A lot of buzz late last night and this morning throughout the Cublogoverse about a single post on a “Japanese Baseball Blog” that I’ve never heard of. That post, citing a source I’ve similarly never heard of (but maybe I’m just really ethnocentric), is claiming the Cubs are close to signing a 40-year old Japanese pitcher… to a major league deal. Um. Que?
Sports Hochi is reporting that the Cubs are close to a deal with lefthanded pitcher Ken Takahashi. According to Hochi it’s a one-year, major-league deal and the Cubs would look to him to start and pitch in middle relief. The article speculates that the Cubs are looking to bring in someone to support Kosuke Fukudome….NPB Tracker.
Support Fukudome with a Japanese-American social club, not a major league contract. Presumably, even if the report is accurate, it means only that this Takahashi fellow would get a 40-man spot for now. He could still be cut, the Cubs would simply be on the hook for his salary.
On the heels of the Aaron Heilman rumor, the Cubs appear to be looking for bullpen help.