The Hanshin Tigers have offered Roberto Petagine a two-year, 1.6 billion yen deal plus incentives after a team official met the former Yakult Swallows slugger in Venezuela on Thursday, sources close to the negotiations said Friday.
Hanshin is one of four Japanese teams in the hunt for Petagine, the two-time Central League home run king who left Yakult earlier this week after talks on a contract extension fell through.
The Yomiuri Giants also met with Petagine on Thursday, 24 hours after the Yokohama BayStars held their first round of talks with the 31-year-old. The Chunichi Dragons are expected to follow suit by launching their own bid within the next few days.
"We'll ask him for a quick response and pull out if he won't give us one," Hanshin president Katsuyoshi Nozaki said, adding that a change in financial terms would be made depending on moves by the other clubs.
Hanshin inks Kanemoto
OKAYAMA (Kyodo) Free agent outfielder Tomoaki Kanemoto accepted a four-year, 1.2 billion yen contract offer from the Hanshin Tigers in their second round of negotiations Friday.
Kanemoto, who played for the Hiroshima Carp for the last 11 seasons, agreed to terms in an hourlong meeting with manager Senichi Hoshino and club officials in Okayama where the Tigers are holding a training camp.
"Mr. Hoshino said he needs me in his plans to build up the team for next season. I just want to live up to his expectations and give the right answer to his passion," Kanemoto said.