Since its inception in 2005, interleague play has often been a shot in the arm for Pacific League teams. Slow starts and patches of rough play have routinely been smoothed over after a few rounds of knocking around Central League squads.
But what happens when it's time to return to reality?
For the Orix Buffaloes last season, reality meant a steady decline from winning the interleague title to missing out on a spot in the Climax Series.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.