'Game Time!' in Tokyo With or Without MLB Players

(ATR) World Baseball Softball Confederation president Riccardo Fraccari says he will swing for the fences trying to entice Major League Baseball to take the field in Tokyo 2020.

It will probably be as difficult as hitting a Phil Niekro knuckleball.

Earlier this week at Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game in Miami, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said, "I can’t imagine a situation where we would take the kind of break necessary to have our best players at the Olympics."

Manfred is assuming that MLB would need to halt its season for at least two weeks in July and August 2020 as its players participated at Tokyo 2020.

"Never have we asked the MLB to stop the season," Fraccari told reporters in Lausanne. "And I’m sure that when we establish the format and the schedule we can progress with discussion with MLB."

It will be a six-team round robin tournament according to Tokyo 2020 organizers, though Fraccari seemed to suggest the format is open to changes. If that's the case, Fraccari believes the impact on MLB will be minimized.

"I think especially with the six teams really we don’t need a lot of players because some national teams don’t have the MLB players so I think to have just some professional players with the others I think we can present a really strong professional games in Tokyo."

Fraccari’s comments came on a perfect evening for baseball, as IOC members, baseball/softball officials, media and guests attempted to smack balls in an inflatable batting cage and competed in a fastest pitch contest.

However, the major order of business was unveiling WBSC’s new logo and slogan: Game Time! The new logo is sharp, but simple – bold WBSC letters in gold over a red arch.

"We have created a new brand to help us demonstrate our disciplines' long-term value to the Olympic Games and the Olympic Movement," Fraccari said.

"We are growing our sport by making it a more appealing, more accessible team sport experience, and more dynamic than ever. Now is the time to turn our potential into success. Now, it's Game Time!"

The Thursday evening soiree included a video presentation in which the logo and slogan were revealed followed by guest speeches by IOC member Angela Ruggiero and sports director Kit McConnell at the Olympic Museum. Both wish the sport the best in its return to the Games in 2020.

All games except one will be played at Yokohama Stadium, some 40km from Tokyo. Fukushima, which was devastated by the 2011 Tsunami, earthquake and nuclear disaster, will also host Japan's opening games.

"You talk about the Olympics games as being an inspiration for hope and regeneration and therefore we are very honored to be selected to be able to play in the Fukushima Azuma stadium," WBSC secretary general Beng Choo Low said.

Due to the 150-mile distance between locations, Fraccari says the games in Fukushima will be the opening baseball and softball contests featuring host Japan.

The 68-year-old Italian sports leader assumed the presidency of WBSC in 2013 as baseball and softball were merged into one organization.

Baseball and softball return to the Olympic fold in Tokyo after losing their Olympic status for London 2012 and Rio 2016. The sports were last contested at the Beijing 2008 Games, as South Korea won baseball gold and the Japanese ladies took top honors in the softball tournament.

Written and reported by Brian Pinelliin Lausanne

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