Thursday, January 14, 2010

Former Japanese baseball ace to play in Taiwan

    Taipei,  Jan. 14 (CNA)  Former Japanese professional baseball ace Shingo  Takatsu,  who has had more than 300 saves  in his illustrious career,   will  sign  with  the  Sinon  Bulls  of  Taiwan's   Chinese
Professional Baseball League (CPBL), Sinon announced Thursday.

    Takatsu  will report to the Bulls Feb.  1 in Zuoying,  Kaohsiung, where the team is holding its spring training and is expected to fill in as top closer,  Sinon's weakest rotation spot, said Liu Cih-sheng,
the Bulls' deputy general manager.

    The right-hander  will be the highest-paid  Japanese player Sinon had signed  in recent years,  Liu said.  The 41-year-old  veteran  is reportedly to be paid US$13,000 per month.
    Sinon finished last in the four-team CPBL in the 2009 season with 57 wins, 59 losses and three draws.
    Known by the nickname  "Mr.  Zero" for not giving up a single run in 11 Japan Series championship  games,  Takatsu has played in Japan, the U.S.  Major League and Korea throughout his 18-year career,  most notably  with Yakult  Swallows  of the Nippon  Professional  Baseball
(NPB).

    Takatsu  turned down Sinon's  offer last year and signed with the Major League's  Chicago  White Sox,  Liu said.  Takatsu  was released later and went on to spend the 2009 season in Korea.