4:58pm: Slusser writes that the figure Iwakuma was said to be seeking was
including the posting fee. She also notes that Iwakuma wasn't looking for the
same number of years as Zito, just the same annual salary. Oakland, on the
other hand, was thinking somewhere along the lines of a $3MM-$5MM salary.
The A's are also looking for a power hitter, and one thought was that signing
Iwakuma could have made Oakland a more appealing destination for Hideki
Matsui.
Slusser says she recently spoke with a scout who saw Iwakuma pitch in Japan,
and described the 29-year-old as "Nothing special. Just a guy." With Iwakuma
presumably out of the picture, Slusser says a healthy Outman would be the
frontrunner for the fifth starter job. The 26-year-old lefty was having a
strong season in 2009 before he underwent Tommy John surgery and missed all
of 2010.
3:38pm: The Athletics have broken off talks with Hisashi Iwakuma, according
to this series of tweets from Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle.
While the A's will have until December 7 to make a decision on Iwakuma,
Slusser's sources have told her that Iwakuma was seeking something similar to
Barry Zito's seven-year, $126MM contract with the Giants to sign in Oakland,
which the A's are obviously unwilling to do. Iwakuma is preparing to announce
his return to the Rakuten Golden Eagles at an upcoming fan fest.
If Iwakuma's demands don't come down, the A's will be down one fifth starter
option, having traded Vin Mazzaro to Kansas City in exchange for David
DeJesus. Slusser says the A's will then approach the season with Josh Outman,
Tyson Ross, and Bobby Cramer as fifth starter candidates, barring a free
agent signing of course.
It's not unthinkable that the A's would venture to free agency to find a
suitable replacement; they clearly have the money to spend on pitching should
they see fit. Oakland bid around $17MM to win the rights to negotiate with
Iwakuma, but that amount will be returned if no deal is reached.