A's make strong push for SP Iwakuma. Rangers, M's also bid.

[love_that_reefer]

I know, its just seems criminal to pay that much money just for the rights and then more money to get him to play.

[Providence A's]

The Red Sox paid $51 mil just to negotiate with Dice K. That's much worse. Then they signed him for 6 years / $52 mil. In other words, 6 years / $103 mil.

[love_that_reefer]

Yep, pretty retarded!

[Providence A's]

If I had to guess, I'd say this ends up at half of that at worst ($16 - $18 mil posting plus 6 years / $30 mil). That's my guess. I have no idea what they plan on doing.

[love_that_reefer]

From what I have been reading they are projecting him to be a solid #3 or 4 starter so $5 million per year seems about right.

[ljshorty89]

I saw he had damn good numbers in Japan, but we know those may or may not translate. If he turns out to be a solid middle of the rotation starter, and it costs about 16 million posting and 6-8 million per year wouldn't be a bad deal. We'll have to see how long they want to lock him up too (and if they can)

[Providence A's]

Supposedly, the winning bid was around $17 mil. Also of note is that if the A's can't sign him, then they don't pay the posting fee.

[K-Zone]

Supposedly, the winning bid was around $17 mil. Also of note is that if the A's can't sign him, then they don't pay the posting fee.

That was the question that I was going to ask. That makes more sense.

[Providence A's]

So much for that...

Iwakuma talks have broken off : SFGate: Oakland Athletics : The Drumbeat

Talks between the A's and Japanese starter Hisashi Iwakuma have broken off, industry and major-league sources told The Chronicle today. A major-league source said that Iawakuma is looking for a Barry-Zito-type deal - a Giants-style, $18 million per year deal, not an A's style Zito deal. (The most Zito made in Oakland was $7.9 million in 2006.) It had been thought that Oakland was looking at paying Iwakuma more like $3-5 million per year. The Zito-type deal would also factor in the posting fee....but still, not numbers a budget-conscious team such as Oakland would consider.

He wanted a similar deal in terms of salary per year...not length. No thanks lol.

[Providence A's]

Now his agent is saying it was more like $8 mil not including the posting fee (the $18 mil referenced above was including the posting fee divided by the years). The A's were using Colby Lewis and Kei Igawa as comps while they were using Kiroda and Dice-K. Then again, according to this his annual salary when factoring in the posting fee would have been $17.2 mil.

Iwakuma info from Japan; pursuit almost officially over : SFGate: Oakland Athletics : The Drumbeat

New information: Matsuzka and Zito in fact were mentioned by Iwakuma's camp. The Iwakuma side suggested that with the posting fee thrown in, Matsuzaka's compensation was $17.2 million per year - not far off of Zito's $18 million. Taking that into consideration, the argument was that because Matsuzaka's total deal was comprable to the top contract for a U.S. pitcher, that a top U.S. pitcher should be used as a comparison now for Iwakuma; Jason Schmidt, say, who earns $15.7 million per year. With the posting fee factored into that, as Matsuzaka's was, that would be $11.2 million/year in salary for Iwakuma over the course of a four-year deal.

So it does sound very much as if talks have broken down for good, and the A's will get their estimated $16 million (update: $18 million) posting fee back.

The story from last night was updated and there is a lot more detail if you're interested.

[realmofotalk]

It might not be smart to use Jason Schmidt as an example of why your client should be paid upwards of $15.7 million a year.

[Providence A's]

I like how Iwakuma says that if the A's break off negotiations, then they didn't really want me. So says the guy who will be an unrestricted FA next year and can sign with any team as he won't be subjected to the posting process. That was probably his goal the whole time.

[Providence A's]

The A's have until Wednesday the 8th to strike a deal with Iwakuma, but it doesn't seem likely.