Infielder Kazuhiro Kiyohara agreed Thursday to a 20 million yen pay hike and signed a new one-year deal with the Japan Series champion Yomiuri Giants worth an estimated 300 million yen.
Kiyohara, 33, played just 75 games in an injury-hit 2000 season, but still hit .296 with 16 home runs and 54 RBIs, before coming back from a thigh strain to help the Giants beat the Daiei Hawks 4-2 to win their first championship since 1994.
"I showed what I can do over the second half of the season, I think," Kiyohara said.
Outfielder Yoshinobu Takahashi also netted a hefty pay rise Friday, re-signing with the Japan Series champion Yomiuri Giants for an estimated 120 million yen, officials of the Central League club said.
Takahashi, 25, earned a 20 million yen pay hike after batting just under .300 with 27 home runs and 74 RBIs in 135 appearances.
Meanwhile, Giants pitcher Koji Uehara was rewarded with a 10 million yen pay increase and will earn a reported 76 million yen next year despite only posting nine wins in an injury-hit 2000 season.
The Giants also gave Takayuki Shimizu a 26 million yen pay rise, which will boost the 27-year-old outfielder's salary to 100 million yen next season, Yomiuri officials said.