Smoking areas in clubhouse, no pitch clock: MLB players get a little taste of baseball in Japan

Imagine how backward the US players must have considered Japan to be when they saw a smoking area at a sports facility.

So exciting

Japan and its addiction to cigarettes.

Having a smoking area is tantamount to ensuring the safety and security of the players, coaches and staff of these pro teams. If they are forced to go outside for a smoke, they could be accosted. If they sneak one somewhere, fire alarms could go off and cause pandemonium. The seams of the baseballs differing is an interesting point. But, regardless of the differences, they are slight and not enough to make excuses over. NPB is the best league on the planet. MLB is just the greediest.