Japanese right-hander signs contract with Boston Red Sox

<br>TOKYO (AP) _ The Boston Red Sox have signed a 22-year-old submarine-style pitcher from Japan to a minor league deal, team officials announced Tuesday. <br><br>Right-hander Ryo Kumagai will be invited

Tuesday, January 15th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

TOKYO (AP) _ The Boston Red Sox have signed a 22-year-old submarine-style pitcher from Japan to a minor league deal, team officials announced Tuesday.

Right-hander Ryo Kumagai will be invited to major league spring training in February, according to Red Sox spokesman Kevin Shea. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Kumagai did not allow an earned run in 47 innings as the closer for Tohoku Fukushi University in the northern city of Sendai last spring. During four collegiate seasons, Kumagai had a 0.91 earned run average, Shea said.

Tohoku Fukushi University is the same school that produced Seattle Mariners closer Kazuhiro Sasaki.