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Fighters clinch pennant

SAPPORO, Japan - Nippon Ham Fighters rookie manager Hideki Kuriyama is tossed up in the air at Sapporo Dome in Hokkaido on Oct. 2, 2012, after the team clinched its pennant victory in Japanese professional baseball's Pacific League. Kuriyama became the first skipper in his first year to win the pennant since Seibu Lions' Hisanobu Watanabe achieved the feat in 2008.

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Japan's Pacific League opens 2010 season

TOKOROZAWA, Japan - Lotte Marines manager Norifumi Nishimura (L) and Seibu Lions manager Hisanobu Watanabe shake hands at Seibu Dome in Tokorozawa, Saitama Prefecture, on March 20, 2010, before their opening game for the 2010 season of the Pacific League.

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Rookie pitcher Kikuchi in Lions jersey

TOKYO, Japan - Seibu Lions rookie pitcher Yusei Kikuchi (L) poses in his new jersey beside manager Hisanobu Watanabe at a hotel in Tokyo on Dec. 9, 2009. The 18-year-old lefty, the club's No. 1 draft pick, was taking part in the club's rookie debut ceremony with five others.

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Fans watch baseball draft

TOKYO, Japan - A throng of baseball fans react after Seibu Lions manager Hisanobu Watanabe shows off the winner's ticket for the rights to negotiate a contract with the club's No. 1 draft pick Yusei Kikuchi, a high-profile pitcher, at a Tokyo hotel Oct. 29, 2009. It was the first time for fans to be allowed in the venue of the annual draft of the professional sport.

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Seibu wins negotiating rights for Kikuchi

TOKYO, Japan - Seibu Lions manager Hisanobu Watanabe shows off the winning ticket he drew from a lottery box for the rights to negotiate a contract with Yuseki Kikuchi, a promising left-handed pitcher for Hanamaki Higashi High School, in the baseball draft in Tokyo on Oct. 29, 2009. Five other professional clubs also named Kikuchi in the first round of bids.

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Seibu wins negotiating rights for Kikuchi

TOKYO, Japan - Seibu Lions manager Hisanobu Watanabe (L) shows off the winning ticket he drew from a lottery box for the rights to negotiate a contract with Yuseki Kikuchi, a promising left-handed pitcher for Hanamaki Higashi High School, in the baseball draft in Tokyo on Oct. 29, 2009. Five other professional clubs also named Kikuchi in the first round of bids.

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Giants' Hara, Lions' Watanabe to lead All-Star games

TOKYO, Japan - Yomiuri Giants manager Tatsunori Hara (L) and Seibu Lions manager Hisanobu Watanabe shake hands at a Tokyo hotel on May 29 as the schedule of the All-Star games in July between the Central and Pacific leagues were released the same day. Hara and Watanabe will lead the Central and Pacific league teams respectively in the games, one in Sapporo and the other in Hiroshima.

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Giants' Hara, Lions' Watanabe to lead All-Star games

TOKYO, Japan - Yomiuri Giants manager Tatsunori Hara (L) and Seibu Lions manager Hisanobu Watanabe (R), who will lead Central and Pacific league teams respectively in the All-Star games in July, express their wish for the games on a piece of paper at a Tokyo hotel on May 29.

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Seibu captures Japan Series title

TOKYO, Japan - Seibu Lions manager Hisanobu Watanabe is tossed into the air after the team's first victory in the Japan Series in four years at Tokyo Dome on Nov. 9. The Lions beat the Yomiuri Giants 3-2 in Game 7.

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Seibu earns 1st Japan Series trip in 4 years

TOKOROZAWA, Japan - Seibu Lions manager Hisanobu Watanabe is hoisted by his players as the Seibu Lions earned their first trip to the Japan Series in four years with a 9-0 rout of the Nippon Ham Fighters in Game 5 of the Pacific League Climax Series second stage at Seibu Dome in Tokorozawa, Saitama Prefecture, on Oct. 22.

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Seibu wins 1st Pacific League title in 4 years

SAPPORO, Japan - Seibu Lions manager Hisanobu Watanabe is tossed into the air at Sapporo Dome on Sept. 26 after the team claimed their first Pacific League title in four years.

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Watanabe appointed manager of Seibu Lions

TOKYO, Japan - Hisanobu Watanabe speaks to reporters at a hotel in Tokyo on Oct. 11 after being appointed manager of the Seibu Lions, the Pacific League baseball club. Watanabe, a 42-year-old former Seibu pitcher, has agreed to a two-year deal which includes a 50 million yen signing bonus and the same amount in estimated annual salary.

