Every year when I renew acquaintances with returning foreign players — whether it be at spring training camp in Okinawa or Miyazaki, an exhibition game or an early regular-season game -I ask them as an ice-breaker, "How was your winter?" The answer I get most often is "short."

They might have been playing here until deep into the previous October and had to report for spring camp in the Ryukyus or south Kyushu before the end of January for formal workouts beginning Feb. 1. While playing in North America, they were used to going home at the end of September if not involved in postseason play, then not having to even think about picking up a ball again until Feb. 10 or so.

This year, because the Japanese pro baseball schedule was set back after the events of March 11 and the aftermath, the offseason is going to be especially brief, fast and busy. Even as the Central and Pacific League Climax Series and 2011 Japan Series are ongoing, thoughts of 2012 will be going through the minds of most everyone connected with baseball here.