Infielder Akinori Iwamura arrived in Florida on Tuesday hungry for his first taste of action at spring training with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
"I really can't wait to get going and play ball," Iwamura said.
"I want to meet my new teammates and start communicating with them as soon as I can." Iwamura, who signed a three-year, $7.7 million contract in December after Tampa Bay won the rights to negotiate with the former Tokyo Yakult Swallows star under the posting system, is set to be unveiled at a press conference Friday, his 28th birthday.
"This will be the greatest birthday for me. Hopefully I will be able to give a good press conference. I want to try and convey my feelings in English wherever possible," Iwamura said.