Sunday Afternoon Quick Hits

Hope everyone had a fun Halloween! Here are some links from this Sunday afternoon:

• While Hideki Matsui put up good numbers this season in a walk year, the Yankees have a lot of leverage over the veteran outfielder-turned-DH. It is believed that Seattle and New York are Matsui's preferred destinations this offseason, but there is no guarantee that the Mariners are interested, especially if they invest in another year of Ken Griffey Jr. You can pretty much rule out all NL teams for Matsui, and the majority of AL teams who either have a DH or have their eyes on the 10 or so available ones. The Yankees could get Matsui back on a very team-friendly contract. 
• MLB.com's Ken Gurnick examines the Dodgers and some of their plans this offseason. With Orlando Hudson almost a guarantee not to return, Gurnick thinks the Dodgers would be better off going after someone on the open market rather than giving the job to Blake DeWitt. While the one-year deal paid off nicely for the Dodgers, in hindsight, an option for a second year probably would have saved money in the long run. The Tigers' Placido Polanco or the Rays' Akinori Iwamura could be an option for the Dodgers.
• The Indians signed a prep arm out of Japan by the name of Takafumi Nakamura. Nakamura registers at 6-foot-5, 195 pounds, and boast a 92 mph fastball with a 85-86 mph slider. The 21-year old right-hander is expected to start at Rookie Ball before moving on up ladder. 
• Phil Rogers of the Chicago Tribune speculates that Seattle's interest in Cuban phenom Aroldis Chapman could be related to a desire to move Felix Hernandez. Chapman has yet to prove his worth, however, so I think his thinking may be premature. Teams are still deciding whether they view Chapman as a starter or reliever down the road. 
• Who is going to sign first: Matt Holliday or Jason Bay? Both players are being talked up by their agents, but the price will likely be set by which one signs first. At the moment, it looks like Jason Bay is more likely to resign with the Red Sox, while Holliday will go to the highest bidder. The Giants, Mets, and maybe the Yankees are expected to be in on both.