Posting agreement discussions are ongoing -- the first day was on the 26th and will continue to the 27th.  NPB general secretary Atsushi Ihara told reporters that talks after the first day were between difficult and going well.  He also said he felt it would be best if current discussions in New York led to resolution.

Source: Daily Sports 11/27/2013, Nikkan Sport 11/27/2013

Fox Sports' Jon Paul Morosi also posted a few bits about what the MLB might be pushing.  A snip:

... With talks resuming this week, the MLB commissioner's office could choose to exercise its considerable leverage by negotiating the price point downward. If the figure was 50 percent in the last proposal, MLB can declare the negotiation a success if the Japanese club's take ultimately drops to 40 or 30 percent.

The union for Japanese players would like Tanaka -- and others -- to have the ability to choose among the top two or three bidders. Over time, though, the JPBPA has been reluctant to strike or take legal action in order to obtain that right.

"Striking is too traumatic -- they did it once -- and court takes too long," said Robert Whiting, an author and expert on Japanese baseball. MLB and NPB know this and can exploit the JPBPA's reluctance to use those forms of leverage.

Similarly, MLB has a better bargaining position than NPB. Clubs such as Rakuten know their superstar players are likely to sign with MLB clubs once they become international free agents. (For Tanaka, that would happen after two more seasons.) The posting system is a very lucrative way for NPB teams to be compensated for losing their superstars; the Japanese teams don’t want to lose that windfall.

Source: Fox Sports 11/20/2013

===

Tsuyoshi Wada is set on playing in the Majors next season and is not ready to return to Japan.  Daily Sports has heard that he has already turned away a number of NPB teams.

Source: Daily Sports 11/27/2013

===

Hideo Nomo has made it onto the 2014 Hall of Fame ballot.  He is the first Japanese player to make it onto the list.

Source: official announcement

ZakZak feels that the Yomiuri Giants have yet to reach out to Yasuyuki Kataoka because they are still trying to decide if they really need him.  They have a number of internal candidates at second base, like Takayuki Terauchi, Daisuke Nakai, and Daisuke Fujimura, but not everyone in the organization is convinced that they are good enough to play on a daily basis.

Source: ZakZak 11/26/2013

===

Tokyo Sports wonders if the Yomiuri Giants plan to include Takahiro Aoki on their list of protected players.  If they do not, Hiroshima could take him back with their compensation pick for losing Kan Otake.

Source: Tokyo Sports 11/26/2013

===

The Orix Buffaloes announced that they will meet Katsuki Yamazaki for a second round of negotiations on the 29th.

Source: Nikkan Sports 11/26/2013

According to Sports Hochi, the two sides have already reached an agreement and that an announcement could take place in Fukuoka some time this week.  Orix is thought to have offered Yamazaki a three-year deal worth 150 million yen that includes an understanding that the organization will make considerations to hire him as a coach after he retires.

Source: Sports Hochi 11/26/2013

===

The Softbank Hawks could ramp up efforts to sign Jason Standridge and Brian Wolfe after losing out on Kan Otake.  They are also looking into Tsuyoshi Wada.

Kenichi Nakata and Shinya Tsuruoka are expected to sign with Softbank.

Source: Nikkan Sports 11/26/2013

===

The Hiroshima Carp are reportedly close to finalizing an extension with Brad Eldred.  They were originally planning to part ways with Eldred, but his late-season surge impressed the coaches enough for them to push for his return.

Hiroshima has decided not to re-sign Fred Lewis.  As of now, the Carp have five foreign players on the seventy-man roster in 2014: Eldred, Bryan Bullington, Kam Mickolio, Kila Ka'aihue, and Zach Phillips.  The front office could add a sixth -- they are looking at right-handed position players.

Source: Daily Sports 11/26/203

Tomokazu Oka (37) attended a tryout in Arizona in late-October.  A number of MLB teams, including the Baltimore Orioles, are interested in the veteran pitcher.

Source: Nikkan Sports 11/23/2013

===

The Baltimore Orioles will not attempt to re-sign Tsuyoshi Wada.  From MASN Sports' Roch Kubatko:

Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette confirmed today that the club won't attempt to re-sign free-agent pitcher Tsuyoshi Wada after declining to pick up his $5 million option for 2014.

... The Orioles chose not to recall Wada as rosters expanded in September, mostly because they didn't want to experiment with him while in a pennant race.

Duquette had indicated that the Orioles would attempt to re-sign Wada at a reduced rate, perhaps hoping that he'd accept a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training, but it's not going to happen. Apparently, the Orioles didn't attempt to negotiate with him.

"I think that the Wada chapter is over with the Orioles," Duquette said. "We're just going in another direction."

Source: MASN Sports 11/21/2013

===

The latest on Yu Darvish's back, from MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan:

... Darvish, who finished this past season experiencing inflammation in his lower back, was examined by Dr. Drew Dossett this week while in Texas and underwent an MRI. The results showed that the inflammation from the nerve irritation has subsided.

