What players are definately coming to the MLB?

> I've heard about Hideki Matsui going to the Yankees
> and Kazuo Matsui going to the Mariners or Red Sox.
> Are there any other players headed stateside?

So far, no one is going Stateside. Not any of the Matsui's or Norihiro Nakamura, and certainly not Daisuke Matsuzaka.

We won't know if Kazuo Matsui will go to the Majors until he's actually posted. We won't know what team he will go to until the winner of the bidding is announced. We won't know if he'll be going to that team until he signs with them.

No one knows yet what Hideki Matsui will do. He has not said that he will go to the Majors, only that he will make all decisions when the season is over and he is officially a free agent, and he has not so far ruled out going to the Majors. We don't know what team he will be going to because he doesn't know what team he'll be going to. It can be assured, though, that he will give the Tokyo Giants the opportunity to match any offer he receives from an MLB team. Keep in mind, people, that Hideki Matsui has never made a declaration of wishing to play in the Majors like Ichiro or Ishii did. The whole idea of Matsui going to the Majors is almost entirely media speculation.

Beyond that, no one knows anything! The season isn't over yet! I'm sure updates will appear on this site as the news breaks, but it's no use asking "Who's coming to MLB?" because not even the players who might want to go to MLB know if they'll be going. Nothing will be clear until the season ends. Please be patient.

I seriously doubt Kazuo Matsui will be a Mariner. They already have Carlos Guillen at shortstop who is having a good season and the back up Desi Relaford has been on a major tear this past month. I would definitely be surpised if Matsui becomes a Mariner.

I don't know if Matsui will play in Seattle or elsewhere, but I think he will surely be an improvement over Guillen or Relaford... I am wondering who will be the free agents this fall in Japan: can anyone tell me something?

It makes no sense for Kaz to go to Seattle or Boston. They both have SS who are very good. And the Mets wouldn't be interested because they have Jose Reyes. In fact the only team I think would be interested is the Dodgers. Or maybe the Braves because Furcal's natural position is 2B.

With Jeff Cirillo, well, sucking, this season, he could end up getting the boot in favor of Boone, with
Little Matsui moving to second, though that is just really wild speculation on my part. Boston is also looking at the possibility of putting Kazuo at second as well. Obviously, Nomar owns short as long as he wants it. If Matsui goes to the Mets, though, he will be their starting shortstop.

But as a previous poster said, there is no guarentee that any of these guys will cross the ocean.
The big free agents are obviously Nakamura and Matsui, with lesser lights (though very good players) such as Takanori Suzuki and Daisuke Miura in the mix as well.

Kazuo is definately not going to the Red Sox. Why would they need a shortstop when they already have Nomar Garciaparra and a kid name Freddy Sanchez waiting in the minor leagues?

I'm sure the Yankees will pay big bucks for Hideki's service, and Mariners will probably trade Carlos Guillen away to open a spot for Kazuo.

I don't think the M's would do that... I mean they've got a really tight budget right now and trading Guillen ($2m/yr) away still won't make enough bucks to get Kazuo through the posting system.