Now That That's Out of the Way...

We can now get back to baseball. Contrary to popular belief, there is more going on in baseball than juicing. For instance:

• Japan is slowly becoming the new Latin America - at least as far as the influx of players coming to America. So far this off-season, five Japanese players have been signed by major league teams, and the trend will most likely continue to grow.


• Masahide Kobayashi signed a 2-year deal with the Cleveland Indians, and will provide the Tribe with a dependable right-handed reliever in their bullpen.


• The Kansas City Royals bolstered their bullpen as well, by signing Japanese reliever Yasuhiko Yabuta to a 2-year contract. The right-hander will probably not get many save opportunities, but should be a somewhat valuable piece to the Royals 'pen.


• The Chicago Cubs signed the only Japanese position player thus far, Kosuke Fukudome. Fukudome, who signed a 4-year contract, will provide the Cubbies a solid left-handed power hitter to break up the current righties in the lineup (Aramis Ramirez, Derrek Lee, and Alfonso Soriano). He will also give them a dependable right fielder who can also play center.


• The Texas Rangers may have gotten themselves a closer when they signed right-handed reliever Kazuo Fukumori to a 2-year contract. According to MLB.com, in Fukumori's nine career seasons, he has totalled 72 saves, so he has the experience of being a closer - something the Rangers are currently lacking.


• The Los Angeles Dodgers signed possibly the most wanted of the Japanese pitchers to be imported, Hiroki Kurota. On Saturday, they agreed to a 3-year deal with the right-handed starter, and he will be a member of a rotation that already includes Brad Penny, Derek Lowe, Chad Billingsley and Jason Schmidt. Dodgers' Japanese closer Takashi Saito is supposedly friends with his fellow countryman. The Seattle Mariners, and the Royals were also reported to be in pursuit of the 32-year old pitcher.

And now for some American news:

• The Houston Astros and Baltimore Orioles completed a blockbuster deal on Wednesday. The O's sent former AL MVP Miguel Tejada to the 'Stros for five players, including three pitchers. Outfielder Luke Scott, minor league third baseman Michael Costanzo, and pitchers Troy Patton, Matt Albers, and Dennis Sarfate all changed traded in their Astro uniforms for ones with an oriole on the chest. Tejada joins an offense that already includes Lance Berkman, Carlos Lee, and the up-and-coming Hunter Pence.
• One of the hottest names on the trade rumor mill all offseason was Dan Haren, now formally of the Oakland Athletics. On Friday, the A's sent Haren and prospect Connor Robertson to the Arizona Diamondbacks. In exchange, the A's received six prospects: pitchers Brett Anderson, Greg Smith and Dana Eveland; outfielders Carlos Gonzalez and Aaron Cunningham; and first baseman Chris Carter (whom they acquired from the White Sox in a trade last month). Haren will join an already loaded D-Backs rotation that includes 2006 Cy Young Award winner Brandon Webb, Doug Davis, Micah Owings, and (if he's heathy) the Big Unit Randy Johnson.
• And finally, putting two of these teams recently involved in blockbuster trades together, the Astros and D-Backs made a deal of their own. Around the same time the Arizona acquired Haren, they dealt closer Jose Valverde to the Astros for infield/outfielder Chris Burke, and pitchers Chad Qualls and Juan Gutierrez. Valverde lead the major leagues with 47 saves in 2007, and will replace the previously traded Brad Lidge as the closer in Houston. Burke will give the D-Backs a versatile bat in their lineup, while Qualls is a solid bullpen arm, with closer potential.