Darvish will continue with his conditioning program and be able to go through his normal offseason throwing program without any issues. He will work out in Texas for the next few days before returning to Japan.

Source: MLB.com 11/21/2013

===

Koji Uehara returned to Japan today.  He rested for about two weeks after the end of the season before resuming workouts about a week ago.

Source: Nikkan Sports 11/21/2013

===

MLB Japan held an event at Ishinomaki General Sports Park today.  Hisashi Iwakuma was a special guest.

Source: press release

Seibu Lions

The media learned on Saturday that Hideaki Wakui will exercise his FA option.  His name was also not on the list of players attending fall camp (he was originally slated to go).

Source: Daily Sports 11/3/2013

According to Sponichi, Wakui may have been offered a one-year with a pay cut.  He was originally planning to attend fall camp because he wanted to spend some time with his teammates, but later decided he wanted to focus on a possible new start.  He plans to continue his workouts at Seibu Dome.

Source: Sponichi 11/3/2013

Softbank Hawks

The Hawks are interested in bringing back both Munenori Kawasaki and Tsuyoshi Wada.

Source: Nikkan Sports 11/3/2013

Orix Buffaloes

The Buffaloes are also interested in Munenori Kawasaki.  A person with connections to the team is quoted as saying, "he has everything this team currently needs."

Hiroshi Moriwaki has ties to Kawasaki dating back to when the infielder first joined the Hawks organization in 2000.

Source: Sports Hochi 11/3/2013

Yomiuri Giants

The media learned on Sunday that Michihiro Ogasawara and Yoshitomo Tani have no part in the organization's plans for the 2014 season.  Both players most likely want to continue playing.

Source: Sponichi 11/3/2013

===

The Giants could also be interested in Munenori Kawasaki.

Source: Sanspo 11/3/2013

Chunichi Dragons

According to Nikkan Sports, the Dragons offered Hirokazu Ibata around twenty-three million yen during recent contract negotiations, a total that is down from the estimated 190 million yen he made this season.  Ibata was prepared to see a cut in salary, but not quite as extreme.  The Dragons are open to continued negotiations, but he may already be preparing to leave.

Source: Nikkan Sports 11/3/2013

The latest on Tsuyoshi Wada.

From the Baltimore Sun's Eduardo A. Encina:

As expected, the Orioles have declined left-hander Tsuyoshi Wada's $5-million option for next season, the club announced on Saturday evening.

... Wada, 32, returned from the surgery in June and was then optioned to Triple-A Norfolk, where he struggled to find consistency until the Orioles decided to give him an extra day of rest between starts. It was then when Wada began showing some of the promise the Orioles saw when they signed him out of the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of the Japanese Pacific League.

... Still, the Orioles saw enough from Wada that they would be interested in signing him to a minor league deal to keep him in the system.

[Baltimore Sun 11/2/2013]

From NBC Sports' Drew Silva:

... Wada posted a 1.51 ERA and 168/40 K/BB ratio across 184 2/3 innings in 2011 for Japan's Softbank Hawks and a 1.43 ERA over his final six starts this year at Norfolk. He's not going to get much guaranteed money, but the 32-year-old southpaw should generate interest this winter from multiple major league clubs.

[NBC Sports 11/2/2013]

===

Kyuji Fujikawa is rehabbing his right elbow in Mesa, Arizona.  He threw fifty baseballs at a distance of about twenty-five meters on the 1st (US time).  He spoke to reporters and said, "I want to start ramping up my workouts, but it is going to take some time. ... There are a lot of downsides, but in thinking about my future, I think it was good that I can to America."

[Daily Sports 11/3/2013]

Munenori Kawasaki became a free agent on Friday when the Toronto Blue Jays declined his option.

[MLB 11/1/2013]

From the Toronto Star's Kim Nursall:

... Conflicting reports say Kawasaki could either be brought back by the Jays on a cheaper minor league contract, or he may go back to Japan and sign with a team overseas for a more lucrative deal.

[Toronto Star 11/1/2013]

From the National Post's John Lott:

... A fan favourite, Kawasaki might remain in the organization on a minor-league deal. But the Jays could not justify a million-dollar commitment to a backup infielder who has batted .218 with a .306 on-base percentage over a two-year big-league career. He would, however, provide valuable insurance in case of injury, a role he filled in 2013 after shortstop Jose Reyes suffered a severe ankle injury in April.

[National Post 11/1/2013]

The Toronto Star's Richard Griffin also tweeted this:

Roster update from #bluejays include refuse option on Kawasaki. Sources say Mune likely back to Japan for $2M and Jays were aware.

