It’s a minor league deal for Ken Kadokura. If nothing else, Kosuke Fukudome is going to have plenty of friends in Spring Training this year, and I actually don’t mean that facetiously.
Cubs signed Japanese free agent RHP Ken Kadokura to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training.
Kadokura, 35, flirted with the majors back in 2006 before deciding to remain with the Yomiuri Giants for two more seasons. He throws a fastball, a splitter and a slider, but he hasn’t had a good season since 2005. The Cubs will give him a chance to compete for a bullpen spot this spring. Rotoworld.
It’s gonna take a few guys getting shipped out for Kadokura to make the team. With Samardjiza, Gregg, Marmol, Gaudin and Vizcaino guaranteed spots in the pen, and the Olson/Marshall/Hart/Wuertz/Stevens types likely to make the pen (depending on who is in the rotation), there’s no chance for Kadokura. I think he could probably throw 15 scoreless innings in ST, and short of striking out everyone on three pitches, it’d be tough to give him a spot.