The Yakult Swallows signed closer Hirotoshi Ishii to a new one-year contract worth 150 million yen plus performance incentives three weeks after the left-hander gave up on his bid to pursue a career in the major leagues this year.
Ishii earned a raise of 67 million yen in annual salary during four-hour talks with club officials, who had rejected his request to move to the major leagues through the posting system earlier in the offseason.
Ishii went 4-3 with 37 saves and a 1.95 ERA in 61 games in the 2005 season.
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