OSAKA -- Pacific League MVP Tuffy Rhodes, whose record-tying 55 homers helped the Kintetsu Buffaloes to their first league championship in 12 years, is close to reaching a new deal with the Osaka club, Kintetsu team president Mitsuru Nagai said Friday.
Nagai revealed that negotiations with Rhodes "have been moving along," adding that the club official in charge will soon fly to the United States to wrap up talks and re-sign the 33-year-old slugger.
Nagai hinted that Rhodes may become the first foreign player to sign a multi-year contract with the Buffaloes.
Rhodes, a former Boston Red Sox outfielder, matched the single-season home run record of 55 set by Sadaharu Oh in 1964 and earned his second home run title in his sixth year with Kintetsu.
No rise for Furuta
Japan Series MVP Atsuya Furuta comfortably reached an agreement with the Yakult Swallows on Thursday on a 200 million yen salary for next year with a performance bonus as part of his current five-year deal.
The salary is unchanged from this year for veteran catcher Furuta, who was on the Japan Series-winning team for the fourth time in his 12-year career with the Central League team.
In Kobe, Orix outfielder Yoshitomo Tani re-signed with the BlueWave for 140 million yen, up 60 million yen from this year, to become the Pacific League club's highest-paid player next season.
Tani, in his fifth year with Orix had a storming year with career highs of a .325 average, 13 homers, 79 RBIs and 27 stolen bases. He also rewrote a single-season Japanese baseball record with 52 doubles.
Cromer is a Fighter
BOSTON (Kyodo) The Nippon Ham Fighters have acquired free agent infielder D. T. Cromer for an annual salary of $700,000 team officials said Thursday.