Tsuyoshi Nishioka cleared to play in the Major League
Japanese player Tsuyoshi Nishioka may see action in the Major League next season. The Lotte Marines have approved the shortstop's posting application to play in the majors.
Major League Baseball media relations manager Mike Teevan confirmed that all 30 member teams have been informed of Nishioka's availability.
He explained that Major League teams have until next Tuesday to file blind bids for the exclusive right to negotiate with the prized 26-year-old player.
Among the Major League clubs that are reportedly interested in signing up Nishioka are newly-crowned World Series champions San Francisco Giants, Minnesota Twins and the Boston Red Sox.
Nishioka revealed in an earlier interview that he prefers to play in the West Coast. However, he is willing to play for any team that makes the most lucrative offer.
Nishioka, who is in the final year of his three-year contract with the Marines, won the Nippon Professional Baseball's batting title this season with a .346 average.
He also registered 206 hits to become only the second player to make 200 hits in a single season since Ichiro Suzuki, who now plays for the Seattle Mariners. The Osaka native also posted a league-best 121 runs, 11 homers and 59 RBIs this past season.
Nishioka, who also won a Golden Glove award, led the Marines over the Chunichi Dragons to win the 2010 Japan Series title.
Club officials wanted Nishioka to return next season but the five-time NPB All-Star opted to fulfil his dream of playing in the majors.
Nishioka, a member of the 2006 World Baseball Classic and 2008 Beijing Olympic team, was the second player to enter the NPB posting system this year after Hisashi Iwakuma. The Rakuten Eagles pitcher is currently negotiating a deal with the Oakland Athletics
and is expected to sign a contract anytime soon.
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