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Pitcher Hideo Nomo

TOKYO, Japan, Sept. 4 Kyodo - Pitcher Hideo Nomo (R) meets the press with his agent Don Nomura (L) in Tokyo on Jan. 11, 1995, after announcing earlier in the month that he was leaving the Kintetsu Buffaloes to play in the U.S. major leagues. (Kyodo)

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Kintetsu Buffaloes pitcher Hideo Nomo

TOKYO, Japan, Sept. 4 Kyodo - File photo taken on Feb. 13, 1991, shows pitcher Hideo Nomo of the Kintetsu Buffaloes Japanese baseball club. (Kyodo)

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Baseball: Hideo Nomo

Kintetsu Buffaloes pitcher Hideo Nomo throws against the Orix Braves during a baseball game at Hankyu Nishinomiya Stadium in Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture, western Japan, on April 29, 1990. Nomo tied a Nippon Professional Baseball single-game record of 17 strikeouts.

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Baseball: Hideo Nomo

Kintetsu Buffaloes pitcher Hideo Nomo throws against the Nippon Ham Fighters in a season-opening baseball game at Fujiidera, Osaka, western Japan, on April 10, 1993. Nomo earned a complete game win.

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Japanese pitching legend Enatsu

Nippon Ham Fighters left-hander Yutaka Enatsu pitches against the Kintetsu Buffaloes at Tokyo's Korakuen Stadium on July 2, 1982, a game in which he earned his 200th career win.

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Ex-Kintetsu manager Nishimoto dies at 91

TOKYO, Japan - Photo taken in March 2005 shows Yukio Nishimoto, former Hankyu Braves and Kintetsu Buffaloes manager, during an interview at his home in Takarazuka, Hyogo Prefecture, western Japan. Nishimoto, who was inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 1988, died of heart failure on Nov. 25, 2011.

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(1)Nakamura doubles in preseason debut for Dodgers

PORT ST. LUCIE, Florida - Japanese infielder Norihiro Nakamura hit a ground-rule double to left off New York Mets starter Steve Trachsel in his first at-bat of the preseason on March 5 after joining the Los Angeles Dodgers' spring training. Nakamura was signed to a minor-league contract after leaving Japan's Kintetsu Buffaloes baseball club.

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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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Fujiidera Stadium quietly shut down after 77 years

OSAKA, Japan - Fujiidera Stadium, which had been used as the Kintetsu Buffaloes' home stadium for nearly half a century, was shut down on Jan. 31. With the team's merger with the Orix BlueWave, there was no team to use it since the controlling stake went to the new team -- the Orix Buffaloes.

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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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(1)Players' strike averted for this weekend

OSAKA, Japan - Baseball club managers and players meet at Osaka International Convention Center in Osaka's Kita Ward on Sept. 10 to discuss a merger between the Orix BlueWave and Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes and planned walkouts by players. The Japan Professional Baseball Players Association decided to avert a strike set for Sept. 11 and 12 having planned to go on strike every weekend in September.

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Baseball management, players hold crucial talks

OSAKA, Japan - Japan's professional baseball management (L) and representatives of the players association hold talks Sept. 9 over the planned merger between the Orix BlueWave and the Kintetsu Buffaloes. The talks ended inconclusively and will resume Sept. 10. The owners of the 12 ballclubs have approved the merger, while the players association has threatened to walk on all games scheduled on Saturdays and Sundays in September unless the merger is shelved for one year.

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(5)Owners keep 2 leagues, OK Orix-Kintetsu merger

OSAKA, Japan - Japan's professional baseball players association head Atsushi Furuta is surrounded by reporters Sept. 8 at Koshien Stadium after the owners of the 12 professional ball clubs approved the merger between the Orix BlueWave and Kintetsu Buffaloes and decided to keep the two-league system.

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(4)Owners keep 2 leagues, OK Orix-Kintetsu merger

OSAKA, Japan - Orix BlueWave fans carry banners opposing the merger of the BluWave and Kintetsu Buffaloes at Yahoo BB Stadium in Kobe on Sept. 8. The owners of Japan's 12 professional baseball clubs approved the merger and decided to keep the two-league system the same day.

