OSAKA (Kyodo) Akinobu Mayumi said Thursday he has accepted an offer from the Hanshin Tigers to take over as manager of the Central League club.
Hanshin asked baseball commentator and former Tigers infielder Mayumi to replace Akinobu Okada and is set to officially unveil the 55-year-old as new skipper at the close of the second stage of the Central League Climax Series.
"I have accepted (the offer)," Mayumi said. "Every year results will be demanded of me. At the moment I feel like everything starts here."
Mayumi was the leading candidate to replace Okada, who decided to resign at the end of this season after his team squandered a 13-game lead to allow the Yomiuri Giants to win the league title.