The 12 Japanese pro ballclubs are about halfway through their spring training, having begun formal workouts on Feb. 1. The camps will close at the end of the month at which time exhibition games will begin in preparation for the regular-season openers on April 3.

For the 63 foreigners, including the newest signee Edgardo Alfonso of the Yomiuri Giants, the four-week period can seem like a military boot camp.

First-year foreigners have it the toughest with many obstacles to overcome, including the language barrier, unfamiliar food, loneliness, possible injury and illness.