By Barry Svrluga
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, December 5, 2007

NASHVILLE, Dec. 4 -- Though the Washington Nationals aren't in discussions with the agents for top free agents at baseball's winter meetings, they are involved in conversations with two Japanese pitchers who could help their staff.

Sources with knowledge of the Nationals' discussions said they have inquired about right-handed reliever Kazuo Fukumori and Katsuhiko Maekawa, who is flexible enough to serve as a starter, long reliever or left-handed specialist.

General Manager Jim Bowden acknowledged having discussions with some Japanese pitchers, though he didn't specify which ones. Nationals President Stan Kasten has long professed an interest in getting involved in Asia, and the club sent Mike Rizzo, the team's vice president of baseball operations, and scout Bill Singer to Japan late in the regular season.

Fukumori, sources said, appears to have around eight or 10 teams interested. The 31-year-old had minor surgery on his elbow in August. He went 4-2 with 17 saves and a 4.75 ERA for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles, and has a 3.68 ERA over parts of 13 seasons in the Japanese major leagues.

Maekawa might be more intriguing. Though he didn't pitch in 2007 in Japan because of a legal problem resulting from a car accident, he is playing winter ball in the Dominican Republic. Two people who have seen him pitch were impressed.

"I'd sign him up right now," one said.

The Nationals' trade for right-hander Tyler Clippard -- in which they sent reliever Jonathan Albaladejo to the New York Yankees -- hasn't been announced because Albaladejo's physical won't take place until Wednesday. Clippard passed his Tuesday.

One Nationals official, however, said Clippard immediately becomes a contender for the 2008 Washington rotation. . . .

Two sources said it is becoming more likely the Nationals will host a nationally televised game on March 30 to open their season and Nationals Park, the new 41,000-seat facility in Southeast Washington. ESPN, which will carry the Sunday night opener, wanted the New York Mets as an opponent, but scheduling conflicts made that difficult.

Thus, it's likely the Atlanta Braves will open the new park. . . .

Though Nationals relievers Chad Cordero and Jon Rauch were supposed to be the club's most marketable chips, one source with knowledge of the team's thinking said Washington is "not close, not close at all" to trading either.

"Everyone keeps saying, 'Trade this guy, trade that guy,' " Bowden said. "I'll tell you what. I feel very happy to have Chad Cordero, Jon Rauch, [Luis] Ayala, [Saul] Rivera all in the back end."