Orix takes Powell case to commissioner's office

Kyodo News
Feb 13, 2008

The Orix Buffaloes filed an appeal to the Japanese baseball commissioner's office on Wednesday over the Softbank Hawks' signing of right-hander Jeremy Powell.
Orix team representative Toshio Hatatani submitted the appeal after the club refused to accept a resolution from the Pacific League to give Softbank the right to acquire Powell.

"We don't want a bad example for the future of Japanese baseball. That's why we took the case to the commissioner," senior Orix official Katsuhiro Nakamura said.

After ruling that Softbank has the right to Powell, the PL asked that the team suspend the 31-year-old through June 22.

However, Orix has demanded that the suspension be for one year in order for the club to accept the ruling, while Softbank has requested that the period be shortened.

"I will have to ask PL Chairman Tadao Koike about the reasons behind the resolution. After that, I will listen to both clubs if necessary," acting commissioner Yasuchika Negoro said.

The question of which PL club Powell would join arose when Softbank said on Jan. 29 that it had signed a contract with Powell nearly three weeks after Orix announced the acquisition of the right-hander.
The PL has said the contracts Orix and Softbank insist they agreed on with Powell are both valid.

Powell led the PL with 17 wins for the Kintetsu Buffaloes in 2002 and has posted double-digit wins in four of his seven seasons in Japan.
Powell played for Yomiuri the last two seasons but a knee injury limited him to seven starts with a 0-2 record in 2007. He is 67-59 with a 3.89 ERA in Japanese baseball.