CHIBA -- The Chiba Lotte Marines are battling more than the Seibu Lions in this weekend's Pacific League first-round playoffs.
The Marines are attempting to rewrite history, one game at a time.
Perhaps the most maligned team in Japanese baseball, Chiba has posted losing seasons in 17 of the past 20 years and hasn't won a pennant in 31 years, the longest drought among the 12 pro clubs.