About 1,000 fans showed up on the first day of spring camp, in addition to the 178 members of the media.

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Team owner Makoto Haruta and team president Jun Ikeda visited Hanshin Tigers' camp in Ginoza.

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Kiyoshi Nakahata spent about four minutes hitting forty-one baseballs to Yuki Kuniyoshi, Hiroyuki Fukuyama, and Kota Suda at around 11:30am on Wednesday.  He also swung a missed a number of times.

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Nakahata was diagnosed with the flu today -- head coach Yutaka Takagi will take over while Nakahata recovers.

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Alex Ramirez apparently feels Yuki Yoshimura may be the team's best power hitter and Nakahata is worried about how Yoshitomo Tsutsugo's hitting mechanics are not as good as they were last year.

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Additional Updates (2/3 @ 1:03am)

Kazuhiro Sasaki visited the Ich-gun team on Wednesday.

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Nakahata was upset that players were not properly responding to greetings and questions and called them on it on Wednesday.

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Pitching coach Yu Tomori wants pitchers to throw at least 1,500 pitches during spring camp.  He also expects pitchers to do a lot of running to improve their stamina/conditioning.

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Team owner Haruta and team president Ikeda also met with Chunichi and Yakult.

Kiyoshi Nakahata was a guest on Radio Nippon's Kashiwa Hideki no G Plus Sports on Monday and said that the team still had one spot open on the 70-man roster.  He added that one of the spots could go to one of two foreign players they planned to test during spring camp, but that he was not really counting on it.  Ikusei 1st round draft pick Kosuke Tomita is also a candidate for that opening.

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Yoshitomo Tsutsugo had a chance to meet Nakahata for the first time while taking BP at Bay Stars Stadium on Monday.  Nakahata once confused Yuki Yoshimura and Tsutsugo.

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Alex Ramirez is interested in doing the Marumo dance with Nakahata.

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Tomoko Namba (DeNA Director, Founder) visited the team offices in Yokohama today.  She also met Nakahata for the first time.

Nakahata and team president Jun Ikeda visited the Yokohama City offices today and were greeted by about 300 city employees.  The two were there to attend a meeting with mayor Fumiko Hayashi.

Alex Ramirez arrived at Narita Airport today.

"I have spent a lot of time working out at the gym.  My arms are much bigger than they were last year," said Ramirez.

He continued, "This is one of my goals.  I would like to try and record my 2,000th hit on my birthday on October 3."

Ramirez has also prepared a first baseman's mitt.

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Kiyoshi Nakahata worked out in Yokosuka, Kanagawa today.  He also spent about 20 minutes climbing up a small mountain at Tsukayama Park (133 meters) near the Ni-gun training facilities.

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Daisuke Miura does not want players to lose out to Nakahata's popularity.

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1st round draft pick Yujo Kitagata wants to play well enough for a chance to meet Yui Yokoyama (AKB48).  With his left knee better, he is also scheduled to toss a bullpen session soon.

The Yokohama Bay Stars have announced that they agreed to terms with Alex Ramirez (the team is expected to hold a press conference some time today).  Sanspo is reporting that he may have signed a two-year deal worth a total 500M yen and will be counted on to bat clean-up.  Sponichi does not mention a concrete total and simply says that they offered him a multi-year deal plus the number 3.

UDPATE @ 8:50pm - As mentioned by fighting ham below, Ramirez signed a two-year deal worth 350M yen a year.

UPDATE 12/9 @ 8:56am - Even though Ramirez is not a player/coach, GM Shigeru Takada would like to see him take charge and help the younger players out.

UPDATE 12/9 @ 9:24am - Sports Hochi mentions that it is a two-year deal worth a total 800M yen (350M yen per year plus incentives).

Sponichi is reporting that the Yokohama Bay Stars could make an announcement that they signed Alex Ramirez as early as tomorrow (12/8).

UPDATE @ 10:56pm - GM Takada told reporters today that he heard negotiations were going well.

According to Sponichi, the Yokohama Bay Stars are moving foward with plans to offer  Alex Ramirez (37) a multi-year deal.  A team rep told reporters that if things go well, a deal could be agreed upon some time this week.

Sanspo also notes that the Bay Stars could also be close to a deal* with Masaaki Koike (31) and that they were expected to announce the additions of Masanori Hayashi (28) and Kazumasa Kikuchi (29) some time today.

* Chunichi Sports mentioned back on 11/29 the team may have been planning to offer him a two-year deal worth around 80M yen a year.

According to Nikkan Sports, DeNA is interested in Toshiya Sugiuchi, Masaaki Koike, and Kazunari Tsuruoka and are rumored to be the current favorites to land Alex Ramirez.  They also have not forgotten about Shuichi Murata -- they will be meeting with him on Friday (12/2) morning.

Sports Hochi is reporting that DeNA has decided to offer Alex Ramirez a multi-year deal the moment he becomes available as a free agent (12/2).  Sports Hochi also says that Ramirez returned to Japan on the 26th in preparation for becoming a free agent.

Nikkan Sports reports that before leaving for the US on Monday, Alex Ramirez told reporters he'd like to go to a team that's will to consider him as a future managerial candidate.

"It would be nice if I can join a team that would consider me as a future managerial candidate," said Ramirez.  He then added, "I still have a shot at [reaching 2,000 hits] in one year.  It's one of my big goals for next year. ... If I can reach that, I'd like to take on my next dream of managing in Japan."

Ramirez continued, "I want to know just how interested teams are.  I read in the papers that they have interest, but I wonder just how much.  I'd like to find out."

Regarding the Yokohama Bay Stars, "I'm flattered that the new owners [are interested in me]. ... Yokohama the city and the team are both wonderful.  I think as a new team, they'll have new hopes and new expectations.  I would certainly like to sit down with them."

Alex Ramirez returned to Los Angeles out of Narita Airport today.  He told reporters before leaving that he wanted to thank Yomiuri fans for all their support over the last 4 years.  Ramirez also said:

I'd strongly feel the urge to study the game from a different angle and to help a different team win.  There are a lot of young players coming up.  I'd like to see them get opportunities to play and develop into great players.  It's with this that I decided it might not be best to return to the Giants next season. ... Right now, I don't have any preferences.  I'll listen to any offers.  Once I become a free agent, I'll carefully listen to what each to has to offer. ... I believe I can still bat .300, hit 30 homers, and drive in 100 runs.