大衛Zhu, Da-WeiJul. 25, 198818480RR
SEIC中田 祥多Nakata, ShotaFeb. 22, 199018284RR
SEIINFJ.フェルナンデスFernandez, JoseNov. 2, 1974192100RR
SEIINF石井 義人Ishii, YoshihitoJul. 12, 197817882RL
SEIOFG.G.佐藤Sato, TakahikoAug. 9, 197818498RR
LOTPB.マーフィーMurphy, BillMay 9, 198118086LL
LOTP那須野 巧Nasuno, TakumiOct. 4, 198219284LL
LOTP坪井 俊樹Tsuboi, ToshikiJul. 7, 198618670LL
LOTC宮本 裕司Miyamoto, HiroshiJan. 7, 198318285RL
LOTINFJ.カスティーヨCastillo, JoseMar. 19, 198118690RR
LOTINF金 泰均Kim, Tae-KyunMay 29, 1982184100RR
LOTINF定岡 卓摩Sadaoka, TakumaOct. 17, 198618085RR
HAMPダース ローマシュ匡Dass, Romash TasukuDec. 15, 198819178RR
HAMP林 昌範Hayashi, MasanoriSep. 19, 198318784LL
HAMP加藤 武治Kato, TakeharuMar. 24, 197818882RR
HAMP菊地 和正Kikuchi, KazumasaJun. 27, 198218176RR
HAMC渡部 龍一Watanabe, RyuichiOct. 2, 198517179RR
HAMINFB.スケールズScales, BobbyOct. 4, 197718286RS
HAMOF松坂 健太Matsusaka, KentaAug. 16, 198518786RR
HAMOF大平 成一Ohira, SeiichiApr. 8, 198918588RL
ORIP長谷川 昌幸Hasegawa, MasayukiJul. 16, 197718580RR
ORIP甲斐 拓哉Kai, TakuyaDec. 18, 199018383RR
ORIP梶本 達哉Kajimoto, TatsuyaAug. 21, 198618772RR
ORIP加藤 大輔Kato, DaisukeJul. 27, 198017990RR
ORIP小林 賢司Kobayashi, KenjiJul. 3, 198518482RR
ORIP小林 雅英Kobayashi, MasahideMay 24, 197418289RR
ORIP小島 心二郎Kojima, ShinjiroJun. 11, 198218385LL
ORIP延江 大輔Nobue, DaisukeFeb. 3, 198918475LL
ORIP朴 贊浩Park, Chan-HoJun. 30, 197318892RR
ORIP山崎 正貴Yamazaki, MasatakaMay 9, 198918375RR
ORIC前田 大輔Maeda, DaisukeSep. 14, 197917980RR
ORIINFM.ヘスマンHessman, MikeMar. 5, 197819698RR
ORIINF李 承ヨプLee, Seung-YeopAug. 18, 197618385LL
ORIINF高島 毅Takashima, TsuyoshiMay 29, 198617678RR
ORIOFF.カラバイヨCaraballo, FranciscoOct. 21, 1983187105RR
ORIOF下山 真二Shimoyama, ShinjiDec. 1, 197517575RR
ORIOF田口 壮Taguchi, SoJul. 2, 196917777RR
ORIOF坪井 智哉Tsuboi, TomochikaFeb. 19, 197417779LL
RAKP藤原 紘通Fujiwara, HiromichiJan. 15, 198517778LL
RAKP石田 隆司Ishida, TakashiJun. 13, 198918484RR
RAKP鎌田 祐哉Kamada, YuyaNov. 30, 197818485RR
RAKP木谷 寿巳Kitani, HisashiOct. 15, 198018078RR
RAKP松本 輝Matsumoto, AkiraAug. 30, 197718080RR
RAKP岡本 真或Okamoto, ShinyaOct. 21, 197418393RR
RAKP寺田 龍平Terada, RyuheiJun. 20, 198918576RS
RAKP栂野 雅史Togano, MasafumiOct. 19, 198418692RR
RAKC中谷 仁Nakatani, JinMay 5, 197918285RR
RAKINF丈武Morita, JobuNov. 29, 198018584RR
RAKINF中川 大志Nakagawa, TaishiJun. 8, 199018692RR
RAKINF塩川 達也Shiokawa, TatsuyaMar. 15, 198318079RR
RAKINF山崎 武司Yamasaki, TakeshiNov. 7, 1968182100RR
RAKOF平石 洋介Hiraishi, YosukeApr. 23, 198017575LL
CHUPチェンChen, Wei-YingJul. 21, 198518280LL
CHUP河原 純一Kawahara, JunichiJan. 22, 197318374RR
CHUP木下 達生Kinoshita, TatsuoNov. 28, 198718387RR
