One of Japan’s most successful collegiate baseball programs is coming to Long Beach to challenge the Dirtbags tonight in an exhibition game.
The Waseda University Bears will bring a rich baseball tradition as well as a prestigious academic reputation with them to Blair Field tonight at 6:30 p.m..
“They are one of the better college teams in Japan,” Long Beach State head coach Mike Weathers said.
The Bears play in the Big6 Baseball League, which is widely considered the top collegiate baseball league in Japan. The Bears have compiled 39 league championships (good for second behind Hosei University’s 42) and sport the best record in the league’s history.
The Bears play two short eight-weekend seasons in the spring and fall. They play three-game series against each team in their division. As a result, each game is played with playoff intensity.
At the end of the season, the team with the most series wins receives the Emperors Cup. Designated hitters are not used and all teams are required to use wooden bats.
“We are going to play them with wooden bats,” Weathers said. “And I think pitching will dominate because of the wood. They will have the advantage. It will be a little different for our guys.”
Their unique style of play will meet the established gritty play of the Dirtbags in what is expected to be an interesting matchup.
“If you watch the game, you will be impressed with how they go about the game,” Weathers said. “You will see different things that you do not see in American baseball. It is a style where they slap the ball, kind of an Ichiro-type thing where they put the ball in play.
“They hardly ever strike out. They are very disciplined and very demanding; they do it the right way all of the time.”
The Dirtbags (3-4) resume regular season play on Friday against Washington when they kick off a three-game home series at 6:30 p.m.