An apparent fly in the ointment in the relatively smooth relations between Major League Baseball and its counterpart in Japan:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/20/sports/baseball/20pitcher.html?pagewanted=1&th&emc=th
I can certainly see where the Japanese are upset. If MLB is able to come in and raid their talent w/o Nippon having had 9 years of service or being paid the posting fee, Nippon is left in a very vulnerable spot where it could essentially become a minor league that the best bypass and only the 2nd rate and the washed up play in. It might behoove them to try to get something stronger than a Gentleman’s Agreement on paper pronto.
