TOKYO (AP) —eague Baseball http://www.dodgersfanproshop.com/authentic-max-muncy-jersey , Japanese slugger Yoshitomo Tsutsugo is on a mission to fix the sport in his native country, including the abolishment of what he says is corporal punishment and grueling practices.Tsutsugo said after the 2018 season that he wants to play for an MLB team in the future. He will be eligible for international free agency in 2021 after 11 seasons with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars.Having already signed a contract to play for Yokohama in 2019, the 27-year-old outfielder could go as early as 2020 via the posting system.“My wish is to go to MLB someday,” Tsutsugo said on Friday at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan. “But for the time being I’m focused on helping Yokohama win a championship.”Tsutsugo’s priorities off the field are focused on improving Japanese baseball at the grass-roots level. He’s written a book on the subject and spoke at length about it at Friday’s press conference.Marathon pitching efforts, grueling practices and even corporal punishment are all too common in Japanese amateur baseball and Tsutsugo says it all needs to change to keep the sport growing in Japan. Baseball is still Japan’s most popular sport but recent numbers show high school participation is declining.“I’ve seen cases where coaches scream at kids and even become violent,” Tsutsugo said. “Coaches and children need to respect each other in order for children to make progress.”Noting there were pitch counts when he represented Japan at the World Baseball Classic, Tsutsugo said he’d like to see rules making pitch counts mandatory at all levels of Japanese baseballFormer Boston Red Sox pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka was the poster boy for marathon pitching in his high school days. In the quarterfinal of the 1998 Koshien summer tournament, Dice-K threw 250 pitches in a 17-inning performance. That followed a 148-pitch complete-game shutout the previous day in extreme heat.In addition to Matsuzaka Kenta Maeda Jersey , Yu Darvish and Shohei Ohtani also came through the Japanese high school baseball system only to have arm injuries in their professional careers.But change comes slow in Japanese baseball. Nothing appeals more to fans of the high school tournament than an ace pitcher throwing a complete game.“Change would be very difficult,” said one amateur Japanese baseball official requesting anonymity. “A lot of what goes on is an inherent part of Japanese culture.”Tsutsugo says he knows change is hard but says it’s the only way forward.“You have to think about the future of the children,” Tsutsugo said. “That’s the bottom line.”In 2016, Tsutsugo led the Central League in home runs (44) and RBIs (110) and helped the BayStars reach the postseason. He is a four-time All-Star and three-time Best Nine winner.This past season, Tsutsugo hit .295 with 38 home runs and 89 RBIs. Over nine seasons and 837 games with DeNA, he has a .287 batting average with 176 homers and 534 RBIs.Also on the horizon are the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. With his impressive numbers at the plate, Tsutsugo is a leading candidate to represent the host nation when baseball makes its return to the games. CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) — Bryce Harper showed off his mighty power a week before opening day.The slugger hit his first two Grapefruit League homers for the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday Matt Kemp Jersey , driving one completely out of the ballpark.“I feel good right now,” Harper said. “The swing feels good. The timing is coming along. I’ll take the next couple days and really try to solidify my timing, have good at-bats, keep seeing pitches, walking. When I’m walking, that’s when I’m at my best. See as many pitches as I can, jump on some early and have good at-bats.”Harper is hitting .231 (3 for 13) with two homers, three RBIs http://www.dodgersfanproshop.com/authentic-max-muncy-jersey , six walks and seven strikeouts this spring. He got a late start after signing a $330 million, 13-year contract on March 2. The six-time All-Star with the Washington Nationals had the richest contract in baseball history for less than three weeks. The Los Angeles Angels gave Mike Trout a 12-year, $426.5 million contract Wednesday.Harper ripped a two-run shot off right-hander Sam Gaviglio in the first inning, sending a hard liner over the right-field wall. His solo shot in the sixth off lefty Thomas Pannone sailed over the fans in the standing-room section in right field and cleared the back fence.“I thought the first one was a rocket and had an incredible carry and the second one I thought was squared up even better,” manager Gabe Kapler said.Fellow new additions Andrew McCutchen and J.T. Realmuto also went deep to help Philadelphia pound the Toronto Blue Jays 13-6.“The lineup is looking good,” Harper said. “We’re all excited to get up north.”The Phillies will host the Atlanta Braves in their season opener on March 28.