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Sports

Sasaki signs with former team in Japan

Former M's closer joins Yokohama BayStars of the Central League

Kazuhiro Sasaki is Seattle's all-time saves leader with 129.

Associated Press
February 4, 2004

YOKOHAMA, Japan _ Former Seattle Mariners closer Kazuhiro Sasaki rejoined the Yokohama BayStars on Tuesday after agreeing to a deal with the Central League team.

The right-handed closer told Seattle officials last month he wanted to forfeit the final year of his contract and return to Japan to spend more time with his family.

"I want to thank the Mariners and their fans," Sasaki said. "They gave me a lot of support over the years but from now on I want to throw for the BayStars."

Terms of the contract were not released.

Sasaki had one year left on his two-year contract with Seattle and gave up on $8.5 million by not returning to the Mariners.

Before joining the Mariners in 2000, Sasaki played 10 seasons with the BayStars and was Japan's all-time saves leader when he left for the United States.

Sasaki, who turns 36 on Feb. 22, was the Mariners' career saves leader with 129. He's coming off a difficult season in which he went 1-2 with 10 saves in 14 opportunities and a 4.05 ERA. He missed much of the season because of two stretches on the disabled list.

In June, he broke two ribs, reportedly in a fall while carrying suitcases up a flight of stairs at home. He eventually lost his job as the team's closer to Shigetoshi Hasegawa.

Sasaki was the highest-paid player on the Mariners last season at $8 million. He was the A.L.'s rookie of the year in 2000, when he had 37 saves.

Sasaki was named to the A.L. All-Star team in 2001, when he set a Mariners record with 45 saves.

With the signing of Sasaki, the BayStars have two established closers. Eddie Gaillard, who played briefly for the Detroit Tigers and Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the late 1990s, is set to return for his second season with Yokohama.

"Of course, I want to be the closer," Sasaki said. "But this is a competitive situation and I think it will be a plus for the team."

Gaillard had eight saves last season for Yokohama after coming over in midseason from the Chunichi Dragons.

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