CHUP長峰 昌司Nagamine, ShojiAug. 8, 198419294LL
CHUINF水田 圭介Mizuta, KeisukeNov. 4, 198017574RR
CHUINF佐伯 貴弘Saeki, TakahiroApr. 18, 197018690LL
CHUOF中川 裕貴Nakagawa, HirokiApr. 26, 198517676RR
CHUOF中村 一生Nakamura, IsseiApr. 2, 198218685RR
HANP阿部 健太Abe, KentaSep. 8, 198418479RL
HANP桟原 将司Sajikihara, MasashiAug. 21, 198218393RR
HANP下柳 剛Shimoyanagi, TsuyoshiMay 16, 196818491LL
HANP杉山 直久Sugiyama, NaohisaDec. 25, 198018384RR
HANOF葛城 育郎Katsuragi, IkuroSep. 28, 197718087LL
HANOF桜井 広大Sakurai, KodaiJul. 1, 198318195RR
YOMPJ.アルバラデホAlbaladejo, JonathanOct. 30, 1982196118RR
YOMP古川 祐樹Furukawa, YukiApr. 5, 198516867LL
YOMPS.グライシンガーGreisinger, SethJul. 29, 197519090RR
YOMP黄 志龍Huang, Chih-LungFeb. 22, 198917780RR
YOMPMICHEALNakamura, MichealSep. 6, 197617882RR
YOMP中里 篤史Nakazato, AtsushiSep. 12, 198218585RL
YOMP齋藤 圭祐Saito, KeisukeSep. 24, 199018490RR
YOMPC.トーレスTorres, CarlosOct. 22, 198218882RR
YOMP土本 恭平Tsuchimoto, KyoheiOct. 13, 198517573RR
YOMP上野 貴久Ueno, TakahisaDec. 9, 198217782LL
YOMINFJ.フィールズFields, JoshDec. 14, 198218895RR
YOMINF高橋 信二Takahashi, ShinjiAug. 7, 197818285RR
YOMINF円谷 英俊Tsuburaya, HidetoshiSep. 17, 198418178RL
YOMINF脇谷 亮太Wakiya, RyotaNov. 4, 198117674RL
YOMINF山本 和作Yamamoto, KazunaoSep. 21, 198618287RR
YOMOF紺田 敏正Konta, ToshimasaAug. 12, 198018577RL
YOMOFA.ラミレスRamirez, AlexOct. 3, 197418086RR
YAKP岡本 直也Okamoto, NaoyaJul. 28, 198317888LL
YAKP高木 啓充Takagi, HiromitsuSep. 16, 198318185RR
YAKP高市 俊Takaichi, ShunJul. 9, 198417785RR
YAKP吉川 昌宏Yoshikawa, MasahiroJun. 29, 197817380RL
YAKC衣川 篤史Kinugawa, AtsushiMar. 20, 198117993RR
YAKINF吉本 亮Yoshimoto, RyoMay 8, 198018086RR
YAKOFA.ガイエルGuiel, AaronOct. 5, 197217890RL
YAKOF濱中 治Hamanaka, OsamuJul. 9, 197817883RR
YAKOF中尾 敏浩Nakao, ToshihiroNov. 12, 198217876RL
HIRP林 昌樹Hayashi, MasakiNov. 28, 197918385RR
HIRP川口 盛外Kawaguchi, TaketoAug. 15, 198517283LL
HIRP菊地原 毅Kikuchihara, TsuyoshiMar. 7, 197518590LL
HIRP宮崎 充登Miyazaki, MichitoSep. 6, 197818180RR
HIRPM.シュルツSchultz, MikeNov. 28, 1979201100RR
HIRPD.ソリアーノSoriano, DioniDec. 30, 198218875LR
HIRP豊田 清Toyoda, KiyoshiFeb. 2, 197118085RR
YOKP秦 裕二Hata, YujiJun. 3, 198318285RR
YOKP松山 傑Matsuyama, SuguruSep. 8, 198918078RR
YOKP大家 友和Oka, TomokazuMar. 18, 197618591RS
YOKP杉原 洋Sugihara, YoMay 31, 198518783RL
YOKC橋本 将Hashimoto, TasukuMay 1, 197617988RL
YOKINF稲田 直人Inada, NaotoNov. 6, 197917778RL
YOKINF喜田 剛Kida, GoOct. 25, 197918283RL
YOKOF早川 大輔Hayakawa, DaisukeJun. 3, 197517780RS
YOKOF桑原 義行Kuwahara, YoshiyukiJun. 15, 198218086RR
YOKOFT.スレッジSledge, TerrmelMar. 18, 197718386LL

