The Rakuten Eagles announced today that they will not offer Kelvin Jimenez (32), Jose Fernandez (38), Luis Garcia (34), Brett Harper (31), and Luis Terrero (32) contracts for the 2013 season.

Source: official announcement

According to Sponichi, there is a very good chance Jose Fernandez, Luis Garcia, Brett Harper, Luis Terrero, and Kelvin Jimenez will not return to the Rakuten Eagles next season.  Further, it seems the Eagles have put together a list of about twenty foreign players they are interested in.

The only foreign players from this year that will probably return next year are Jim Heuser and Brandon Duckworth.

Source: Sponichi 10/31/2012

According to Sponichi, the Rakuten Eagles may only bring back Jim Heuser back next season.  They do have some concerns about his slide-step and his off-speed pitches, but feel that he will be able to help the team out in 2013.

Darrell Rasner, Kelvin Jimenez, and Brandon Duckworth have had respectable seasons and may still return, but the team will most likely wait until after the season to decide on their fates.

Luis Terrero and Brett Harper most likely will not return.  Jose Fernandez and Luis Garcia are also questionable.  An unnamed team source told reporters that some in the organization felt that if the foreign position players had done better this year, the team would have gone much farther.

Source: Sponichi 10/1/2012

Before leaving for Kumejima, Okinawa, around 80 players and staff members attended a send-off party at Sendai Station.  About 1,500 fans attended the event.

===

The Eagles held a press conference for Jose Fernandez and Luis Terrero today in Kumejima, Okinawa.

===

The Eagles announced today that Hitoshi Taneda (40) stepped down as Ni-gun infield / base-running coach due to personal reasons.

They also announced the following personnel updates:

Makoto Kosaka - from Ikusei coach to Ni-gun infield / base-running coach

Yoshinori Okihara - hired as farm director

Tomoki Sano (? 佐野 朋生) - hired as an interpreter

===

Senichi Hoshino strongly denied reports that the team was going after Hideki Matsui.

===

Kazuo Matsui could become the next team captain.  He also plans to take part in early morning practices.

===

1st round draft pick Yoshitaka Muto found out on Monday that he will be starting at Ichi-gun spring camp, not Ni-gun spring camp.

===

The Eagles may decide not to sign Ken Kadokura because Hoshino is concerned about his conditioning/stamina.

===

Seven members of the 2011 draft class spent time introducing themselves to about 50 fans (they handed out business cards) at Sendai NAVIC in Aoba-ku, Sendai on Monday.

Rakuten Eagles have signed both INF Jose Fernandez (37) and OF Luis Enrique Terrero (31).

Fernandez (official announcement): one-year deal worth 70M yen.  Uniform #3.

Terrero (official announcement): one-year deal worth 40M yen.  Uniform #44.

According to Nikkan Sports, the contract the Rakuten Eagles are offering Jose Fernandez (37) includes clause that will allow the team to drop him to Ni-gun if he falters (for whatever reason).  The contract will also apparently be fairly heavily incentive-based (in other words, low base salary).

This same contract could also be used when signing other foreign players this winter.

In addition to the contract, the Eagles have reportedly prepared the number 3 for Fernandez.

Sponichi is reporting that the Rakuten Eagles may be close to finalizing a deal for Jose Fernandez (37) -- a one-year deal has already been agreed to and all that is left is a medical examination.  An official announcement could be made on Monday (12/5).

The Seibu Lions officially announced today that they are parting ways with Jose Fernandez (37) and Alex Graman (34).

===

2011 Stats - Jose Fernandez

2011 Stats - Alex Graman

Sports Hochi is reporting that the Rakuten Eagles are interested in 37-yearold Jose Fernandez and may try to convince him to return to Sendai (member of the Eagles between 2006 and 2008).  As an added bonus, beginning next season, Fernandez will no longer count toward the foreign player limit (he earned the necessary eight years of service time on the active roster).

The Seibu Lions' GM Haruhiko Suzuki told reporters today that they could not come to terms with Jose Fernandez and that he will most likely not remain with the team.  It appears Fernandez is interested in testing the FA waters.

===

2011 Stats