The Chunichi Dragons are prepared to sign a contract with third baseman Norihiro Nakamura, albeit a deal that only allows him to play in farm league games.
"We want to give a helping hand to a player who has a passion for baseball, and Nakamura will be a big addition to our team," Chunichi club president Junnosuke Nishikawa said Tuesday. Until a few years ago, Nakamura was a player other clubs wanted.
He led the Pacific League with 39 homers and 110 RBIs in 2000 and 132 RBIs in 2001. But the Orix Buffaloes released the 33-year-old in December after he refused to accept a 60-percent pay cut, and no clubs offered contracts after that.