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Imaizumi picked as House of Councillors vice president

TOKYO, Japan - Akira Imaizumi of the Democratic Party of Japan addresses the plenary session of the House of Councillors in the Diet on Jan. 30 after being elected vice president of the upper chamber with upper house President Chikage Ogi listening behind him.

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Baseball players begin training for the 2006 season

MIYAKOJIMA, Japan - Orix Buffaloes players offer their silent prayer for late former club manager Akira Ogi before they begin the official training for the 2006 season in Miyakojima, Okinawa Prefecture, on Feb. 1.

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Former Kintetsu, Orix manager Ogi dies at 70

TOKYO, Japan - Former baseball manager and Hall of Famer Akira Ogi, seen in this photo with Seattle Mariners' Ichiro at Safeco Field in October 2001, died of respiratory failure at a Fukuoka hospital on Dec. 15. He was 70. Ogi is known as the man who was most influential in the early professional career of Ichiro Suzuki, changing his registered name with the Pacific League to simply 'Ichiro' from his full name to give him more appeal.

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Orix rehires former major leaguer Yoshii

KOCHI, Japan - The Orix Buffaloes said Feb. 21 they have rehired veteran right-hander Masato Yoshii (L), just months after releasing the former major-league player. Yoshii shakes hands with team manager Akira Ogi (R) in a news conference in Kochi, southwestern Japan, the same day.

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(1)Ichiro visits Orix camp, takes batting practice

HIRARA, Japan - Seattle Mariners outfielder Ichiro Suzuki (L) chats with Akira Ogi (R), his mentor and manager of the Orix Buffaloes, a new team created through the merger of the Orix BlueWave and the Kintetsu Buffaloes, on the Okinawa Prefecture island of Miyako on Feb. 6. Ichiro returned to his old spring training stomping grounds for the first time in five years since leaving the Orix BlueWave for a career in the major leagues.

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(2)Ichiro sings praises of Ogi's Hall of Fame induction

OSAKA, Japan - Orix Buffaloes player Yoshitomo Tani (2nd from L) and wife Ryoko (L), a six-time world champion judoka, offer congratulations to former Orix BlueWave manager Akira Ogi at the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony held for the 69-year-old newly appointed manager of the Orix Buffaloes at an Osaka hotel on Dec. 7.

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(1)Ichiro sings praises of Ogi's Hall of Fame induction

OSAKA, Japan - Seattle Mariners star Ichiro Suzuki (L) poses with former Orix BlueWave manager Akira Ogi at the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony held for the 69-year-old newly appointed manager of the Orix Buffaloes at an Osaka hotel on Dec. 7. ''This is the one and only man I can call my mentor. I would not be here if it weren't for manager Ogi,'' said Suzuki, who won seven straight Pacific League batting titles from 1994 while playing for the BlueWave. (MLB)

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Ogi keen on helping 'Orix Buffaloes' build history

OSAKA, Japan - Akira Ogi, who has been named manager of the new team created by the merger between the Orix BlueWave and Kintetsu Buffaloes, smiles at a press conference at an Osaka hotel on Oct. 12. Ogi said he will help build the foundation and history of the ''Orix Buffaloes.''

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Ogi to skipper Orix Buffaloes in 2005 season

KOBE, Japan - Akira Ogi (in file photo), former manager of the Orix BlueWave and Kintetsu Buffaloes, will serve as the manager of the new team to be created after the Orix-Kintetsu merger in the off-season, Orix officials said on Sept. 30.

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Suzuki meets with his former boss

PEORIA, United States - Seattle Mariners leadoff man Ichiro Suzuki (L) watches former Orix BlueWave manager Akira Ogi (C) chat with his colleague Kazuhiro Sasaki before a preseason game against the San Francisco Giatns in Peoria, Arizona, on March 7. Suzuki played for Orix for nine years in Japan from 1992 to 2000. (MLB)

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Ex-Orix manager Ogi meets with Mariners' Ichiro

SEATTLE, United States - Akira Ogi (L), former manager of Japan's Pacific League baseball team Orix BlueWave, talks with Seattle Mariners' outfielder Ichiro Suzuki at Safeco Field on Oct. 8 during his practice for the American League playoff game against the Cleveland Indians due to start the next day. Ichiro played for the Orix BlueWave before moving to the Major League. (MLB)

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Orix set to name Ishige manager

TOKYO, Japan - Much-traveled baseball commentator Hiromichi Ishige (in file photo) will formally be named new manager of the Orix BlueWave, officials of the Pacific League club said Oct. 4. Ishige, 45, a star infielder with the Seibu Lions and Daiei Hawks and manager of Daiei's minor league squad, will take over from Akira Ogi who has announced his decision to step down as BlueWave manager.

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Orix manager Ogi steps down, Ishige to take over

KOBE, Japan - Orix BlueWave manager Akira Ogi announces his resignation at a news conference in Kobe on Sept. 28. Baseball commentator Hiromichi Ishige, a key player on the Seibu Lions' championship teams in the 1980s and early 1990s, is widely expected to take over the reins for the Kobe-based club.

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Shindo blasts three-run homer

KOBE, Japan - Orix Bluewave infielder Tatsuya Shindo is greeted by manager Akira Ogi after slamming a three-run homer off Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes starter Katsuhiko Maekawa in the bottom of the fourth inning at Kobe Ball Park on May 16.

