NPB Tracker

Yokohama has reached an agreement with Cleveland Indians righty Tom Mastny. Mastny has nine career MLB wins, and will pitch 2009 as a 28 year-old, so he should still have some upside left. The BayStars have already acquired Blue Jays lefty Les Walrond and are looking to import one more MLB arm.

Things have been eerily quiet for Kenshin Kawakami and Koji Uehara, but are starting to pick up.

• Yahoo Japan has a Sponichi report saying that the Angels have already been in contact with Kawakami’s agent, Dan Evans. The Angels are said to be put off by Jon Garland’s salary demands and looking to replace him in the back of their rotation. Kawakami will probably cost substantially less than Garland, unless Garland overplays his hand like Kyle Lohse did last year. 
• Baltimore is also planning to negotiate with both Kawakami and Uehara at the winter meetings. The O’s are said to be interested in Ken Takahashi as well.
• Uehara hasn’t attracted any offers yet, but his agent has been in touch with the Tigers and the Giants.