122 players

You can view individual holdover lists by following the links below:


Twelve players file for free agency

by on Dec.01, 2011 @ 5:06 pm, under NPB, Roster Updates

The NPB commissioner's office announced today that the following players exercised their FA options:

2011 Free Agents

TeamName JPNName ENGPosType
Softbank Hawks杉内 俊哉Sugiuchi, ToshiyaPDom
Seibu Lions許 銘傑Hsu, Ming-ChiehPDom
Seibu Lions帆足 和幸Hoashi, KazuyukiPDom
Chunichi Dragons小池 正晃Koike, MasaakiOFDom
Yomiuri Giants鶴岡 一成Tsuruoka, KazunariCDom
Yokohama Bay Stars篠原 貴行Shinohara, TakayukiPDom
Softbank Hawks和田 毅Wada, TsuyoshiPInt
Softbank Hawks川崎 宗則Kawasaki, MunenoriINFInt
Rakuten Eagles岩隈 久志Iwakuma, HisashiPInt
Yomiuri Giants大村 三郎Omura, SaburoOFInt
Hanshin Tigers新井 貴浩Arai, TakahiroINFInt
Yokohama Bay Stars村田 修一Murata, ShuichiINFInt

It should also be noted that Takahiro Arai and Takayuki Shinohara will be remaining with their respective teams.


2011 Free Agents

by on Nov.08, 2011 @ 11:54 pm, under NPB

The NPB released a list of players that have free agent options on Tuesday.  Of the 93 players, 22 hold domestic options while 71 hold international options.

2011 Free Agent List

Softbank Hawks
Player JPNPlayer ENGType
*杉内 俊哉Sugiuchi, ToshiyaDOM
*和田 毅Wada, TsuyoshiINT
藤田 宗一Fujita, SoichiINT
小久保 裕紀Kokubo, HirokiINT
A.カブレラCabrera, AlexINT
*川崎 宗則Kawasaki, MunenoriINT
+柴原 洋Shibahara, HiroshiINT
松中 信彦Matsunaka, NobuhikoINT
Nippon Ham Fighters
Player JPNPlayer ENGType
木田 優夫Kida, MasaoINT
中嶋 聡Nakajima, SatoshiINT
*田中 賢介Tanaka, KensukeINT
金子 誠Kaneko, MakotoINT
二岡 智宏Nioka, TomohiroINT
稲葉 篤紀Inaba, AtsunoriINT
Seibu Lions
Player JPNPlayer ENGType
*ミンチェHsu, Ming-ChiehDOM
*帆足 和幸Hoashi, KazuyukiDOM
*中島 裕之Nakajima, HiroyukiDOM
*J.フェルナンデスFernandez, JoseDOM
西口 文也Nishiguchi, FumiyaINT
#石井 一久Ishii, KazuhisaINT
*星野 智樹Hoshino, TomokiINT
石井 義人Ishii, YoshihitoINT
平尾 博嗣Hirao, HiroshiINT
*阿部 真宏Abe, MasahiroINT
*佐藤 友亮Sato, TomoakiINT
Orix Buffaloes
Player JPNPlayer ENGType
長谷川 昌幸Hasegawa, MasayukiDOM
*鈴木 郁洋Suzuki, FumihiroDOM
*赤田 将吾Akada, ShogoDOM
日高 剛Hidaka, TakeshiINT
北川 博敏Kitagawa, HirotoshiINT
坪井 智哉Tsuboi, TomochikaINT
Rakuten Eagles
Player JPNPlayer ENGType
*山村 宏樹Yamamura, HirokiDOM
*岩村 明憲Iwamura, AkinoriDOM
高須 洋介Takasu, YosukeINT
山崎 武司Yamasaki, TakeshiINT
*岩隈 久志Iwakuma, HisashiINT
Chiba Lotte Marines
Player JPNPlayer ENGType
*吉見 祐治Yoshimi, YujiINT
小野 晋吾Ono, ShingoINT
*渡辺 俊介Watanabe, ShunsukeINT
川越 英隆Kawagoe, HidetakaINT
*里崎 智也Satozaki, TomoyaINT
今岡 誠Imaoka, MakotoINT
井口 資仁Iguchi, TadahitoINT
福浦 和也Fukuura, KazuyaINT
Chunichi Dragons
Player JPNPlayer ENGType
*河原 純一Kawahara, JunichiDOM
*小田 幸平Oda, KoheiDOM
*小池 正晃Koike, MasaakiDOM
岩瀬 仁紀Iwase, HitokiINT
平井 正史Hirai, MasafumiINT
山本昌Yamamoto, MasahiroINT
谷繁 元信Tanishige, MotonobuINT
荒木 雅博Araki, MasahiroINT
井端 弘和Ibata, HirokazuINT
佐伯 貴弘Saeki, TakahiroINT
森野 将彦Morino, MasahikoINT
#和田 一浩Wada, KazuhiroINT
英智Kuramoto, HidenoriINT
Yakult Swallows
Player JPNPlayer ENGType
+濱中 治Hamanaka, OsamuDOM
*石川 雅規Ishikawa, MasanoriINT
宮本 慎也Miyamoto, ShinyaINT
福地 寿樹Fukuchi, KazukiINT
*宮出 隆自Miyade, RyujiINT
Yomiuri Giants
Player JPNPlayer ENGType
*鶴岡 一成Tsuruoka, KazunariDOM
阿部 慎之助Abe, ShinnosukeINT
小笠原 道大Ogasawara, MichihiroINT
*高橋 信二Takahashi, ShinjiINT
古城 茂幸Furuki, ShigeyukiINT
大村 三郎Omura, SaburoINT
A.ラミレスRamirez, AlexINT
谷 佳知Tani, YoshitomoINT
*鈴木 尚広Suzuki, TakahiroINT
高橋 由伸Takahashi, YoshinobuINT
Hanshin Tigers
Player JPNPlayer ENGType
安藤 優也Ando, YuyaDOM
*藤川 球児Fujikawa, KyujiDOM
*鳥谷 敬Toritani, TakashiDOM
福原 忍Fukuhara, ShinobuINT
#新井 貴浩Arai, TakahiroINT
金本 知憲Kanemoto, TomoakiINT
桧山 進次郎Hiyama, ShinjiroINT
Hiroshima Carp
Player JPNPlayer ENGType
菊地原 毅Kikuchihara, TsuyoshiDOM
*栗原 健太Kurihara, KentaDOM
*廣瀬 純Hirose, JunDOM
横山 竜士Yokoyama, RyujiINT
+豊田 清Toyoda, KiyoshiINT
*石原 慶幸Ishihara, YoshiyukiINT
倉 義和Kura, YoshikazuINT
東出 輝裕Higashide, AkihiroINT
石井 琢朗Ishii, TakuroINT
前田 智徳Maeda, TomonoriINT
*嶋 重宣Shima, ShigenobuINT
Yokohama Bay Stars
Player JPNPlayer ENGType
*篠原 貴行Shinohara, TakayukiDOM
清水 直行Shimizu, NaoyukiINT
*村田 修一Murata, ShuichiINT