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Watanabe appointed manager of Seibu Lions

TOKYO, Japan - Hisanobu Watanabe speaks to reporters at a hotel in Tokyo on Oct. 11 after being appointed manager of the Seibu Lions, the Pacific League baseball club. Watanabe, a 42-year-old former Seibu pitcher, has agreed to a two-year deal which includes a 50 million yen signing bonus and the same amount in estimated annual salary. (Kyodo)

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Seibu wins 1st Pacific League title in 4 years

SAPPORO, Japan - Seibu Lions manager Hisanobu Watanabe is tossed into the air at Sapporo Dome on Sept. 26 after the team claimed their first Pacific League title in four years. (Kyodo)

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Seibu earns 1st Japan Series trip in 4 years

TOKOROZAWA, Japan - Seibu Lions manager Hisanobu Watanabe is hoisted by his players as the Seibu Lions earned their first trip to the Japan Series in four years with a 9-0 rout of the Nippon Ham Fighters in Game 5 of the Pacific League Climax Series second stage at Seibu Dome in Tokorozawa, Saitama Prefecture, on Oct. 22. (Kyodo)

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Seibu captures Japan Series title

TOKYO, Japan - Seibu Lions manager Hisanobu Watanabe is tossed into the air after the team's first victory in the Japan Series in four years at Tokyo Dome on Nov. 9. The Lions beat the Yomiuri Giants 3-2 in Game 7. (Kyodo)

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Giants' Hara, Lions' Watanabe to lead All-Star games

TOKYO, Japan - Yomiuri Giants manager Tatsunori Hara (L) and Seibu Lions manager Hisanobu Watanabe shake hands at a Tokyo hotel on May 29 as the schedule of the All-Star games in July between the Central and Pacific leagues were released the same day. Hara and Watanabe will lead the Central and Pacific league teams respectively in the games, one in Sapporo and the other in Hiroshima. (Kyodo)

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Giants' Hara, Lions' Watanabe to lead All-Star games

TOKYO, Japan - Yomiuri Giants manager Tatsunori Hara (L) and Seibu Lions manager Hisanobu Watanabe (R), who will lead Central and Pacific league teams respectively in the All-Star games in July, express their wish for the games on a piece of paper at a Tokyo hotel on May 29. (Kyodo)

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Japan's Pacific League opens 2010 season

TOKOROZAWA, Japan - Lotte Marines manager Norifumi Nishimura (L) and Seibu Lions manager Hisanobu Watanabe shake hands at Seibu Dome in Tokorozawa, Saitama Prefecture, on March 20, 2010, before their opening game for the 2010 season of the Pacific League. (Kyodo)

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Rookie pitcher Kikuchi in Lions jersey

TOKYO, Japan - Seibu Lions rookie pitcher Yusei Kikuchi (L) poses in his new jersey beside manager Hisanobu Watanabe at a hotel in Tokyo on Dec. 9, 2009. The 18-year-old lefty, the club's No. 1 draft pick, was taking part in the club's rookie debut ceremony with five others. (Kyodo)

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Fans watch baseball draft

TOKYO, Japan - A throng of baseball fans react after Seibu Lions manager Hisanobu Watanabe shows off the winner's ticket for the rights to negotiate a contract with the club's No. 1 draft pick Yusei Kikuchi, a high-profile pitcher, at a Tokyo hotel Oct. 29, 2009. It was the first time for fans to be allowed in the venue of the annual draft of the professional sport. (Kyodo)

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Seibu wins negotiating rights for Kikuchi

TOKYO, Japan - Seibu Lions manager Hisanobu Watanabe (L) shows off the winning ticket he drew from a lottery box for the rights to negotiate a contract with Yuseki Kikuchi, a promising left-handed pitcher for Hanamaki Higashi High School, in the baseball draft in Tokyo on Oct. 29, 2009. Five other professional clubs also named Kikuchi in the first round of bids. (Kyodo)

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Seibu wins negotiating rights for Kikuchi

TOKYO, Japan - Seibu Lions manager Hisanobu Watanabe shows off the winning ticket he drew from a lottery box for the rights to negotiate a contract with Yuseki Kikuchi, a promising left-handed pitcher for Hanamaki Higashi High School, in the baseball draft in Tokyo on Oct. 29, 2009. Five other professional clubs also named Kikuchi in the first round of bids. (Kyodo)