Pro Asia Series 2012 to commence on Thursday

Winning Teams from Professional Baseball Leagues in Japan, Korea, China, Chinese Taipei and Australia travel to Busan, Korea

Six teams from Japan, Korea, China, Chinese Taipei and Australia will determine the best club in Asia in the annual Asia Series 2012 at Sajik Baseball Stadium in Busan, Korea from Thursday, November 8 to Sunday, November 11.

The field includes national champions Yomiuri Giants (NPB, Japan), Samsung Lions (KBO, Korea), Lamigo Monkeys (CPBL, Chinese Taipei) and the Perth Heat (ABL, Australia) in addition to the China Stars, an all-star team from China, and the host, the Lotte Giants.

The participating teams are slotted into two pools with the winners of the round-robin preliminary phase to meet in the championship game on Sunday. The Samsung Lions, the Lamigo Monkeys and the China Stars are in Pool A, while the Lotte Giants, Yomiuri Giants and the Perth Heat face each other in Pool B.

All games of the Asia Series 2012 will be televised in selected countries. The winner will receive prize money of approximately 460,000 US-Dollar, the runner-up 275,000 US-Dollar and the remaining four teams 46,000 US-Dollar each.

The Asia Series first was played in 2005 at the Tokyo Dome in Japan. It is played to determine the strongest baseball team among the baseball leagues in Asia and also serves to develop international baseball in the region. Since 2011 the champion of the Australian Baseball League also gets invited. In the last edition the Samsung Lions defeated the Softbank Hawks in the championship game to win the title.

All games will be played at Sajik Baseball Stadium, home of the KBO club Lotte Giants.

Official Website www.asiaseries2012.com

Schedule Asia Series 2012:

Thursday, November 8:
12:00 Lamigo Monkeys – China Stars
18:00 Lotte Giants – Perth Heat

Friday, November 9:
12:00 Perth Heat – Yomiuri Giants
18:00 Samsung Lions – Lamigo Monkeys

Saturday, November 10:
12:00 Yomiuri Giants – Lotte Giants
18:00 China Stars – Samsung Lions

Sunday, November 11:
14:00 Championship Game

(all times local)

(From IBAF Website)