Players from overseas have established a solid presence in Japan, playing an indispensable role in Japanese baseball over the years.
![News photo](/images/photos2004/sb20040326a1a.jpg)
The Hanshin Tigers are no exception. The Tigers, who won the Central League pennant last year after 18 years of reconciling themselves to being the perennial losers, have three English-speaking pitchers and two infielders on their first team.