Akinobu Okada's days as manager of the Orix Buffaloes may be numbered, a team executive suggested on Friday. The skipper is in the final season of a three-year contract.
When questioned about next year's field management and coaching staff, an executive for the Pacific League's last-place club said, "That will have to wait until we have a talk with the manager."
On Tuesday, when it was learned that the team had yet to broach the subject of a new contract with the 54-year-old skipper, Okada said he would leave the decision up to the club. Okada had quit his job as Hanshin Tigers manager in 2009 after failing to advance in the playoffs for two straight seasons.