There was a ruling on the Jermey Powell situation yesterday. You may remember this recent post, detailing how two teams, Orix Buffaloes and the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, were claiming to have signed the pitcher to valid contracts.

So how will the NPB handle the situation? For the time being Powell will have to sit out the first 2/5 of the season and will not be eligible to play for the SoftBank until June 23 — unless Orix says it’s ok.

Because Powell is not under contract with any Japanese team, the league has no authority to punish him. But the league apparently felt he pitcher should take responsibility for the ugly mess that resulted when the Hawks reached a deal with a player the Buffaloes believed was already theirs.

Koike had asked the two teams to settle the issue between themselves, but with neither side budging and Powell insisting he wanted nothing to do with Orix, things were at an impasse.

I’m hesitant to comment on this situation, because I don’t know the innerworkings of the NPB all that well, and I’ve heard mutterings that Powell isn’t the greatest guy in the world. But as far as I can tell this ruling blames Powell for what would appear to be some pretty stupid administrative blunders on the part of Orix, to go along with some slimy underhandedness by SoftBank officials.

How does the player get punished here? What would he have had to do on the field to warrant a three month suspension? No financial punishment for either team? The more I look at this the more absurd it becomes.

The article, which is from the Daily Yomiuri, makes it sound as though the issue may not be completely resolved yet.

Hawks executive Takanori Takeuchi had nothing good to say about the president’s plan.

“I have heard the league’s ruling,” Takeuchi said. “But I don’t think anyone believes that one can make a good decision based on just one or two superficial hearings.

“We are determined to get to the bottom of this.”

Nakamura (Orix’s baseball director), too, said he wasn’t prepared to let it rest.

“Although one could say this was a final decision, I don’t think you’ve heard the end of this.”

Powell contends he did not sign two contracts.

“I will say that I never signed two contracts,” Powell said at a Tuesday press conference in Tokyo.

Powell and his agent, Craig Landis, have insisted they believed the contract the Buffaloes claim binds him to Orix was nothing but part of the paperwork necessary to begin the process of getting his visa.

“After confirming that this was being used solely for paperwork purposes, I signed it and faxed it back,” said Powell, who said Orix then wanted to change the deal they had agreed to earlier in January.

The pitcher, a seven-year veteran of Japanese ball, said he felt the Buffaloes were being insincere and instructed his agent to break off the deal with Orix.

The key point of contention is whether the Buffaloes were informed that Powell wanted to break off their negotiations.

Sounds like Powell should come and play in Korea.