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(2)Owners keep 2 leagues, OK Orix-Kintetsu merger

OSAKA, Japan - Kintetsu Buffaloes players association president Koichi Isobe answers reporters' questions Sept. 8 at Osaka Dome after the owners of Japan's 12 professional ballclubs approved the merger between the Orix BlueWave and Buffaloes and decided to keep the two-league system at an extraordinary meeting.

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(3)Owners keep 2 leagues, OK Orix-Kintetsu merger

TOKYO, Japan - Kintetsu Buffaloes owner Wa Tashiro, Yomiuri Giants owner Takuo Takihana, Japanese pro baseball commissioner Yasuchika Negoro, Orix BluWave owner Yoshihiko Miyauchi (from left to right) attend a press conference in a Tokyo hotel Sept. 8 after the owners of Japan's 12 professional ballclubs approved the Orix-Kintestu merger and decided to keep the two-league system.

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(1)Owners keep 2 leagues, OK Orix-Kintetsu merger

TOKYO, Japan - The owners of the 12 professional ball clubs hold an extraordinary meeting in Tokyo on Sept. 8. They approved the merger between the Orix BlueWave and Kintetsu Buffaloes and decided to keep the two-league system.

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(2)Players strike looms as merger nears reality

TOKYO, Japan - Hajime Toyokura, chairman of the professional baseball Central League, speaks to reporters at a hotel in Tokyo on Sept. 6 after a meeting of representatives of the 12 baseball clubs in Japan's two professional leagues. A merger plan by the Orix BlueWave and the Kintetsu Buffaloes, both in the Pacific League, was approved at the meeting.

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(1)Players strike looms as merger nears reality

TOKYO, Japan - Atsuya Furuta, a catcher for the Central League baseball club Yakult Swallows who serves as head of the Japan Professional Baseball Players Association, speaks to reporters at a hotel in Kobe on Sept. 6 about a plan for players to go on strike over the planned merger between two Pacific League clubs -- the Orix BlueWave and the Kintetsu Buffaloes.

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Livedoor unveils plan to create new pro ball club

TOKYO, Japan - Takafumi Horie, president of Internet provider Livedoor Co., announces a plan in Tokyo Aug. 19 to create a new pro baseball club. The announcement was made after its offer to buy the Kintetsu Buffaloes was turned down.

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Orix, Kintetsu sign merger agreement

OSAKA, Japan - Orix BlueWave President Takashi Koizumi speaks to reporters after signing a basic merger agreement with Kintetsu Buffaloes President Tetsuya Kobayashi in Kobe on Aug. 10. The merger agreement between the two Pacific League clubs came amid fierce opposition from players and fans.

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Livedoor may create new baseball club

OSAKA, Japan - Livedoor Co. President Takafumi Horie (background) speaks with members of the Osaka prefectural assembly at the Osaka prefectural government building in Osaka on Aug. 5. Horie said he may consider creating a new professional baseball club if his company fails to purchase the Pacific League club Kintetsu Buffaloes.

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(2)Lawmakers form groups to oppose one-league pro baseball

TOKYO, Japan - Lawmakers of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party hold an inaugural session of their group aimed to oppose a one-league professional baseball system prompted by the planned merger between the Orix BlueWave and Kintetsu Buffaloes in the Pacific League.

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(1)Lawmakers form groups to oppose one-league pro baseball

TOKYO, Japan - Lawmakers of the opposition Democratic Party of Japan hold a meeting in Tokyo on Aug. 4 to oppose a one-league professional baseball system prompted by the planned merger between the Orix BlueWave and Kintetsu Buffaloes in the Pacific League.

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Yomiuri players launch signature drive against merger

TOKYO, Japan - Members of the Yomiuri Giants players association, led by association president and Giant outfielder Yoshinobu Takahashi (L), conducted a signature drive July 29 at Tokyo Dome to oppose a move to a one-league format for Japanese baseball and a planned merger between the Orix BlueWave and the Kintetsu Buffaloes of the Pacific League.

