When you think about baseball, you may think about Major League Baseball (MLB). It also may be your go-to because you’re used to the format, the teams, and the culture. However, the MLB is only one of many other baseball leagues around the world. As a growing baseball fan, I decided to dive into different baseball leagues aside from the one we all know. Many people miss the other baseball leagues outside the United States and Canada, which also have their own wonders too. Let’s dive into different leagues so you can get a sense of them.
Korean Baseball Organization (KBO)
This is actually the third-largest baseball association in the world. Based in South Korea, the KBO started in 1982 and has its own unique rules and traditions. The league is made up of ten teams: The Suwon KT Wiz, the Daegu Samsung Lions, the Daejeon Hanwha Eagles, the Seoul Doosan Bears, the Seoul Kiwoom Heroes, the Seoul LG Twins, the Busan Lotte Giants, the Changwon NC Dinos, and the Incheon SSG Landers (all the teams are sponsored by companies, so they can be referenced in two ways). One interesting rule is that there is nearly no such thing as unlimited innings in games, unlike the MLB. Regular season games go up to eleven innings, and postseason games go no more than fifteen. If the score is still tied even when those limits are reached, the game ends in an official tie, which could be something to get used to for MLB fans. There is also a hook-and-ladder playoff format, which puts the first-ranked team automatically in the finals, the second-ranked team automatically into the semifinals, and the third-ranked team into the quarterfinals. Only five teams qualify for the playoffs in a season. Many traditions can be seen, especially after home runs. After hitting a home run with the Samsung Lions, the person who hit that home run carries a flag with a lion on it and sometimes even throws a lion plush into the crowd. There are also spots in a Korean Baseball stadium where you can barbecue while watching a game. The final is known as the “Korean Series,” with the Twins being the most recent champion, beating the Eagles in five games and claiming their second title in three years.
Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB)
The Nippon Professional Baseball league is actually more important than people think. It’s the second-largest baseball league in the world, only behind the MLB. In Japan, baseball is referred to as Puro Yakyu, or “pro baseball” in Japanese. They play between 130 and 140 regular season games a year. Just like the KBO, the teams are sponsored by companies, so the teams each have two names. The teams are the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, the Yokohama DeNA Baystars, the Yomiuri Giants, the Hiroshima Toyo Carp, the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, the ORIX Buffaloes, Saitama Seibu Lions, Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles, Hanshin Tigers, Chunichi Dragons, and the Chiba Lotte Marines. The league has roots dating back to pre-World War II, with baseball being played under the name of Japanese Professional Baseball. The league was formally founded in 1949. Japanese baseball, just like Korean baseball, does not have unlimited innings, even in the postseason. In the postseason, a game can be played up to twelve innings before it is declared an official tie, with the only exception being a rare Game 8 in the finals (3-3-1), which is played with home field advantage and unlimited innings. Speaking of the finals, they’re known as the Japan or Nippon Series, with the latest champion being the SoftBank Hawks, who beat the Hanshin Tigers in five games.
Mexican Professional Baseball
Also known as the Liga Mexicana de Béisbol (LMB) in Spanish, this is the oldest active pro sports league in Mexico. The roots of Mexican Professional Baseball date back to the pre-Civil War Era in the mid-1800s, when members of the US military forces fought in the Mexican-American War. After the creation of the “Mexican Club” baseball club in 1887 and the broadcasting of such games in Mexico, baseball is now extremely popular in that country. The league was formally founded in 1925. Resolving a conflict with “organized baseball,” they joined a predecessor of Minor League Baseball in 1955, but just five years ago they chose to become independent again. Today, it is the ninth wealthiest North American Sports organization and boasts twenty teams. The Serie del Rey is the final round, with the Diablos Rojos del Mexico taking the latest trophy.
There are also many other wonderful baseball leagues out there, with there being ones in Latvia, Lithuania, and many other countries in Europe. From the NPB in Japan to the KBO in South Korea to the MBL in Mexico, there are so many other baseball leagues to follow, reminding you the MLB is not the only league out there for baseball. Maybe it’s time to branch out to different countries’ baseball leagues so you get to learn more about the world around you. I recommend trying to watch a few highlights from each league so you can get used to them. It’s March, and as the action springs back on the baseball fields, let’s also acknowledge the other baseball leagues around— whether at home or far. Happy baseball season!
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