The 1991 World Series champion Minnesota Twins had the "homer hankies" waved by fans at the Metrodome in Minneapolis.

Now the Central League's Yakult Swallows have the "home run hug."

It's a congratulatory gesture shared by the team's foreign players with each other and player-manager Atsuya Furuta.

Recently, first baseman Adam Riggs has been the one most often seen embracing the skipper. He's been one of the hottest hitters in the country for the past six weeks.

Riggs was named CL Player of the Month for May after posting a .324 batting average, with 12 homer hugs and 23 RBIs.

When he got the word he'd been chosen, Riggs said, "I was excited. It's an honor, but the most important thing is that our team has been playing better. We've been winning games, and I helped us do that."

He's kept up the warm hitting in June, starting this month with a couple of three-run jacks, as the Swallows contended with the Chiba Lotte Marines for the interleague title and the 50 million yen team prize money that goes with it.

Asked if he feels "locked in" at the plate, Riggs recalled the title of a book from the 1960s by former St. Louis Cardinals player and broadcaster Joe Garagiola.

"Baseball is a funny game," he said. "Sometimes you hit, and sometimes you don't, and I don't know why, but I feel good right now and just want to enjoy it while I can."

The home run hug tradition with Furuta began during Golden Week when the Swallows were playing the Yomiuri Giants at Tokyo Dome during the last series prior to the start of the interleague schedule.

However, it was going on with foreign teammate Alex Ramirez prior to that. Riggs explains: "Rami and I had been doing it, and then I hit a homer against the Giants at the beginning of May, and I gave Rami a hug, and (Furuta) hit his chest, so I gave him a hug and, since then, that's been our thing."

Regarding Furuta and the transition he's made from teammate to player-manager, Riggs enjoys playing for -- and with -- the guy.

"He's such as great manager; so much fun to be around. He just lets us have fun, and that's the great thing about being on this team," Riggs said. "It's a relaxed atmosphere, and it's just good to be a part of the Swallows."

Through games of June 15, Riggs' season stats included a .297 batting average, 18 homers and 44 RBIs, pretty good for a man hitting second in a team's lineup, a slot where you would normally see a sacrifice bunting specialist who might not get that many opportunities to drive in runs.

The No. 2 hole is just fine with Adam, though. He's hitting behind 2005 Central League batting champion Norichika Aoki and ahead of the cleanup trio consisting of sluggers Akinori Iwamura, Ramirez and Greg LaRocca.

"I get a lot of chances," Riggs insists. "Aoki is on base a lot, and he's probably going to run during my at bat, so he'll steal that base, and I have a chance. Guys at the bottom of the lineup are hitting too, so they've been on."

A year ago, it appeared Riggs might be just another in a long line of foreign players on the Swallows who were never really given a chance to show what they can do, then dropped after one season.

Remember Luis Ortiz?

How about Lyle Mouton?

Eric Anthony?

Does the name Mark Smith ring a bell?

Recall Torey Lovullo?

Todd Betts?

Billy Joe Martin?

All were one-year wonders with the Swallows, good guys who had the potential to be productive players here but, for whatever reason, could not gain favor with Furuta's predecessors, former Yakult managers Tsutomu Wakamatsu and Katsuya Nomura.

Last May, Riggs thought he was headed for a similar fate, but things turned around in a hurry.

"I started off slow, and they made a quick judgment on me in spring training," he remembers. "But I decided I was going to work as hard as I could, not just sit there and pout, because I knew I wanted to play (in 2006), whether it would be in Japan or in the States.

"When the interleague season came around, I got to DH some, then our first baseman (Ken Suzuki) was hurt, and I got to step in and had a couple of hot games and helped beat the Hanshin Tigers who were in first place.

"I was in the starting lineup during the last two months and finished strong, so I was very fortunate I got the opportunity."

He ended the 2005 season with a .306 average, 14 homers and 44 RBIs in only 310 at bats, and does he have any specific goals for 2006?

"No, not me," he said. "I want to do well, I have pride in what I do and want my numbers to reflect that I'm a good player, but I just want to touch home plate as many times as I can and make my teammates score as much as possible.

"Baseball is all about putting runs on the board, and I just want to help, whether it's moving a runner along or scoring myself. We have such a good bunch of guys here. I'd just like us to win and stick together."

Contact Wayne Graczyk at: [email protected]