Nikkan Sports is reporting that Hiromoto Okubo could return to coaching next season.  According to the report, Okubo has received a number of offers from teams looking for batting coach instructors.  One of the teams is apparently the Rakuten Eagles.

Okubo is currently in the middle of a lawsuit with the Seibu Lions.  With the possibility of returning, he is said to be thinking about dropping the suit.

UPDATE @ 5:38pm - Okubo spoke to reporters today at his home and said, "I haven't gotten any official offer yet, but since I was thinking that I'd be able to return to baseball again, just hearing of these kinds of things makes me really happy.  I'm grateful."

He then added, "Right now, I'm focused on teaching the kids at my baseball school.  If I were to get an offer, I would certainly take it into consideration."

UPDATE 10/5 @ 10:40am - Nikkan Sports clarifies why Okubo might drop his lawsuit against the Seibu Lions with the following quote from Okubo himself:

If I get a coaching offer, it means there are people out there that don't think my methods are wrong.  There's nothing more that can help restore my image than that.  And that would also means it no longer makes sense [to continue forward with the lawsuit].

With regards to the Seibu Lions and the possibility of returning to baseball as a coach:

We had our differences of opinion in coaching styles.  I also made some mistakes. ... If I can make a return to coaching, I'd like to take all my past experiences, including the bad ones, make whatever changes that need to be changed, and do my best to give back [to the team for taking a risk].

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