Mariners Sign Japan's Sasaki

Japan's greatest relief pitcher now will get a chance to prove it in the United States.

Kazuhiro Sasaki, the career saves leader in Japan, signed a two-year contract Saturday with the Seattle Mariners.

Sasaki, 31, had 229 saves in 10 seasons for Yokohama in Japan's Central League.

"The Mariners recognize that Sasaki is the greatest relief pitcher in the history of Japanese baseball, and one of the very best in the world," Mariners chief executive Howard Lincoln said during a news conference in Kyoto.

The Mariners hold a club option for a third year.

The 6-foot-4 right-hander had his best season in 1998, when he set the Japanese single-season record with 45 saves, had a 0.64 ERA, and led the BayStars to the Japan Series title.

Last season, he was 1-1 with 19 saves and a 1.93 ERA. He missed most of the second half of the season following elbow surgery.

"I will do my best to contribute to winning a championship for the Mariners," Sasaki said.

Mariners principal owner Hiroshi Yamauchi, president of Japanese software maker Nintendo Co., also attended the news conference along with team president Chuck Armstrong.

©1999 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed