Seattle Mariners and Oakland A’s will play season openers in Japan

PEORIA, Ariz — The Mariners will head to Japan for eight days on Thursday for a couple of exhibition games against Japanese teams and the regular season-opening series with the Oakland A’s before returning to Peoria to finish out spring training.

With a large Japanese following due to Ichiro, Munenori Kawasaki, and Hishashi Iwakuma on the roster, expect a very large and extremely loud crowd in the Tokyo Dome.  Japanese-American Kurt Suzuki plays for Oakland.

While spring training has its own unique feel to it, getting out of the laid-back atmosphere of the exhibition games in Arizona to a more raucous crowed in Japan will no doubt be a nice change for the players as they get ready for the season. “The thing about over there is that they are cheering the whole game for both teams,” Mariners outfielder/third baseman Chone Figgins said. “It’s not just one side. When Ichi comes up to the plate there’s going to be a difference, or Kawasaki, or even ‘Kuma.’ When they come into the game it will obviously be a big deal, but the best part about it is that they are cheering the whole game.”…

via Take 2 | Atmosphere and food are key for Mariners’ Japan trip | Seattle Times Newspaper.