TOKYO – The commissioner of Japanese baseball has apologized for the confusion caused by introducing a new official ball this season without notifying players.
NPB commissioner Ryozo Kato held a meeting Friday with representatives of the 12 professional teams in Japanese baseball.
Kato, a former Japanese ambassador to the United States, indicated he would not resign and vowed to work toward reform within his organization.
NPB acknowledged this week for the first time that a new, livelier ball was introduced at the start of the season, resulting in a sharp increase in the number of home runs.
Many players in Japanese baseball have criticized NPB for a lack of transparency.
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