The Central and Pacific League pennant races were decided weeks ago, but the Japanese baseball season continues until the 12 teams have completed all 140 games on their schedules. The last game is tentatively scheduled for Oct. 18, and the next week-and-a-half of baseball, despite no flag chases, will prove to be interesting because of the fierce competition for individual batting and pitching titles in both leagues.

I say it is interesting; not necessarily fair. Japanese baseball is known for the shenanigans that occur as players do whatever they can to help teammates win the titles by stymieing opponents also in contention. You saw what happened to Alex Cabrera of the Seibu Lions last Saturday when he was walked twice and drilled by a pitch from Kenichi Wakatabe of the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks, who was obviously trying to prevent Cabrera from breaking the all-time single-season home run record co-held by his manager, Sadaharu Oh.

Sadly, this kind of Mickey Mouse business has been going on for at least the 26 years I've been covering Japanese baseball, and probably a lot longer. The treatment of Randy Bass of the Hanshin Tigers when he was going for the home run record in 1985 has been well documented.