Hawai'i's Lenn Sakata is leaving the San Francisco Giants organization after nine seasons to become the farm team manager of the Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball.

"I'm very happy," Sakata said. "I think it's a good opportunity, especially given the timing of everything, considering I wasn't going to go anywhere with the Giants, as far as a major league job or anything."

Sakata, a 1971 graduate of Kalani High, said he has agreed to terms of a two-year contract, which he will sign in the coming weeks. He will be reunited with Marines manager Bobby Valentine, who happens to be here as a keynote speaker for the East West Sports Summit that runs today through Saturday at the East-West Center. Valentine was manager of the Marines in 1995, but was fired after the season. He hired Sakata as one of his coaches. Sakata, though, stayed with the Marines through 1998.

Sakata has been with the Giants since 1999. He just completed his third consecutive season as manager of the Single-A San Jose Giants, guiding them to the California League title. In all, he had managed San Jose six years, leading it to the postseason each time. He also managed at Triple-A Fresno in 2002 and served as the organization's roving instructor in 2003.

Prior to his first stint with the Marines, Sakata coached in the Oakland Athletics organization from 1988 to 1990 and in the California Angels system from 1991 to 1994.

"It's a different kind of baseball, but I really enjoy working with the players," Sakata said. "Japanese players are a little bit different from Americans, obviously, but it's remarkable how much more improved they are physically and skill-wise than they were the last time I was there. I was really impressed this time around looking at them. I'm excited to work with them."

Sakata has been able to see the Japanese prospects in Hawaii Winter Baseball. He managed the Waikiki BeachBoys last season and was monitoring the Giants prospects this season. In the closing weeks of HWB, he will now be watching the Marines players in the league. Although his tenure with the Giants is technically over, he will file final scouting reports on the league for the Giants when HWB ends.

"I have one more obligation and that is to scout the league," he said.

Sakata spent 11 seasons as a big-league player. He came up with the Milwaukee Brewers (1977 to 1979), got a World Series ring in 1983 with the Baltimore Orioles (1980 to 1985), played one season with each the Oakland Athletics (1986) and New York Yankees (1987).

His nine years with the Giants was his longest stint with any organization. Emotions are somewhat mixed, but that is the life of pro baseball.

"It's the longest time I've spent with any team as a player or as a coach," Sakata said of his tenure with the Giants. "It's a hard thing to let go, but I still felt that my time had come. I was not going to move any higher than I was. I was always going to be a minor leaguer. I would've at least like to have been asked to interview for a job or be considered for a major league job."

Also with the Marines is outfielder Benny Agbayani, a Saint Louis School and Hawai'i Pacific University alumnus.

Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com.