Three Japanese teams have already filled managerial vacancies while two others are expected to name their choices sometime soon as the Climax and Japan Series draw to a close, in time for fall camp, the Oct. 29 amateur draft and the printing of the 2010 team calendars.
Kenjiro Nomura has taken over for Marty Brown as manager of the Hiroshima Carp, Akinobu Okada is the new field leader of the Orix Buffaloes, succeeding Daijiro Oishi and Norifumi Nishimura will succeed Bobby Valentine at the helm of the Chiba Lotte Marines.
Nomura, 43, is a lifelong member of the Hiroshima family, having played his entire career in Carp red. A former shortstop who played later in his career as a first baseman and pinch hitter, Nomura is a member of the Meikyukai (Golden Players Club) for hitters who amass more than 2,000 hits and pitchers who rack up 200 victories.