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(2)Ichiro sings praises of Ogi's Hall of Fame induction

OSAKA, Japan - Orix Buffaloes player Yoshitomo Tani (2nd from L) and wife Ryoko (L), a six-time world champion judoka, offer congratulations to former Orix BlueWave manager Akira Ogi at the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony held for the 69-year-old newly appointed manager of the Orix Buffaloes at an Osaka hotel on Dec. 7. (Kyodo)

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Orix rehires former major leaguer Yoshii

KOCHI, Japan - The Orix Buffaloes said Feb. 21 they have rehired veteran right-hander Masato Yoshii (L), just months after releasing the former major-league player. Yoshii shakes hands with team manager Akira Ogi (R) in a news conference in Kochi, southwestern Japan, the same day. (Kyodo)

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Former Kintetsu, Orix manager Ogi dies at 70

TOKYO, Japan - Former baseball manager and Hall of Famer Akira Ogi, seen in this photo with Seattle Mariners' Ichiro at Safeco Field in October 2001, died of respiratory failure at a Fukuoka hospital on Dec. 15. He was 70. Ogi is known as the man who was most influential in the early professional career of Ichiro Suzuki, changing his registered name with the Pacific League to simply 'Ichiro' from his full name to give him more appeal. (Kyodo)

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Baseball players begin training for the 2006 season

MIYAKOJIMA, Japan - Orix Buffaloes players offer their silent prayer for late former club manager Akira Ogi before they begin the official training for the 2006 season in Miyakojima, Okinawa Prefecture, on Feb. 1. (Kyodo)

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Imaizumi picked as House of Councillors vice president

TOKYO, Japan - Akira Imaizumi of the Democratic Party of Japan addresses the plenary session of the House of Councillors in the Diet on Jan. 30 after being elected vice president of the upper chamber with upper house President Chikage Ogi listening behind him. (Kyodo)

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Ex-Orix manager Ogi meets with Mariners' Ichiro

SEATTLE, United States - Akira Ogi (L), former manager of Japan's Pacific League baseball team Orix BlueWave, talks with Seattle Mariners' outfielder Ichiro Suzuki at Safeco Field on Oct. 8 during his practice for the American League playoff game against the Cleveland Indians due to start the next day. Ichiro played for the Orix BlueWave before moving to the Major League. (MLB)

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Ogi keen on helping 'Orix Buffaloes' build history

OSAKA, Japan - Akira Ogi, who has been named manager of the new team created by the merger between the Orix BlueWave and Kintetsu Buffaloes, smiles at a press conference at an Osaka hotel on Oct. 12. Ogi said he will help build the foundation and history of the ''Orix Buffaloes.'' (Kyodo)

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Ogi to skipper Orix Buffaloes in 2005 season

KOBE, Japan - Akira Ogi (in file photo), former manager of the Orix BlueWave and Kintetsu Buffaloes, will serve as the manager of the new team to be created after the Orix-Kintetsu merger in the off-season, Orix officials said on Sept. 30. (Kyodo)

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(1)Ichiro visits Orix camp, takes batting practice

HIRARA, Japan - Seattle Mariners outfielder Ichiro Suzuki (L) chats with Akira Ogi (R), his mentor and manager of the Orix Buffaloes, a new team created through the merger of the Orix BlueWave and the Kintetsu Buffaloes, on the Okinawa Prefecture island of Miyako on Feb. 6. Ichiro returned to his old spring training stomping grounds for the first time in five years since leaving the Orix BlueWave for a career in the major leagues. (Kyodo)

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(1)Ichiro sings praises of Ogi's Hall of Fame induction

OSAKA, Japan - Seattle Mariners star Ichiro Suzuki (L) poses with former Orix BlueWave manager Akira Ogi at the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony held for the 69-year-old newly appointed manager of the Orix Buffaloes at an Osaka hotel on Dec. 7. ''This is the one and only man I can call my mentor. I would not be here if it weren't for manager Ogi,'' said Suzuki, who won seven straight Pacific League batting titles from 1994 while playing for the BlueWave. (MLB) (Kyodo)

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Baseball: Ichiro

File photo taken in October 2000 in Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture, shows Ichiro Suzuki (R) shaking hands with his mentor and former Orix BlueWave manager Akira Ogi after Ichiro's final game with the team. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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Suzuki meets with his former boss

PEORIA, United States - Seattle Mariners leadoff man Ichiro Suzuki (L) watches former Orix BlueWave manager Akira Ogi (C) chat with his colleague Kazuhiro Sasaki before a preseason game against the San Francisco Giatns in Peoria, Arizona, on March 7. Suzuki played for Orix for nine years in Japan from 1992 to 2000. (MLB) (Kyodo)

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Orix set to name Ishige manager

TOKYO, Japan - Much-traveled baseball commentator Hiromichi Ishige (in file photo) will formally be named new manager of the Orix BlueWave, officials of the Pacific League club said Oct. 4. Ishige, 45, a star infielder with the Seibu Lions and Daiei Hawks and manager of Daiei's minor league squad, will take over from Akira Ogi who has announced his decision to step down as BlueWave manager.

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Shindo blasts three-run homer

KOBE, Japan - Orix Bluewave infielder Tatsuya Shindo is greeted by manager Akira Ogi after slamming a three-run homer off Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes starter Katsuhiko Maekawa in the bottom of the fourth inning at Kobe Ball Park on May 16.