Hara wins Shoriki Award

Mitsunori Toda / Daily Yomiuri Sportswriter

Yomiuri Giants manager Tatsunori Hara, who guided Japan to its second straight World Baseball Classic title in March and led Yomiuri to both the Central League and the Japan Series crowns, was selected as the winner Thursday of the prestigious Matsutaro Shoriki Award.

It was the second time for the 51-year-old Hara to win the award. He also won in his first season as a manager in 2002, when the Giants swept the Seibu Lions in the Japan Series.

"Looking back on this past season, it was as if I've kept waging a very long series of tight games throughout the year," said Hara, who closed out his sixth season as Giants manager by beating the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters in six games.

"I think my excellent players, coaches and ardent fans, and, if I might add, a bit of my devotion to my job is what earned this award," Hara said. "I really want to thank my supporters."

Sadaharu Oh, the selection committee chairman who managed Japan to its first WBC title in 2006, said Hara's selection was unanimous because of his leadership in the WBC and his skill in utilizing both veterans and younger players throughout the season.

"Even if they put it to a vote in the country, Mr. Hara would have been named," said Oh, who replaced Tetsuharu Kawakami as the selection chairman.

"It was very exciting and significant for me as a manager that all my players and coaches did their utmost for the ultimate objective--winning the Japan Series. I'm very happy to hear the selection committee thought highly of our team's balanced combination of older and younger players," Hara said.

Hara became the sixth multiple winner of the award intended to go to the person who has made the greatest contribution to Japanese pro baseball during the season. The Japan Series-winning manager has won it in 20 of 32 years.

Hara, who will receive 5 million yen for winning the honor, was the third Giants manager to win the award since Shigeo Nagashima in 1994 and Motoshi Fujita, who won it twice in 1981 and 1989.

"There is still one game left for the Giants [against the Korean Series champion Kia Tigers on Saturday in Nagasaki], so I've yet to get relaxed and I have to be ready for the final game.

"With these two [WBC and Japan Series] titles in mind, I want to keep helping my players improve their performances and appeal to the fans," Hara said.

According to Oh, the names of Yu Darvish, who led the Fighters to the Pacific League championship title, and New York Yankees slugger Hideki Matsui, who was named as the World Series MVP, were brought up in an early selection discussion.

The award is named for former Yomiuri Shimbun owner Matsutaro Shoriki, who was the driving force behind the Japan League, the Central and Pacific leagues' predecessor.

In other Japanese baseball news:

--Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters outfielder Hichori Morimoto declined to file for free agency and will stay with the 2009 Pacific League Champion for another season.

Morimoto, known for his fan-pleasing sideline performances and shaved head, has battled injuries for the past two seasons.

--After weeks of speculation, the Saitama Seibu Lions front office confirmed Thursday it was interested in signing 46-year-old lefty Kimiyasu Kudo, who began his career with the Lions. Kudo was released by the Yokohama BayStars, his fourth team, after going 2-3 with a 6.51 ERA.

woo South Korea slugger Kim Tae Kyun, the unanimous choice for best first baseman in March's World Baseball Classic.

The Hanshin Tigers, Rakuten Eagles and a number of major league clubs are among those said to be interested in the 27-year-old.

--The Central League announced its 2010 schedule, which kicks off on March 26 and features the Japan Series-winning Yomiuri Giants at home for a three-game set against the Yakult Swallows.

Chunichi will host Hiroshima at Nagoya Dome and the Hanshin Tigers play host to the Yokohama BayStars at Kyocera Dome. Also, the first regular-season game in Okinawa in 35 seasons is scheduled for June 29-30 at Onoyama Stadium in Naha.

--Chunichi veteran catcher Motonobu Tanishige, 38, said he will return to the Dragons next season, forgoing free agency.