Thursday, September 23, 2004
Twelfth team might be added in 2005
Associated Press
TOKYO -- Japan's professional baseball players averted a
second strike this weekend after team representatives softened
their stance Thursday and agreed with management that a club may be
added next season.
Following the merger of the Pacific League's Kintetsu Buffaloes
and Orix BlueWave, players insisted a new team be allowed to enter
next season. Management was pressing to add one only after the 2005
season.
"In today's negotiations, management promised they will deal
with a number of issues to work toward the development of
baseball," said Yakult Swallows catcher Atsuya Furuta, the head of
the players' association.
Both sides agreed efforts would be made toward having 12 teams
next season, instead of five teams in the Pacific League and six in
the Central League.
Players staged the first strike in the 70-year history of
Japanese baseball last weekend, wiping out 12 games.
It was expected the merger of the Buffaloes and BlueWave would
result in the loss of hundreds of jobs for players and team personnel.
The players were also convinced the imbalanced leagues would harm
scheduling.
The Buffaloes have reportedly lost $36 million a year because of
a drop in attendance and rising player salaries. The team's owners
have said they can't delay the merger another year.
Two Japanese Internet service companies, Rakuten and Livedoor,
have applied to set up new teams.
Rakuten president Hiroshi Mikitani said he would apply Friday to
set up a pro team north of Tokyo.
"We look forward to working with the players and Japan
professional baseball in an effort to reinvigorate Japanese
baseball," he said.
Livedoor president Takafumi Horie applied to Nippon Professional
Baseball this month to create a team that would play in Sendai.
Livedoor attempted to buy Kintetsu before it merged with Orix.
