If you are wondering what the landscape of baseball will look like during the looming work stoppage that will begin in Major League Baseball at midnight on Dec. 1, look back about 20 years to the 2004-05 lockout in the National Hockey League.
The Nippon Professional Baseball postseason is officially underway with two tight contests.
Japan's developmental Miyazaki Phoenix League will run from October 7-28 this season.
Japan will play its first tournament under new manager Tadahito Iguchi from November 12-15 at Tokyo Dome.
The Hanshin Tigers secured the CL title after the second-place Yomiuri Giants lost to the Yokohama DeNA BayStars on Saturday.
Several notable Carp players will be released, including reigning Central League batting champion Kaito Kozono.
Veteran reliever Yoshihisa Hirano had his retirement game on Friday night.
The Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks clinched first place in the Pacific League with a 7-1 win over the Orix Buffaloes at Kyocera Dome on Thursday.