* Newly earned
# Re-earned
+ Retired


Hanshin Tigers to meet with Hiroyuki Kobayashi tomorrow

by on Jan.19, 2011 @ 9:00 pm, under NPB

Team president Nobuo Minami told reporters today that the club will be meeting with Hiroyuki Kobayashi at a hotel in Osaka some time tomorrow.  Minami and Akinobu Mayumi are expected to attend the meeting.  A multi-year deal is supposedly already on the table.

Minami: "We'll meet with him directly and have our final say.  Being able to sit down [with Kobayashi] is good news for the Tigers."

Mayumi: "I'd like for him to wear a Tigers uniform."


Hiroyuki Kobayashi News and Notes: January 17, 2011

by on Jan.17, 2011 @ 12:40 pm, under MLB, NPB

The Tigers have apparently secured a spring camp hotel room for Hiroyuki Kobayashi, just in case.  They'll able be ready to supply him with a uniform, when / if he signs with the team -- the company that makes the uniforms for the Tigers also makes the uniforms for the Chiba Lotte Marines and can quickly figure out Kobayashi's size.

Meanwhile, Kobayashi told reporters yesterday that he'll pitch in what ever role he's assigned to.

"I don't really care where I pitch, " said Kobayashi.  "Whichever team I sign with, I'll pitch where ever they tell me.  I have confidence I can do both (start and relieve) and want to do my job where ever they put me."

That could be good news for the Tigers, because they see Kobayashi as a set-up man for Kyuji Fujikawa.

Incidentally, Kobayashi also said that he enjoyed starting the most and that the toughest part of relieving was giving up the lead.


Hiroyuki Kobayashi News and Notes: January 16, 2011

by on Jan.16, 2011 @ 12:53 pm, under MLB, NPB

Hiroyuki Kobayashi worked out in Ishigaki, Okinawa on Saturday and told reporters that he wanted to prepare himself so that he'd be ready to toss a bullpen session on 2/1.

