11.   For one epic year, Bobby Valentine embraced Japanese baseball, thinking he was importing his American ways.

12.   He spoke of the meetings as a new frontier of Japanese baseball.

13.   He thus defied the hallowed tradition that Japanese baseball players must serve as uncomplaining samurais.

14.   His goal when he first came to the States, he said, was to make a good impression on behalf of Japanese baseball.

15.   However, Matsui represents Japanese baseball, and if he goes it will be a problem for professional baseball.

16.   In Japanese baseball, a player is bound to his club for nine years before becoming a free agent.

17.   In Japanese baseball circles, the New York Yankees have become ugly Americans.

18.   It would be as if Michael Jordan had played for a European basketball team or Mark McGwire had hit all those home runs for a Japanese baseball team.

19.   Japanese baseball did not make Stevens a wealthy man, but he did return a wiser and, he thinks, more appreciative one.

20.   Japanese baseball is divided into two leagues, each with six clubs.