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Hanshin offers deal to Miura, Takahashi gets offers from majors
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TOKYO, Nov. 20 Kyodo
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The Hanshin Tigers proposed a three-year, 900 million yen deal
Thursday for right-hander Daisuke Miura while left-hander Ken
Takahashi revealed he has received offers from major league clubs as
the business season started in Japanese baseball's free agent market.
Miura was offered the lucrative deal, which also carries
performance incentives, by Hanshin when they held their first round
of talks and made the first major tangible move among the seven
players testing their values on the open market.
''I'd like to take some time to consider what to do before
making a decision,'' Miura said, adding that he still has a
''fifty-fifty'' chance of staying with the Yokohama BayStars by
signing a new deal.
The longtime Yokohama ace has a 124-122 record with a 3.51
earned run average in 17 seasons -- all with the Central League club.
He went 7-10 with a 3.56 ERA in 21 starts this past season.
Meanwhile, veteran Takahashi moved a step forward in his bid for
a major league switch at 39 years old.
''I got a call from my agent. I can say that more than one club
has made me offers,'' said Takahashi, who holds a 66-87 record with
five saves and a 4.23 ERA in 14 seasons -- all with the Hiroshima
Carp. He was 8-5 with a 3.50 ERA in 21 games, including 20 starts, in
2008.
Takahashi said he plans to meet with his agent this weekend and
will likely get a clear-cut picture of the offers on that occasion.
According to baseball sources, the Chicago Cubs, San Diego
Padres, Milwaukee Brewers and New York Mets are among the major
league clubs that appear interested in acquiring Takahashi.
Elsewhere, Norihiro Nakamura admitted that he received a phone
call from the Rakuten Eagles, who had been reported to be showing
interest in the Chunichi Dragons third baseman, early on Thursday
morning and both agreed to meet in Tokyo on Tuesday.
Ryoji Aikawa returned to Japan on Thursday after attending a
major league tryout and said he is giving priority to pursuing a
career in the major leagues over staying in Japan, where the Yakult
Swallows are eager to land a deal with the Yokohama catcher.
Hanshin catcher Toshihiro Noguchi held talks with Yokohama.
It was a quiet day for Yomiuri Giants right-hander Koji Uehara,
who has shown a strong desire to pitch in the majors, and Chunichi
Dragons right-hander Kenshin Kawakami, who is expected to leave the
Nagoya club with a move to the majors among his options.
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