"I've tossed bullpen session on 2/1 every year," said Kobayashi.  "Regardless of how things are, I want to make sure that I'm able to toss a bullpen session on 2/1 this year. ... Making sure I'm full prepared for camp is really important.  I think my preparations are going as planned.  I'm planning on working non-stop [until camp]."

He also spoke about his game plan for 2011:

I have no intention of changing my pitching style.  I don't think my fastball is going to get any faster at this point, and the pitcher's basic goal is to try and keep the ball down low.  And more than speed, it's movement.  It's about how quick the pitch appears to move to the batter.

As for his contract situation:

Nothing will be decided while I'm here.  The only thing I can do is anxiously wait for an offer.  And I hear Hanshin will be waiting [for me] as well. ... I do think I need to decide sometime near the end of the month.  What am I looking for?  A major league deal of course.  That might be a little difficult though.

Kobayashi also once again said that he won't agree to any split contracts.


Hiroyuki Kobayashi News and Notes: January 15, 2011

by on Jan.15, 2011 @ 12:41 pm, under MLB, NPB

Hiroyuki Kobayashi arrived in Ishigaki, Okinawa on Friday.  He admitted to reporters he was feeling a little worried but still didn't plan on making any decisions on where he'll be playing next season at least until after his training in Ishigaki (which is scheduled to end on the 23rd).

Kobayashi's agent, Alan Nero, arrived in Japan on the 13th and contacted the Hanshin Tigers yesterday in order to tell them to wait a little while longer.  An unnamed club source also told reporters that the Tigers already submitted a request for more money from the parent company, meaning the team will be fully ready if / when Kobayashi announces he's ready to start give up on the Majors.

Incidentally, it seems the airlines temporary lost Kobayashi's bags when transferred planes at Naha Airport.  But the bags were quickly recovered and placed on the next flight into Ishigaki.  The airlines didn't seem to have any problems with Saburo's bags (it seems he flew into Ishigaki with Kobayashi).


Nikkan Sports: Tigers preparing the number 41 for Hiroyuki Kobayashi

by on Jan.13, 2011 @ 2:40 pm, under MLB, NPB

Hiroyuki Kobayashi may have said that he's going to wait until the end of the month for an MLB offer, but the Hanshin Tigers are continuing to move ahead with their plans to put together a deal that Kobayashi won't be able to refuse, should he decide to give on the Majors.

As of now, and according to Nikkan Sports, it appears the Tigers are preparing a deal multi-year deal (2 or more years) that will likely have a base yearly salary that's at least 170M yen (the amount he made last season).  They're also thinking about giving him the number 41, the same number he wore with the Chiba Lotte Marines.


Hiroyuki Kobayashi will wait for an MLB offer until the end of January

by on Jan.13, 2011 @ 11:01 am, under MLB, NPB

Hiroyuki Kobayashi finished up his training at Chiba Marine Stadium on Wednesday and told reporters afterward that his deadline for signing an MLB contract would be the end of January.  And it seems, at this point, the only serious offer (non-minor league or non-split-contract) he has received is from the Hanshin Tigers.

"I have nothing," said Kobayashi.  "MLB offer?  None yet.  I don't want a minor league deal or a split contract.  I will wait for an MLB deal.  And I told my agent to wait as well."

Kobayashi will be moving his workouts to Ishigakijima, Okinawa (arrive on the 14th and training to commence on the 15th).


Chance of Hiroyuki Kobayashi signing with Hanshin Tigers increasing

by on Jan.11, 2011 @ 10:04 am, under NPB

According to reports filed by both Daily Sports and Sanspo, it appears there's a good chance that Hiroyuki Kobayashi will sign a deal with the Hanshin Tigers in the coming week.

Sanspo's claims they learned on Monday that Kobayashi's agent, Alan Nero, will be flying into Japan sometime later this week and could meet with the Hanshin Tigers as early as the 12th.  And in order to land Kobayashi, the Tigers are expected to submit their best offer.

In addition to some of the points mentioned yesterday, Daily Sports (DS) reports that Kobayashi has received minor league offers from 6 MLB clubs and that some (or perhaps all) of those deals are split contracts.  DS furthers says that when Kobayashi said an invite to spring camp would be "a little tight" he actually meant he wasn't interested in signing a split contract at all.  That would mean none of the offers currently on the table will appeal to Kobayashi.  DS goes on to say that Kobayashi may have a "deadline" of the 15th for receiving an MLB offer, after which point if he receives none, he may turn his attention towards the NPB.  And since the Hanshin Tigers are the only team that have been pushing for his services, they may be the ones to sign him.


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