Veteran slugger Kazuhiro Kiyohara said Monday he is ready to make a fresh start in his career with the Orix Buffaloes and determined to help his new team win a championship.
"I'm ready to take a new step forward without looking back. I've savored the taste of winning a number of titles before, and I want to do it one last time in my career," Kiyohara said when he was introduced by the Kobe-based Pacific League club.
Kiyohara, who was released by the Yomiuri Giants in the fall, last week announced his decision to join Orix under a one-year deal that includes an annual salary of about 250 million yen and performance-based incentives.
"I'll try to reach base in any fashion -- with a hit and even by getting hit by a pitch -- to help bring victories to this team," said the 38-year-old Osaka native, who appeared before the press without his trademark pierced earring.