Last year the Athletics paid nearly $20 million for Iwakuma. Not to sign him to a contract – that was what they had to pay just for the right to talk to him. They failed to sign the contract, so Iwakuma went back to the Rakuten Golden Eagles. This fall, he’s a free agent, so any team that wants to offer him a contract can do so and keep the $20 million. It’s a tempting proposition; who wouldn’t want a pitcher so good that the organization behind Moneyball was willing to throw a truckload of money at him?

The Twins finished second place in the bidding for Iwakuma, but they offered just $7.7 million. Iwakuma apparently wanted $12 million per year from Oakland, while the A’s were offering about $5 million. If Iwakuma still demands $12 million, it is highly doubtful that the Twins would talk to him. For that amount, they could probably sign a proven Major League hurler like Edwin Jackson. (more…)