61.   Earlier this season, after he spit while leaving the mound in Milwaukee, Torre met with the Japanese pitcher and told him to tone down his temper.

62.   He got a vote of confidence from fellow Japanese pitcher Hideo Nomo, who is building an impressive career with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

63.   He was one of four Japanese pitchers for the six innings in which the South Koreans batted.

64.   Ichiro has silenced his doubters in a baseball-addicted country that had seen Japanese pitchers, but not batters, do well in the United States.

65.   In Montreal, Japanese pitcher Tomo Ohka won his fourth straight decision as the Montreal beat Kansas City to tie a season-high with their sixth consecutive victory.

66.   In the middle of last season, the Mets obtained Hideo Nomo, another Japanese pitcher, after he pitched inconsistently for the Dodgers.

67.   Irabu, the Japanese pitcher whose rights were awarded last week to San Diego, has refused to negotiate with the Padres.

68.   Irabu also got a vote of confidence from fellow Japanese pitcher Hideo Nomo, who is building an impressive career with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

69.   Japanese pitcher Hideki Irabu, who has insisted he only wants to play for the New York Yankees, may finally get his wish.

70.   Japanese pitcher Hideki Irabu says he wants to play baseball in the U.S. major leagues, but not for the San Diego Padres.