Who is Junichi Tazawa?

Possibly a future ace for the Braves. The 22 year old Japanese pitcher refused to play in Japan in an attempt to sign with a MLB team. The Red Sox, Cubs and Mariners were said to be interested, but the Braves jumped in and offered him a major league contract. Tazawa is being compared to Tim Hudson with a better curve ball, and reportedly received a multi-year offer that exceeded that of the top players from the 2008 draft. Considering the Braves had no first rounder this year, investing in a 22 year old potential ace seems to be a good idea to me. The Red Sox could still jump in with a bigger contract, but the Braves do have a lot of money to spend this year. I've always wondered why the Braves have completely ignored Japanese imports, it looks like Wren is willing to add some talent from the far east now.

Other Braves news from the Hot Stove League:

The Braves are still the frontrunners to get Jake Peavy. The Braves have a ton of talent in their farm system, it just remains to be seen what Frank is willing to give up.

The Braves might be after Ryan Ludwick as a power bat, or possibly Rick Ankiel. They also have an eye on Ryan Dempster. I love this time of year and it's awfully fun when your team has the money and talent to make some deals.