Source: Peatix

It's happening again this year! The annual event held just before the start of the season, the "Pro Baseball Pennant Race Prediction Contest" will be held.
A three-hour in-depth talk that looks at both your favorite team and your rival team!

The year is 2026, and the Central League's star No. 4 hitters, Kazuma Okamoto and Munetaka Murakami, will finally be heading overseas. We will thoroughly analyze the strategies of each team, bringing out the latest news from all 12 teams.

The question now is whether the Kokubo Hawks, who were the best in Japan last year, can "stay strong while passing on the new generation," while the Central League champions, the Fujikawa Tigers, are "looking to build a winning team in their second year after winning the championship."
What else does the Shinjo Fighters need to achieve their long-awaited victory?
Why can't Abe's Giants and Kishida's Buffaloes just win?
What challenges do the Inoue Dragons, Arai Carp, and Miki Eagles face in order to enter Class A?
How will the Nishiguchi Lions fill the gap left by ace pitcher Tatsuya Imai?
It will also be interesting to see how the Aikawa Baystars, who are aiming to strengthen their battery as they are former catchers, the Ikeyama Swallows, who are trying to "change their mindset", the Subro Marines, who advocate "Showa baseball", will compete.

This year's guest is baseball commentator Tsuji Hatsuhiko.
Tsuji was a league representative second baseman for the Seibu Lions during their golden age. In fact, he has a longer coaching history in the Central League with the Yakult Swallows, Yokohama BayStars, and Chunichi Dragons than he did with the Lions, and he even coached the Japanese national team in the 2006 World Baseball Classic. He also led his former team, the Saitama Seibu Lions, to a league championship as manager. He knows the Pacific League, Central League, and Samurai Japan inside and out, and in addition to his "wide defensive range" that has remained unchanged since his playing days, he will also provide in-depth coverage of each team's playing style and key points based on his thorough coverage of each team's spring training camp.

The MC is Saito Kazumi from Nippon Cultural Broadcasting.
The live commentators in charge of the US round of the WBC, especially the screaming announcers, bring out Tsuji Hatsuhiko's keen baseball perspective with the same tempo and passion as a Lions night game.

This year's venue will be "Tokyo Culture Culture" in Shibuya, Tokyo, where you can participate in the event while enjoying delicious food and drinks. For three hours, you can get a quick update on "Professional Baseball in 2026" while toasting with guests. It's sure to be a lively event on the eve of the baseball season!

"We want more events!" "The satisfaction level exceeds the price!" Encouraged by such comments, we will once again place emphasis on quality. Baseball INSIGHT talk live!

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Hatsuhiko Tsuji
Born on October 24, 1958 in Saga City, Saga Prefecture.
After graduating from Saga Prefectural Higashi High School, he joined Nippon Express Co., Ltd.
He joined the team as the second pick in the 1983 draft by the Seibu Lions.
During his active career, he was a popular defensive second baseman who was the pride of the Pacific League during the Seibu Lions' golden age.
He was a great player and contributed to the team's six Japan Series championships. In 1993, he won the titles of batting champion and highest on-base percentage.
In 1996, he transferred to the Yakult Swallows and contributed to their victory in the Japan Series the following year.
After retiring from active play, he became a coach and second team manager for several teams, and participated in the first World Baseball
He served as the infield defense and baserunning coach for the Japanese national team during the World Baseball Classic (WBC).
He served as manager of the Saitama Seibu Lions for six years from 2017, winning the award for two consecutive years in 2018 and 2019.
Lead the team to victory in the Pacific League.
From 2023, he will be appearing as a baseball commentator and analyst on television, radio, sports newspapers, and more.
We are currently spreading the appeal, fun, and excitement of baseball through the media.

<Date and time>
- Saturday, March 21, 2026, 6:15 PM - 9:00 PM (doors open at 5:45 PM)
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・Tokyo Culture Culture (Shibuya, Tokyo. Within walking distance of Shibuya Station)
   https://tokyocultureculture.com/access

<Tickets>
Advance tickets (limited to the first 40 seats): 4,800 yen
・Reserved front seat on stage (limited to the first 10 seats): 6,500 yen
・General admission (on sale after advance tickets are sold out): 5,800 yen
*A separate food and drink order is required for each.

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① Cancellations, changes, and refunds for customer reasons are not permitted after tickets have been purchased.
②Only still images are permitted during the event. Please be careful not to disturb other customers.
③Video recording and audio recording are strictly prohibited.
④Only photos, brief impressions of the event, and the designated hashtag (#baseballinsight) are permitted on social media.
It is prohibited to quote statements, provide detailed summaries, or otherwise disseminate the content of the talk itself.
⑤All seats except for the front seats of the stage are unreserved. We recommend arriving early.
⑥Please refrain from bringing in food and drinks (plastic bottles are allowed) due to hygiene management at the venue (store).