Besuboru Like It Oughta Be

Japanese baseball was enjoying a planned, non-strike-related hiatus last week as the Yomiuri Giants and Seibu Lions prepared to meet in the Japan Series. Nevertheless, there was plenty of action off the field:

Popular slugger Ichiro Suzuki, winner of the Pacific League batting crown, received an unusual honor: beginning this week, customers at Hyogo Bank can put their savings into an Ichiro Deposit Account that will pay 3.85% interest -- matching Suzuki's .385 average. Meanwhile, Sadaharu Oh, left, the retired Yomiuri Giants great who holds the world record for career home runs with 868 (surpassing Hank Aaron's 755), signed an estimated $10 million five-year contract to manage the fourth-place Fukuoka Daiei Hawks.