According to a number of reports, the Yakult Swallows have signed Wladimir Balentien (28), Lastings Milledge (27), and Tony Barnette (29) to multi-year deals.

Balentien: four-year deal - US$950,000 in 2013 and US$7,500,000 over the final three years (2014-2016)

Milledge: three-year deal - US$1,100,000 in 2013 and US$3,300,000 over the final two years (2014-2015) with an option for 2016

Barnette: two-year deal worth US$3,200,000

Source: Daily Sports 12/15/2012, Sports Hochi 12/15/2012, Jiji Press 12/15/2012

UPDATE 12/16 @ 11:42am - A few more details on the contracts...  The Swallows exercised 2013 options on both Balentien and Milledge, so their deals are actually three years and two years, respectively.  Nikkan Sports mentions that each of the deals include performance bonuses.

Source: Sponichi 12/15/2012, Nikkan Sports 12/15/2012

According to Nikkan Sports, there is a good chance the Yakult Swallows will offer Akinori Iwamura (33) a contract after the twelve-team tryouts.

Yakult is also planning to bring Wladimir Balentien, Lastings Milledge, Tony Barnette, and Orlando Roman back next season.  Things do not look quite as good for Chang-Yong Lim (coming back from right elbow surgery in July).

Source: Nikkan Sports 10/16/2012

Lastings Milledge was taken off the active roster today after he was diagnosed with a left shoulder sprain.  He will likely require two to three weeks for a full recovery.

Milledge suffered the injury when he slipped while running out of the batter's box on a grounder to third in the 4th inning and came down on both his arms.

Source: Nikkan Sports 9/17/2012

Seibu Lions

Mitsugu Ishikawa was removed after he took an HBP off his right hand in the 6th inning of tonight's game against the Chiba Lotte Marines.  He was taken tot he hospital and diagnosed with a fracture in the metacarpal bone of his right pinky.  Source: Nikkan Sports 9/16/2012

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Nippon Ham Fighters

Eiichi Koyano was removed on defense in the top of the 5th inning after complaining of numbness in both hands and feet.  The numbness reportedly  started in the morning and did not improve before game time; he was removed from the game as a precaution.

The chief trainer told reporters the cause of the numbness was unknown and that the last time Koyano experienced similar symptoms, they went away before the start of the game.  He is considered day-to-day.

Source: Nikkan Sports 9/16/2012

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Yakult Swallows

Lastings Milledge hurt his left shoulder while running the bases in the 4th inning of tonight's game against the Yokohama Bay Stars.  He was removed from the game as a precaution and taken to the hospital.  Source: Nikkan Sports 9/16/2012, Daily Sports 9/16/2012

UPDATE @ 11:22pm - No damage was found in his bones.  Milledge is scheduled for e re-evaluation at a hospital in Hiroshima on Monday.  He may not be available to play on Monday.  Sponichi 9/16/2012

Lastings Milledge was ejected from last night's game after he struck out in the 3rd inning.  Earlier today, the NPB commissioner's office fined him 100,000 yen and issued a one-game suspension.

Milledge is the first player to get ejected from two or more games in one season since Takuya Asao and Tuffy Rhodes in 2008.

FWIW, Junji Ogawa was quoted as saying, after the game: "[Milledge] did not really say much to the umpire.  He was ejected for a disdainful act.  It was obviously a ball, not a strike, and the umpire is only human so there will be times he snaps.  But if [something like that] is going to lead to ejections, then every one will get ejected."

FYI: the suspension was apparently issued because it was his second ejection of the season.

Source: Sports Hochi 7/8/2012, Sponichi 7/8/2012, Nikkan Sports 7/8/2012, Sports Hochi Tweet

Since Masanori Ishikawa's start was rained out today, he will get to pitch in a Ni-gun game against Nippon Ham at Toda on Saturday.  Kyohei Muranaka will start Saturday's exhibition game against the Seibu Lions.

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Shohei Tateyama will likely get some work out of the bullpen on Saturday.

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Shingo Kawabata joined the Ichi-gun team today and is scheduled to play in Saturday's game against the Seibu Lions (Jingu).

