Saturday, Nov. 14, 2009

OSAKA (Kyodo) Former Seattle Mariners catcher Kenji Johjima signed a four-year, ¥2 billion contract with the Hanshin Tigers on Friday.

New Tiger: Catcher Kenji Johjima, who signed a four-year deal with Hanshin, is introduced at a news conference in Osaka on Friday. KYODO PHOTOS

The 33-year-old will return to Japanese baseball after four seasons with the Mariners.

"I'd like to make a great impact at Koshien Stadium. In Japan, I've played only in the Pacific League, so I know I need to learn about the Central League," Johjima told a packed news conference at an Osaka hotel.

Johjima opted out of the final two years of his three-year contract with the Mariners after injuries and lack of production limited him to 71 games this year.

"I'd like to play in all the games. There is a role model on the team in that department — Kanemoto-san," said Johjima, referring to 41-year-old outfielder Tomoaki Kanemoto.

Kanemoto has played in every game since July 21, 1999, without missing an inning.

Johjima, the only Japanese-born catcher who has ever played in the major leagues, is expected to hit in the heart of the lineup.

"I know I'll be criticized when the team can't do well. In that case, I'll step to the front to take the blame," Johjima said.

The Tigers, who missed out on a playoff spot this past season with a fourth-place finish, have high expectations for Johjima.

Kenji Johjima

"He doesn't need to change a bit. I expect him to inject new blood into the team," said manager Akinobu Mayumi.

"Needless to say, he'll be a big part of our team. He might stimulate the team as Kanemoto did when he joined us (in 2003)," said club president Nobuo Minami.

YOKOHAMA (Kyodo) Takao Obana wants to instill a winning mentality into his players and turn the Yokohama BayStars into a force to be reckoned with after he was unveiled as the club's new manager on Friday.

"If you are going to take the manager's job, you have got to aim for the top," said Obana, who has been given the chance to cut his managerial teeth by Yokohama after four years as the Yomiuri Giants' pitching coach.

"The players have to be fully aware that winning baseball games is their job," said the 52-year-old.

Obana has joined Yokohama on a three-year contract carrying an annual wage of ¥100 million.

The BayStars, who finished 42 1/2 games behind the Central League champion Giants in last place this season, had been looking for someone who could reconstruct the pitching staff and approached Obana last month.

"I really felt that the front office wanted a strong team. It didn't take me long to decide I would accept the offer," said Obana. "If we can strengthen our pitchers and catchers then the team will achieve better results."

Obana had a 112-135 record with 29 saves and a 3.82 ERA in his 14-year playing career through 1991, all with the Yakult Swallows. After his retirement, he worked as a pitching coach for a number of teams, including the Yakult Swallows and Softbank Hawks.

OSAKA (Kyodo) Orix Buffaloes manager Akinobu Okada expressed hope Friday that the team will bring back veteran outfielder So Taguchi.

"He isn't finished as a player. We shouldn't have him as a coach just yet," Okada said of the 40-year-old, who was released by the Chicago Cubs in mid-October.

Orix has seen Taguchi as a future manager candidate.

Taguchi spent 10 seasons with Orix before joining the St. Louis Cardinals in 2002 in a free agent deal. He is a career .279 hitter in the major leagues with 19 home runs and 163 RBIs in 672 games.

"Taguchi hasn't decided what to do about next season," said a senior Orix official. "He called to tell us he's coming to Japan. We've decided to make time to talk."

WAKAYAMA (Kyodo) The Kansai Independent Baseball League said Friday that a team formed by South Korean players will join the league next year.

The new Osaka-based club, the Korea Turtleships, will bring the number of teams in the low-budget league back to four after the 2009 champion Osaka Gold Villicanes left last month.

"I've wanted to give young Koreans a chance to play," Korea Turtleships representative Kim Jin Hee told a news conference in Wakayama. "I believe our club will draw interest from both Japanese and South Korean fans."

The KIBL has been hit by financial problems and the departure of female knuckleballer Eri Yoshida, who was the league's biggest attraction.

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