Despite the best efforts of those Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters fans who sought to convince star player Michihiro Ogasawara to remain with the club, the infielder decided to use his free agency and switch to the Yomiuri Giants.
Though scores of Nippon Ham rooters signed petitions asking "Guts" to stay where he was, the 2006 Pacific League MVP accepted a four-year deal from the Kyojin where he will apparently play third base.
Following a trade that brought outfielder Yoshitomo Tani from the Orix Buffaloes to Yomiuri, the Ogasawara acquisition would seem to give manager Tatsunori Hara's Giants a much stronger offensive attack heading into the 2007 season.