Yusei Kikuchi may have put his major league ambitions on hold in 2009, when he turned pro with the Seibu Lions, but it’s something he’s been building toward ever since. On Wednesday, a source said Kikuchi has been earnestly studying English once a week for years and is keen to be the first Japanese player to give his opening remarks at his first press conference here in English.

Read my story on Kyodo News here.

Trackman data is fairly new to Japan. In a nation where mind-numbing repitition is considered the biggest single key to success, even nutrition and strength training are still viewed by some teams as esoteric endevors.