When Japan and Cuba square off on Friday for the first of two international friendlies, it will be more about just getting acquainted.
The two teams will be in the same first-round group in the World Baseball Classic, held at Fukuoka Yahoo Dome in March, and will be the favorites to advance to the second round at Tokyo Dome.
Japan manager Koji Yamamoto is going to need more of his domestic-based players to bring their best game now that half of the six big leaguers he wanted have turned him down.