Brewers Win Bid To Negotiate With Japanese OF
TOKYO (AP) — The Milwaukee Brewers have won the right to negotiate a contract with Japanese outfielder Norichika Aoki.
Aoki's team, the Yakult Swallows, said Sunday it had accepted the Brewers' bid of $2.5 million under the posting system.
The Brewers have 30 days to work out a deal with the 29-year-old Aoki, a three-time Central League batting champion.
Aoki batted .292 with four home runs and 44 RBIs in 144 games for the Swallows this season. He has a career batting average of .329 in eight seasons, all with Yakult.
Aoki is the only player in Japanese professional baseball to have had two 200-hit seasons.
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.