Update 2: So after a couple days of trying to pretend otherwise, the Dodgers have announced the signing of Kuroda. It gives them a roatation something like: Brad Penny, Derek Lowe, Kuroda, Jason Schmidt and Chad Billingsley. If Schmidt is healthy that’s got to be the deepest and best rotation in baseball.
Update 1: Here’s something more concrete, written by Tony Jackson of the L.A. Daily News (where, incidentally, the woman who gave me my first newspaper job is now an editor). He’s reporting that the Kuroda info is coming out of Japan, and the Dodgers are denying that any signing as taken place.
However, given these two snippets I’d say there’s a good chance he’s going to L.A.:
based on what few details I have been able to unearth — that he is leaning STRONGLY toward the Dodgers over Seattle … and that the decison is coming soon. Very soon.
And this, an exerpt from a story Jackson has already filed to run in tomorrow’s paper:
in what might be a telling sign, Kuroda has scrapped plans for what would have amounted to a recruiting trip to Los Angeles, Seattle and Phoenix this week and instead will decide from Japan which U.S. team he wants to pitch for.
Look at that mountain/look at those trees/look at that bum he’s down on his knees.
Tim at MLBTR just posted this on his site:
Just got a good tip that Hiroki Kuroda has chosen the Dodgers. More details should be forthcoming.
I wouldn’t ordinarily report a tip, but with Tim we’re in good hands. I’ll update this post more as information comes in.
If this is true this has to be a blow to the Mariners. It will also effect other rumored deals, such as Eric Bedard, who has been rumored to be going to either the Dodgers or Reds.
7 responses so far ↓
1 Jon Shields // Dec 13, 2007 at 10:47 am
I find it very hard to believe that Kuroda would choose the Dodgers. More money from the Mariners, Japanese catcher behind the plate, better city for your kids.. Seattle is the right choice. The Mariners need this to get their offseason going.
2 A.S. // Dec 13, 2007 at 4:44 pm
I agree. If the Mariners don’t get Kuroda the offseason suddenly looks like a disapointment. It seems they’ve assumed they’d get him from the start, but the Dodgers have made a big push.
3 B // Dec 13, 2007 at 7:57 pm
He must want to play with Saito. The Mariners have always seemed like a great organization. Maybe Ichiro is a jerk.
At any rate as far as I’ve seen this isn’t a done deal.
4 Jon Shields // Dec 15, 2007 at 2:37 am
Not looking like a done deal.. I’ve heard that MLB pitchers have advised him to pitch in the hitting-weak National League.
5 Brian Kringle // Dec 16, 2007 at 7:58 am
It’s a sharp move by the Dodgers, although their offense still leaves something to be desired. He doesn’t get credit for it but Saito is a top top closer in baseball.
Probably the best part for the team is that they still haven’t given up any of their great prospects Looney, Kemp or Kershaw. Must be nice to have a farm system like that.
6 A.S. // Dec 16, 2007 at 10:47 am
You can’t help but be impressed by that rotation. Still, part of me thinks Colletti makes up for his good moves by making bad ones. The Pierre contract is still horrible, as is the A. Jones signing (in my opinion). Kemp should be playing every day, somewhere. You could even argue Kershaw should be getting his shot by now.
7 jackson // Dec 17, 2007 at 12:15 am
Ditto on the Pierre and A. Jones comments.
Sometimes it seems like the Giants and Dodgers are in a race to outbuffoon each other in the front office. L.A. does have a nice rotation in spite of themselves tho.
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