MLB Rumors: Pirates Interested in Tsuyoshi Wada, Here is Video

The Pittsburgh Pirates

are being mentioned around the rumor mill as possible suitors for Tsuyoshi Wada, the free agent from the Softbank Hawks. Several teams including the Dodgers, Yankees, Nats and Twin have scouted Wada extensively.

The Rays have been on him for a couple years now, but some people whisper that the Dodgers are in the driver’s seat.   It’s not hard to determine why they feel that way, but we will save that for later in the post.

Wada went 16-5 with an ERA of 1.51 and lead the Hawks to their first Japan Series title in eight years.

He hides the ball well and has recovered from elbow surgery in 2009 to post some very nice strikeout numbers the past two seasons. He also has really shown the ability to keep the ball in the park as he has matured.  He won Gold at the 2006 World Baseball Classic and Bronze in ’04 at the Olympic Games.

Here is a link to wiki that explains how the Pirates could acquire Wada–the Major League Baseball posting system.  The best part is Wada doesn’t require a posting fee.  (Somebody wake up Bob.)

It’s hard to give you a real estimate on what it would cost to land Wada.  We would throw a guess at a range of three-years with six to eight million dollar a season could get it done.  He got almost $4 million in US this past year.

Here is a well put together highlight video from one start in 2010 in which he struckout 15.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhzxuFPiNio

Dodgers frontrunner?

Wada has an attractive wife.  Who is an actress and a model.  Ok, shit, nevermind, the Bucs don’t have a shot…he’s going to L.A.