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Baseball players suggest walkout as last resort against merger

NAGOYA, Japan - Members of the Japanese baseball players association, a labor union, attend an extraordinary meeting in Nagoya on July 10, reaffirming their opposition to the planned merger between the Orix BlueWave and the Kintetsu Buffaloes with a resolution calling for a possible walkout as the last resort.

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(3)Another merger between PL baseball clubs in works

TOKYO, Japan - (From L to R) Kintetsu Buffaloes owner Kazu Tashiro, Yomiuri Giants owner Tsuneo Watanabe and Japanese baseball commissioner Yasuchika Negoro meet reporters at a Tokyo hotel July 7 after a meeting of owners of the 12 Japanese professional baseball clubs. It was disclosed the same day that a merger between Pacific League professional baseball clubs is in the works in addition to the ongoing merger talks between the Orix BlueWave and Kintetsu Buffaloes.

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(2)Another merger between PL baseball clubs in works

TOKYO, Japan - Seibu Lions owner Yoshiaki Tsutsumi tells reporters in Tokyo on July 7 that a merger between Pacific League professional baseball clubs is in the works in addition to the ongoing merger talks between the Orix BlueWave and Kintetsu Buffaloes.

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(1)Another merger between PL baseball clubs in works

TOKYO, Japan - Owners of the 12 Japanese professional baseball clubs meet in Tokyo on July 7. It was disclosed that a merger between Pacific League professional baseball clubs is in the works in addition to the ongoing merger talks between the Orix BlueWave and Kintetsu Buffaloes.

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Kintetsu stresses no chance of selling Buffaloes to Livedoor

OSAKA, Japan - Kintetsu Corp. President Masanori Yamaguchi speaks to reporters at a hotel in Osaka on July 5 about an offer by Internet service firm Livedoor Co to buy the Kintetsu Buffaloes professional baseball club. Yamaguchi said, ''There isn't even a one percent'' possibility of selling the team to Livedoor.

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Livedoor seeks to buy Kintetsu Buffaloes for 1-3 bil. yen

TOKYO, Japan - Takafumi Horie, president of Livedoor Co., a Tokyo-based Internet services company, announced at a Tokyo news conference on June 30 the company is trying to purchase Japanese Pacific League pro baseball team Kintetsu Buffaloes.

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17,800 Orix fans say no to Osaka move after merger

KOBE, Japan - Taichiro Nozawa (L), leader of a support group for baseball's Pacific League club Orix BlueWave, hands to Orix President Takashi Koizumi in Kobe on June 29 a petition signed by 17,800 fans who are in favor of maintaining the club's base in Kobe after the probable merger with the Kintetsu Buffaloes next season.

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Kintetsu, Orix agreed on merger in May

OSAKA, Japan - Masanori Yamaguchi (foreground), president of Kinki Nippon Railway Co. which owns the rights to the Kintetsu Buffaloes, and Tetsuya Kobayashi, president of the Pacific League baseball club, speak at a press conference at a hotel in Osaka on June 13 about a merger between the Buffaloes and the Orix BlueWave, another baseball club in the Pacific League.

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(3)Japan baseball preseason games

CHIBA, Japan - Tuffy Rhodes, who has moved to the Yomiuri Giants from the Kintetsu Buffaloes, hits his first homer for the new club in a preseason game against the Lotte Marines in Chiba Marine Stadium on March 17.

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(2)Japanese preseason baseball games

OSAKA, Japan - Hiroki Kokubo, who has been traded to the Yomiuri Giants from the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks, tosses up his bat after belting a pinch-homer over the center-field wall in the fifth inning of a preseason game against the Kintetsu Buffaloes at Osaka Dome on March 13.

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Kintetsu Buffaloes back down from sale of naming rights

OSAKA, Japan - Mitsuru Nagai (L), president of the Pacific League baseball club Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes, speaks to reporters at a hotel in Osaka on Feb. 5 about the team's withdrawal of its plan to sell its naming rights from the 2005 season. Kintetsu had planned to sell the rights for 3.6 billion yen a year over a five-year period.