===

The latest on Tsuyoshi Wada and his option:

From the Balitmore Sun's Dan Connolly:

... The Orioles are expected to decline Wada's $5 million option and Casilla's $3 million option – and they must do it before Tuesday. It would be a huge surprise if the options weren't declined.

I'm hearing that an official announcement on Wada should come Saturday. An announcement on Casilla likely will come Monday. There's the end of the intrigue.

[Baltimore Sun 11/1/2013]

From MASNSports' Roch Kubatko:

... It's not Wada's fault that his elbow blew out, and it's not his fault that the club kept him in Sarasota after rosters expanded in September. They didn't want him pitching in important games down the stretch, deeming it unfair to both sides, but the reports on him certainly improved as the year wore on, which leads to the possibility that he stays in the organization.

Wada will be 33 in February, and Japanese pitchers traditionally have a lot of miles on their odometers. In other words, they throw a lot, and it's risky to sign one past the age of 30. But he was 107-61 with a 3.13 ERA and 1,329 strikeouts in 210 career games (207 starts) over nine seasons with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of the Japanese Pacific League. In his last 52 starts, he went 33-13 with a 2.29 ERA. In his final year, he was 16-5 with a 1.51 ERA and four complete games.

... The Orioles have regarded Wada as strictly a starter, in part because of the amount of time required for him to warm up, but perhaps he could fill the T.J. McFarland role if the former Rule 5 pick enters the rotation here or at Triple-A Norfolk.

I've also heard the counter argument that there's no sense keeping Wada around and reminding ownership of the $8.15 million investment that yielded nothing. Pick up the rest of your chips and move to the next table.

[MASNSports 11/2/2013]

===

The latest on Hiroki Kuroda:

From The Star-Ledger's Andy McCullough:

... The team is expected to tender qualifying offers to Cano, starter Hiroki Kuroda and outfielder Curtis Granderson. The team must decide to deliver those offers by Monday.

The qualifying offer is a one-year, $14.1 million contract, and none of these three are expected to accept. If the player signs elsewhere, as Rafael Soriano and Nick Swisher did last winter, the Yankees receive a compensatory draft pick.

... Kuroda earned $15 million in 2013, and likely deserves a raise, despite his implosion in September. But general manager Brian Cashman worries about Kuroda leaving for Japan. He could also be lured to pitch for one of the two Los Angeles teams, which are closer to home.

[The Star-Ledger 11/1/2013]

From SBNation's Connor Moylan:

... The Yankees are expected to offer Kuroda a $14.1 million qualifying offer, which would represent a slight pay cut from his $15 million salary in '13. The two sides could renegotiate the deal if the pitcher accepts the offer.

[Philly.com 11/1/2013]

===

On where Masahiro Tanaka might go if he decides he wants to be posted to the Majors after the season.

From CBS Sports:

Heyman: Yankees. They are said to love him, and not only because the posting fee isn't counted toward the luxury tax. The Cubs will be in there pitching, too.

Knobler: Giants. Yes, the Yankees want him. But so do the Giants, and they'll get him.

Miller: Yankees. Andy Pettitte is retired, CC Sabathia finished the season leaking oil and Phil Hughes has as much chance of returning to the Yanks' rotation as Whitey Ford. Brian Cashman has to find pitching somewhere.

[CBS Sports 11/1/2013]

Hanshin Tigers

The Tigers are interested in Seibu Lion Hideaki Wakui and have started gathering information on him.  They like that he is still young and capable of starting and closing.

A number of other teams, like Lotte and Yokohama, could also be interested.

Source: Sports Hochi 9/28/2013, Sanspo 9/28/2013

Seibu Lions

According to Sponichi, there is a good chance Esteban German will part ways with the Lions.  A person close to the situation told reporters that while German enjoys playing for Seibu, he is also interested in playing for other NPB teams.

Source: Sponichi 9/28/2013

Softbank Hawks

If Tsuyoshi Wada decides to return to the NPB next year, the Hawks would like to see him return to Fukuoka.

"If he returns to Japan, then many teams will look into him.  It would be nice if he returned.  He was a Hawks' pitcher.  We know what he is capable of," a team official said.

Source: Nikkan Sports 9/28/2013

Orix Buffaloes

The Buffaloes have begun collecting information on Hanshin Tiger Matt Murton in case he becomes available.  One team official told reporters they felt Murton could be a good fit in the Pacific League where there is a DH because he is a capable hitter, but "not quite there on defense."

The Tiger are hoping to re-sign Murton, but if negotiations fall apart, the Buffaloes may get involved.

Source: Daily Sports 9/28/2013

From September 25:

Hitters

Pitchers

===

From September 23:

Hitters

Pitchers

===

The Twins were at Monday's Yakult-Hanshin game, checking on Randy Messenger.

Source: Sports Hochi 9/24/2013, Sanspo 9/24/2013

===

From September 19:

Hitters

Pitchers

===