League also announces plans to expand minor leagues

November 16, 2019: Tokyo – The League of the Rising Sun continued their rapid triage today, announcing that the Kawaguchi Transmitters will be the final franchise to move forward into the future of Japanese baseball. The Transmitters also used this time to introduce new General Manager Jonas Pine. “We would like to welcome Jonas and new Niihama-Shi GM Brian Kotler as rookies to the community,” the league said in a news release earlier in the day.

This action confirms that the Hyakujuu, Kure, Seoul, and Kuwanna franchises will be targeted for contraction.

The league also made news in an afternoon news conference in which Special Task Force Leader Kevin Vail met with reporters. Vail seemed comfortable and at ease, if not a bit drained, as he once again committed the league to its fans, and announced that each of the eight existing franchises will be including two new levels in their minor league systems.

“This is consistent with our belief that we are a major league,” Vail said. “The fans are coming to our parks in record numbers, and we need to invest in comfortable places for young players to develop in.” It was also noted that this step mirrors the organizational structures that exist in US baseball within the PEBA. When asked specifically about that, Vail was clear. “Sure,” he said. “The addition does make it easier to merge with the PEBA if that winds up being our path. But we know we need to do this anyway to raise our stature. We’re really serious when we say we’re going to get ourselves into a stable space before we finalize any decision to merge with PEBA or make a go of it in a permanent fashion as a Japanese-centric league. We think that’s the right thing to do.”

Each team will be developing their own AA and Short Season-A levels, a grouping that matches the US AA and A-Short Season organizations of the PEBA. Vail discussed the age limits that PEBA are instituting for their A-SS rosters, saying that the LRS would probably institute the same 23-year-old age limit that the PEBA was using. “It’s a good rule, and we’ve looked at the numbers. It looks like our organizations should be able to handle that limit right away.”

It’s clear that putting the finishing touches on the contraction process is now the top priority for the Special Task Force. The group is apparently “Very close” to being ready to release details, but Vail pushed back on pointed questions. “Seriously, there are a lot of nuances to deal with, and we’re dealing with them now.”

Reaction of fans on the street were guarded, but optimistic. “I think it is very good that the league is addressing this quickly, and addressing it by going on the attack,” said Tadamasa Kato, a student at Chiro University. “I’m looking forward to seeing what happens next.”

Rumors Deepen

As more time goes by, more details have been learned about the shaky dealings of the teams involved, and eventually about the central figure involved (a man that investigators have given the code name “Mr. Slimeball”). Unnamed league insiders tell us that MS had been targeting the PEBAverse’s winter meetings to enact a coup de grace. That contact suggests that the syndicate had an intricate suite of deals worked out with owners of baseball teams across the world that once enacted could well have siphoned of hundreds of millions of dollars. There is also some thought that the situation was being leveraged off ownership in the US itself.

If so, the cancer ran deep.

And it does seem that there is likely some truth to these rumors. After all, while the PEBA and LRS have always had a positive relationship, it is noteworthy to see how closely the two leagues have been working together during this investigation. In addition, one wonders if it is mere coincidence that one of the more notable LRS owners, Mark Kierstead, has moved to take over the suddenly vacant role in the PEBA’s Charleston office?

All that can be said for sure is that fans should stay tuned, because things are moving, and they are moving fast.