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(2)Take wins record 200th race this year

TAKARAZUKA, Japan - Japanese jockey Yutaka Take (R) is congratulated by Japanese professional baseball player Norihiro Nakamura of the Kintetsu Buffaloes (L) after marking his 200th race this year in races hosted by the Japan Racing Association.

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Kintetsu's Nakamura re-signs for 500 mil. yen

OSAKA, Japan - Kintetsu Buffaloes slugger Norihiro Nakamura speaks to reporters at the Pacific League baseball club's office in Osaka on Dec. 22 after re-signing with the team for an unchanged annual salary of 500 million yen plus performance-related incentives.

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Rhodes, Yomiuri Giants strike 2-year deal

TOKYO, Japan - Tuffy Rhodes (file photo) and the Yomiuri Giants reached an agreement on a two-year, $5 million (about 540 million yen) contract and the two sides are set to seal the deal within the next few days, Yomiuri general manager Hideaki Miyama said Dec. 18. Rhodes was released by the Kintetsu Buffaloes earlier this month after talks on a multiyear deal for his ninth and 10th seasons hit a snag.

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Rhodes to leave Kintetsu Buffaloes

OSAKA, Japan - Tuffy Rhodes (file photo) will not re-sign with the Kintetsu Buffaloes for a ninth year, the Pacific League club said Nov. 10. The two sides failed to reach an agreement on a new contract.

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Kintetsu slugger Rhodes sets homer record for foreigners

OSAKA, Japan - Kintetsu Buffaloes outfielder Tuffy Rhodes responds to fans on Sept. 14 at Osaka Dome after hitting a three-run drive for his 47th homer of the season to take sole possession of the lead in the all-time list of total home runs for foreign players in Japan with 284.

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Terahara goes distance

FUKUOKA, Japan - Fukuoka Daiei Hawks starter Hayato Terahara went the distance to lead his team to a 4-2 victory over the Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes at Fukuoka Dome on April 18.

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Nakamura slams 2-run homer

TOKOROZAWA, Japan - Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes slugger Norihiro Nakamura watches the ball after hitting a two-run homer into the left-field stands with two outs in the seventh inning against the Seibu Lions at Seibu Dome on April 4. Kintetsu won 5-1.

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Buffaloes' Rhodes hits three-run homer against BlueWave

OSAKA, Japan - Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes slugger Tuffy Rhodes hits a three-run homer over the right-center field fence off Orix BlueWave reliever Toshihiro Kase in the bottom of the seventh inning at Osaka Dome on March 30. The Buffaloes won 8-3.

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Buffaloes' Nakamura hits homer against BlueWave

OSAKA, Japan - Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes slugger Norihiro Nakamura hits a homer over the left-center fence off Orix BlueWave starter Hiroshi Kobayashi in the bottom of the third inning at Osaka Dome on March 29. The Buffaloes won 8-3.

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(1)Free-agent Nakamura to stay with Kintetsu

OSAKA, Japan - Free-agent Norihiro Nakamura (L) shakes hands with Kintetsu Buffaloes manager Masataka Nashida at a news conference in Osaka on Dec. 21. Nakamura announced his decision to remain in Japan and play for the Kintetsu for a 12th season.

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(2)Free-agent Nakamura to stay with Kintetsu

OSAKA, Japan - Free-agent Norihiro Nakamura bows in a hotel elevator as he leaves a press conference room after announcing his decision to play for the Kintetsu Buffaloes for a 12th season.

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Free-agent Nakamura set to turn down move to Giants

OSAKA, Japan - Yomiuri Giants general manager Makoto Doi (L) talks with Norihiro Nakamura, who became a free agent in the off-season, at a hotel in Osaka's Kita Ward on Nov. 25. After the meeting, Nakamura, former slugger of the Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes, indicated he will turn down a move to the Giants. (Pool photo)

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(3)Major leaguers complete comeback with Game 7 victory

TOKYO, Japan - Minnesota Twins outfielder Torii Hunter makes a running catch of a flyball to center by Norihiro Nakamura of the Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes in the top of the ninth inning of Game 7 of the Japan-MLB All-Stars Series at Tokyo Dome on Nov. 17. Hunter was named the MVP for the entire series. (MLB)