NISHINOMIYA, Hyogo Pref. (Kyodo) The Hanshin Tigers appear ready to formally ask former Tigers player Akinobu Mayumi to succeed Akinobu Okada as their manager, baseball sources said Friday.
Baseball commentator Mayumi, 55, emerged the top pick out of about five choices club owner Shinya Sakai, president of Hanshin Electric Railway Co., club president Nobuo Minami and other senior officials deliberated in Osaka on Thursday.
Current Tigers manager Okada, 50, has offered to step down after his team missed out on this season's Central League title.
Okada will be in charge for the Climax Series getting under way in the first stage against the Chunichi Dragons on Saturday and also if his team advances to the Japan Series.