American Marty Brown has agreed to become the next manager of the Rakuten Eagles of Japan's Pacific League, local media reported Monday.Brown will come to Japan as early as next week to sign a contract, Kyodo News agency said. Rakuten owner and president Toru Shimada told a news conference in the team's home base of Sendai, northern Japan, that it would be a two- or three-year contract.
A spokesman for the team was not available for comment.
The 46-year-old Brown spent the last four seasons as manager of the Hiroshima Carp of the Central League and was a player for the Carp from 1992-94.
Rakuten's current manager, 74-year-old Katsuya Nomura, has led the team for four years and guided Rakuten to its first Pacific League championship series this season. But Nomura's contract is not being renewed.
Before leaving Japan at the end of the 2009 regular season, Brown said he wanted to return to Japanese baseball next season.
Brown led the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons to the International League title in 2004. He was voted Manager of the Year in 2004 and was also named Minor League Manager of the Year by Baseball America.
Hiroshima failed to advance to the playoffs in all four seasons under Brown.
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