The head of the Japanese baseball players' association said Thursday his organization will do everything possible to block the proposed merger of two Pacific League teams.
Atsuya furuta, chairman of Japan's professional baseball players' association and starting
catcher for the Yakult Swallows, speaks at the meeting of Foreign Correspondents' Club of
Japan on Thursday in Tokyo.
Ever since officials of the Kintetsu Buffaloes and the Orix BlueWave announced plans to merge the two teams for the 2005 season, Yakult Swallows catcher Atsuya Furuta has been on a crusade to protect the rights of Japan's 752 professional players.