Don't weep for Hisashi Iwakuma.
Yes, the star pitcher has gotten a raw deal at the hands of the loophole infested posting system. The Oakland Athletics won the exclusive rights to negotiate with Iwakuma but the two sides failed to reach an agreement prior to the end of the 30-day deadline Tuesday, meaning the pitcher will return to Nippon Professional Baseball next season.
Whether it was the A's or Iwakuma's agent Don Nomura, someone dropped the ball. The two sides haven't been shy about pointing fingers, and many observers question whether the small-market A's ever had any intention of signing the pitcher, while others believe Nomura doomed the talks by asking for an exorbitant amount of money.