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**truebluefan** · 11-09-2007, 06:37 PM

Former major leaguer Yoshii to retire

Veteran right-hander and former major leaguer Masato Yoshii has
decided to end his playing career and will join the coaching staff of
the Nippon Ham Fighters next season, baseball sources said Monday.

Yoshii accepted the offer for the post of top-team pitching
coach made by Nippon Ham after the 42-year-old was left out of the
Lotte Marines' team plans for the next season.

''I've made up my mind,'' Yoshii said without giving any details
about his future. ''I'm confident that I could still continue
pitching but I've also begun to think that it's about time to quit.''

Yoshii joined the Kintetsu Buffaloes in 1984 as a second-round
draft pick. He moved to the Yakult Swallows after the 1994 season and
made a switch to the major leagues three years later as a free agent.

Yoshii had stints with the New York Mets, Colorado Rockies and
Montreal Expos in his five-year career in the majors, where he posted
a 32-47 record. He returned to Japanese baseball with the Orix
BlueWave in 2003 and was traded to Lotte during the 2007 season.

Yoshii had an 89-82 record with 62 saves in Japan.

**truebluefan** · 11-09-2007, 06:37 PM

Chunichi Dragons outfielder Kosuke Fukudome and Hiroshima Carp
third baseman Takahiro Arai are among the 68 players eligible to
become free agents this year, the baseball commissioner's office said
Monday.

Fukudome is 29 days short of the service time needed for free
agency in Japanese baseball, but the 2006 Central League MVP gained
eligibility under a new rule aimed at bailing out injured players.

Fukudome had endoscopic surgery in Los Angeles in August to
remove bone fragments from his right elbow. Because of that, the
number of days he was on the active roster was reduced to 116 days in
his ninth season.

Fukudome, Arai and 15 other players met the free agency
requirements for the first time, including Chunichi closer Hitoki
Iwase, Seibu Lions outfielder Kazuhiro Wada and Lotte Marines closer
Masahide Kobayashi.

Hanshin Tigers veteran lefty Tsuyoshi Shimoyanagi, Yokohama
BayStars right-hander Daisuke Miura and two others have regained
eligibility.

The 47 other players continue to hold the rights for free
agency, including Hiroshima right-hander Hiroki Kuroda, who said last
week he will declare his right to become a free agent with an eye on
moving to the major leagues.

Those who file for free agency during seven business days after
the end of the Japan Series beginning Saturday will be allowed to
negotiate a deal with any teams, either in Japan or abroad, after
their names are posted by the commissioner's office as free agents.

**truebluefan** · 11-09-2007, 06:39 PM

Yokohama BayStars closer Marc Kroon rejected an offer for a new
deal on Thursday and is expected to leave the Central League club
unless both sides narrow their differences.

Senior club official Susumu Kamei said Yokohama plans to present
Kroon with a new offer next week after their talks broke down earlier
in the day. While Kroon is seeking a two-year contract, Yokohama
prefers a single-year deal with the injury-prone fastballer.

Kamei said the BayStars asked Kroon to choose between a
one-year, 300 million yen contract and a two-year, 500 million yen
deal with a club option to cancel it in case the 34-year-old picks up
an injury. Kroon turned down both.

''We still have some room to reconsider our offer, but we can't
make a quick decision because he has been haunted by injury
problems,'' Kamei said.

Kroon indicated in his blog that it is possible he will return
to the United States to play in the majors depending on the future
course of negotiations, although he wants to continue his career in
Japan.

In his three-year stint with the BayStars, Kroon is 8-8 with 84
saves and a 2.82 earned run average in 145 games. He finished the
2007 season at 3-1 with 31 saves and a 2.76 ERA.

**truebluefan** · 11-11-2007, 07:57 PM

The Chunichi Dragons lost their first match in the Konami Cup last night 6-3 to SK Wyverns of Korea. A fine performance by the South Korean side was helped by some spectacularly inept fielding on the Chunichi side.

**truebluefan** · 11-15-2007, 12:14 AM

The SoftBank Hawks and Chiba Lotte Marines are interested in pitcher Jae Seo [Baseball-Reference]. Also, the Kia Tigers of the KBO are interested in the righty, but no deal has been finalized.

He may be a nice fit for a NPB team, though I don't know where he fits in a crowded SoftBank starting rotation that includes Saitoh, Wada, Suguichi, Arakaki, and Guttormson. Another note to mention is that Valentine was the manager of the Mets when Seo was in the organization. Granted, Seo only appeared in 1 game in 2002 (Bobby Valentine's last year with the Mets), but it could still play a part, in my opinion, in possibly drawing Seo to Chiba Lotte.

Seo went 3-4 with a 8.13 ERA in 11 games/10 starts with the Devil Rays. He went 9-4 with a 3.69 ERA in 17 games/16 starts with AAA Durham.

**truebluefan** · 11-15-2007, 12:15 AM

Chiba Lotte Marines outfielder Benny Agbayani will return in 2008.

It's believed that he will receive a 1 year deal worth 130 million yen. Agbayani batted .272/.368/.426 with 13 HRs and 51 RBI in 122 games and 390 AB's last year.

**truebluefan** · 11-15-2007, 12:16 AM

Lenn Sakata will return to manage the Chiba Lotte Marines' ni-gun team. He will recieve a 2 year contract.

Sakata was the ni-gun manager in 1995. He remained with Chiba's ni-gun team as a coach until 1998.

Sakata has managed in the San Francisco Giants' organization since 1999. He managed the San Jose Giants (1999, 2001, and from 2004 to 2007), the Bakersfield Blaze (2000), and Fresno Grizzlies (2003). He's won three California League titles with San Jose.

**truebluefan** · 11-15-2007, 12:16 AM

The Orix Buffaloes have announced that outfielder Tuffy Rhodes, infielder Greg LaRocca, and pitcher Tom Davey will all return in 2008. Orix announced that all three will receive one year deals, no salary details were released.

Davey went 8-11 with a 3.21 ERA in 26 games. Rhodes batted .291/.403/.603 with 42 HRs and 96 RBI in 132 games and 464 ABs. LaRocca batted .286/.366/.505 with 27 HRs and 79 RBIs in 136 games and 503 ABs.

**truebluefan** · 11-15-2007, 12:17 AM

NPB Hall of Fame pitcher Kazuhisa Inao passed away at age 70 of cancer.

Inao went 276-137 with a 1.98 ERA in 756 games with the Nishitetsu Lions from 1956 to 1969. He was elected into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 1993.

**truebluefan** · 11-15-2007, 12:17 AM

Free agent outfielder Kosuke Fukudome met with the Yomiuri Giants, Wednesday, for a half-hour. No contract offers were discussed. Though Fukudome said the Giants left a good impression on him. Fukudome said:
I was pleased they contacted me first thing this morning. They told me that they've wanted me to play for them since 1995 (when I was in high school). I've wanted to play for them (the Giants) since I was little.
It was also mentioned that he's due to meet with the Hanshin Tigers, Friday.

Fukudome batted .294/.443/.520 with 13 HRs and 48 RBI in 81 games and 269 ABs with the Chunichi Dragons.

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