One thing baseball fans will have to look forward to in the new year is the signing of much-hyped Japanese pitching prospect Roki Sasaki.

That, of course, is start Japanese righthander Roki Sasaki, who was posted Dec. 9 by his NPB team, the Chiba Lotte Marines. That opened a 45-day window in which Sasaki can negotiate with MLB teams, who can only sign him as an international amateur,

Prized Japanese free agent Roki Sasaki may visit one or two teams before deciding which club he wants to sign with.