Free-agent and veteran infielder Atsushi Kataoka said Thursday he has agreed to join the Hanshin Tigers for next season after completing four rounds of talks with the Osaka club, although details of the deal were not disclosed.

"I was born in the Kansai region and as a child, Koshien Stadium was where I first thought about wanting to play baseball. It has been a dream since then," Kataoka said.

"I'm ever so grateful to Nippon Ham for helping me develop as a player," added Kataoka, who chose the Central League club over the Nippon Ham Fighters, where he has spent the last 10 years.

Kataoka decided to join Hanshin after having talks with the Tigers' newly appointed manager Senichi Hoshino on Wednesday.

The deal had been delayed after Hanshin refused Kataoka's request for a five-year contract, instead offering a four-year, 1 billion yen deal.

The Fighters had offered the 32-year-old a five-year, 1 billion yen deal to stay.

Kataoka hit .254 with 16 homers and scored 62 RBIs this past season for the last-place Fighters. He has twice been selected to the "Best Nine" all-star squad and is a three-time Golden Glove winner.

In related news, 11-time All-Star catcher Koichi Tabuchi will act as the Tigers' chief batting coach for the 2002 season and will return to the Osaka club for the first time in 24 years, officials of the Central League club said Thursday.

Tabuchi, 55, currently a baseball commentator, met with Hanshin president Katsuyoshi Nozaki and signed a one-year contract to join new manager Hoshino in a bid to revive the team that has stood at the bottom of the league standings for six of the past seven seasons.

"I'm simply overjoyed. I can't wait to wear the pinstriped uniform and work with the players," said Tabuchi, who was Hanshin's No. 1 draft pick and Rookie of the Year in 1969 and spent 10 years with the Tigers.

Meanwhile, in Nagoya, Hoshino met with Chunichi president Junnosuke Nishikawa in a bid to acquire the Dragon's farm team manager and longtime partner Ikuo Shimano. His request was turned down.

Fast-rising star

Yomiuri Giants outfielder Yoshinobu Takahashi on Thursday became the quickest player in the history of Japanese baseball to earn an annual salary of 200 million yen when he re-signed with the Central League club.

Takahashi, 26, who uncorked 27 home runs and 85 runs batted in, finished the season with a .302 batting average, earning him a pay increase of 80 million yen for next year, his fifth with the Giants.

Former Orix BlueWave star Ichiro Suzuki, who now plays with the Seattle Mariners, and Yomiuri Giants slugger Hideki Matsui both hit the 200 million yen mark in their sixth seasons.

Manaka in the money

Yakult Swallows outfielder Mitsuru Manaka on Thursday accepted a 37.5 million yen pay increase for next year and re-signed with the Central League club for an annual salary of 122 million yen.