Got this from the Padres website:
SAN DIEGO -- The Padres have agreed to a one-year deal for free-agent
second baseman Tadahito Iguchi, according to his agent, Rocky Hall.
Iguchi hit .267 with nine home runs and 43 RBIs for the White Sox and
the Phillies last season.
Signing Iguchi allows rookie second baseman Matt Antonelli time to get
more at-bats in the Minor Leagues.
The Padres didn't want to sign a veteran second baseman to anything
more than a one-year deal because they feel Antonelli is ready or
close to being ready to assume the starting job at the Major League
level.
Also, Kosuke Fukudome, the highly regarded Japanese outfielder, won't
be playing in San Diego next season.
Fukudome's agent, Joe Urbon, confirmed late Tuesday that the 30-year-
old decided not to accept the Padres' offer of a multiyear contract
offer.
Fukudome instead agreed to a four-year, $48 million contract with the
Chicago Cubs.
It was early Tuesday when Fukudome announced his intention to come to
the United States to play in 2008, refusing a multiyear deal from the
Tokyo-based Yomiuri Giants and his former team, the Chunichi Dragons.
"I won't be playing for a Japanese club next season, I'll play in the
Majors," Fukudome told the Associated Press in Tokyo. "I appreciate
the fans who supported me for nine years. I hope that the fans
continue to root for me when they see me playing in the United
States."
The Padres are believed to have offered Fukudome a three- or four-year
deal in excess of $10 million per season.
San Diego CEO Sandy Alderson told the Associated Press last week that
the offer was "one of the two or three biggest deals" in franchise
history.
The team will now likely turn its attention to free agents Mike
Cameron or Geoff Jenkins to fill their outfield needs.
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