Japan opens baseball season after 3-month pandemic delay

TOKYO (AP) — Japanese baseball managed to do what American baseball has not — play ball.

After a three-month delay caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the world's second-most famous baseball league opened a season Friday that will be shortened from its regular 143 games to 120. That, of course, is twice as many as MLB figures to play — if it plays at all.

The regular season is to end on Nov. 7, followed by post-season play.

It wasn't a perfect start, but all 12 league teams were scheduled to play. Two of the games were in open-air stadiums in Tokyo and Yokohama, where rain was threatening. The other four were in domed facilities in Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka and Saitama prefecture northwest of Tokyo.

“I’m very happy, very excited about today’s game,” said Venezuela-born Alexander Ramirez, the manager of the Yokohama BayStars. “Just to think about all the time we’ve had to wait, and stuff like that. It’s just the best feeling.”

All games in Japan will be played without fans until at least July. The league has also revised the schedule to limit travel. There will be periodic testing and quarantines and, according to league guidelines, players will be banned from spitting.

Teams can dress 26 players and choose from 31 players on an active roster. Non-baseball staff will wear masks.

In the Tokyo Dome, the local Yomiuri Giants faced the Hanshin Tigers. The orange seats in the dome were empty, save for messages in large, block letters across the seat that read: “Tokyo Pride” or “With Fans.”

The stadium in Yokohama, which is the venue for next year's Olympic baseball final, was typical of the atmosphere. Seats behind the plate and down the baselines were covered with 5,000 large panels, most carrying faces of fans with various goodwill messages.

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source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Japan-opens-baseball-season-after-3-month-15351523.php