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Junji Ogawa told reporters today that Chang-Yong Lim will be sent down to Ni-gun to continue his preparations for the season -- they do not want to rush him.  This also leaves open the possibility that Lim starts the season at Ni-gun, which could be good news for players like Wladimir Balentien and Orlando Roman, since the two were competing for the last remaining foreign player roster spot.

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The first three pitchers in the starting rotation will likely be: Ishikawa, Muranaka, and Katsuki Akagawa.

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The Swallows announced the start of the Shinya Miyamoto 2,000 Hit Support Project today.

And when Miyamoto records his 2,000th hit, the Swallows plan to celebrate by giving fans with the names "Miyamoto" or "Shinya" and fans in their forties or with the number six in their age a discount on tickets to the 2,000th Hit Commemorative Game -- 3,000 yen reserved seat A tickets on the first base side will be priced at 2,000 yen.

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Lastings Milledge and his girlfriend made the headlines today.

Wladimir Balentien (coming back from right elbow pain) rejoined the team today for practices at Koshien.  After workouts, which included batting practice and playing catch, an upbeat Balentien told reporters he was fine.

Balentien was on with the team on their road trip to Sapporo.

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Nikkan Sports mentions that Lastings Milledge was seen taking notes after hitting a homer in the 4th inning of Sunday's game against the Nippon Ham Fighters.

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Yoshinori Sato's next outing will likely be against Hiroshima on March 11.

Sanspo posted an interesting article on Monday that briefly discusses some of the changes foreign players are adjusting to during spring camp.

What to do about food (Yakult Swallows)

Lastings Milledge apparently is not a huge fan of rice or noodles and is having a hard time finding things he can eat at the team cafeteria.  He does like yakiniku and has gone out to eat some with teammate Wladimir Balentien on a number of occasions.  Orlando Roman used to Asian dishes and will eat pretty much eat anything that he is served.  He has even given raw horse meat a try.

Why walk to the stadium (Nippon Ham Fighters)

Bobby Keppel is not quite sure why Japanese players change into their uniforms at the team hotel and then head to the stadium on foot.  Players in the US usually drive to the stadium and then change into their uniforms.

At Nago camp, the players take the national road by foot from the hotel to the stadium.

So many staff members (Seibu Lions)

Chris Carter likes how supportive everyone on the team is because it makes him feel like he belongs and because it makes him feel positive about things.  He also likes how his teammates ask him how he is doing, especially since this is his first year.

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Today was the last day of the second block of spring camp.  The team has the day off tomorrow.

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Tetsuto Yamada took an extra fifty minutes or so of extra fielding practice today.  Afterwards, he moved indoors and spent some time swinging the bat.

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Lastings Milledge made a couple of headlines on Wednesday because he looks like Tetsuro Degawa (comedian).

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Katsuki Akagawa is scheduled to start a practice game against Samsung on February 13.

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Today was the end of the first block of spring camp for the Swallows. The team has the day off tomorrow.

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The Swallows were presented with local products, like five kilograms of Agu pork, five kilograms of shrimp, Orion beer, and Blue Seal Ice Cream, from the Naha City before the start of practice today.

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3rd round draft pick Wataru Hiyane stayed back after general practice for extra fielding practice with OF/base-running coach Tetsuya Iida today.

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Masayoshi Miwa stayed back for extra fielding practice on Thursday.

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Lastings Milledge's nickname will apparently be SPAM, as in the canned precooked meat product.

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Catchers Ryoji Aikawa, Yuhei Nakamura, Genki Nitta, and Yuki Mizuno worked on their throws to second during situational fielding practice on Thursday.

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Kyohei Muranaka, Tatsuyoshi Masubuchi, Yoshinori Sato, and Katsuki Akagawa made the following two wagers: the player with the fewest numbers of victories at the end of the season will have to sell Yakult products in the Jingu area after the 2012 season; and if the four pitchers do not win at least 40 games, they will have to show up at fan appreciation day dressed up in AKB48 uniforms.