The Orix Buffaloes announced that they don't have any plans for Chan Ho Park, Mike Hessman, and Francisco Caraballo in the 2012 season.

2011 Season - Chan Ho Park

2011 Season - Mike Hessman

2011 Season - Francisco Caraballo

A complete list of Orix Buffaloes senryokugai players can be found here.

The Buffaloes announced today that Francisco Caraballo will be returning to Japan on the 6th.

Caraballo returned to Venezuela on 3/16 in order to get a second opinion on his left wrist (diagnosed with a triangular fibrocartilage injury in Japan).  He then went under the knife on the 25th.

The Buffaloes announced that Francisco Caraballo had surgery on his left wrist on the 25th in Venezuela.  Caraballo was originally scheduled to return to Japan on the 25th, but with the surgery, the club is no longer when he'll return.

UPDATE 3/27 @ 1:07pm - It seems the Buffaloes think Caraballo could miss the entire season.  As of now, he's also scheduled to return to Japan on 4/3.

The Orix Buffaloes announced today that Aarom Baldiris, Francisco Caraballo, and Freddy Ballestas will all be returning to the team in 2011.  Contract details are not yet known.

Francisco Caraballo left for Venezuela via Osaka airport on Friday.  The Buffaloes will likely offer Caraballo an extension for the 2011 season.

Francisco Caraballo (ORI) was taken out of the game in the 7th after he injured his left hand while swinging the bat during the game.  Caraballo was taken to the hospital and diagnosed with a fracture in his left hamate bone.

For the 15th time in NPB history, two players from opposing sides each hit grand slams in the same game last night:

Francisco Caraballo (ORI) hit a grand slam in the 4th to give the Buffaloes a 4-0 lead.  In the bottom of the 5th, with the Buffaloes now holding a 5-0 lead, Tadahito Iguchi (LOT) nailed a grand slam to bring the Marines to within 1 run of tying the game.

The last time two players from opposing teams hit grand slams in one game was on 6/14/2009 (Aaron Guiel for the Yakult Swallows in the 5th and Ikki for the Orix Buffaloes in the 7th).

It seems Orix Buffaloes were looking for another power bat and apparently found a match in 26-year-old BC League outfielder, Francisco Caraballo.

Caraballo has spent the last two years in Japan, playing for the Kochi Fighting Dogs (Island League) last season, and the Gunma Diamond Pegasus Baseball Club (BC League) this season.  With the Fighting Dogs, Caraballo smashed 18 homers and drove in 76 RBI over 79 games (both league highs).

2010 BC League Stats