I can't confirm this, but I heard through two of my sources that Kazuhisa Ishii will be returning to play for the Swallows!!!
Ishii was released by the New York Mets after last season, and he has been shopping around for a new club. The Japan Times reported that seven clubs, including three from Japan, have expressed interest in him.
Ishii left the Swallows at the end of the 2001 season, and moved to the Los Angeles Dodgers as a free Agent. After three season in LA, he was moved to the Mets.
Ishii was a highly effective pitcher before making a move to the majors. It was expected that he would be a very strong addition to whichever club he chose to sign for. I will continue to check the web, but it sounds like he's coming back to Tokyo!
