Hanshin Tigers lefty Kei Igawa, who initially had hoped to move to the major leagues via the posting system, re-signed with the Central League club Friday for an unchanged 230 million yen in annual salary. This past season, he posted a 13-9 record with a 3.86 ERA in 27 mound appearances for the Central League champion Tigers. His agent, Hironari Hashioka, said both sides had hoped to conclude talks quickly, adding that the team has not given him any assurance of a move after next season. Igawa will not be eligible to become a free agent until 2009 at the earliest.
