Baseball (MLB, WBC, College, etc.)

gaijin mark wrote:KusMoG_X asked:

does anybody here rooting for Japan actually like or follow baseball

Go back through this thread and see who's made most of the posts and that will answer your question! :beatyou: Omedeto Team Japan :applaud: It took them a game and a half to figure out Korea's pitching, but once they did, the floodgates opened. :victory: [/list:u]

Figure out Korea's pitching? Game and a half? The only pitcher that pitched the last game, that pitched in the semis that they "figured out" was the infamous Byung Hyun Kim, who got burned by Fukudome with the 2 run homer. And that guy's infamously known for choking as much as Patrick Ewing's finger roll layup in a Game 7 Final. He left little margin of error for the rest of the bullpen coming in to relieve him. Jae Seo is formerly from the mishap Mets era, going against one of Japan's best strike out pitchers playing for the Yomiuri Giants in Koji Uehara. What made Japan's victory extraordinary was the fact that they were able to shutout Korea and not let Seung Yeop Lee get the best of them again. Cuz if you look at the big picture and take away the choker Kim's messed up 7th inning, you have a game where Korea would just give up 1 or at most 2 runs (which is right around their average ERA before this game in the tourney). If an MVP would be named for that game ppl would be quick to point to Fukudome for the homer, but I think Uehara deserved it most. Going that many innings conserves the use of the other pitchers for the next game vs Cuba, so hopefully they won't break down the way the Yankees did against the Marlins after they used almost their entire starting pitching staff in relief just to beat Boston in that infamous ALDS game 7.

Next Stop, Team Land of the Rising Sun vs Team El Presidente... Cuba used two of its best pitchers in the game against DR, and Japan still has one of their ace in Wantanabe up, so Japan should have the advantage. Japan's infielders just gotta be ready to handle those infield bunts and have a defensive "A" game.

Ganbatte, Team Japan! :applaud: :woot: :dancing: :thumbsup:

Current update:
9-5 Japan leading, bases loaded with 1 out in the top of the 9th....

More to come....

Final outcome:
Japan wins the World Baseball Classic, 10-6 over Cuba

dochira wrote:
Final outcome:
Japan wins the World Baseball Classic, 10-6 over Cuba

Congrats team Japan :applaud: . The road to the finals was tough (especially with USA in the same bracket), but they passed all obstacles ahead of them. Sweet victory I must say :thumbsup: :victory: .

:applaud: :woot: :dancing: :thumbsup: Woo hoo! Team Japan wins the World Baseball Classic!!! :applaud: :woot: :dancing: :thumbsup:

who'da thought that the JPN team would be the last one standing? :applaud:

niko2x wrote:who'da thought that the JPN team would be the last one standing? :applaud:

Not the U.S.... Haw haw. :hehe:

bmwracer wrote:
Not the U.S.... Haw haw. :hehe:

Nor Cuba. Apparently, they had owned Japan in previous meetings.

dochira wrote:Nor Cuba. Apparently, they had owned Japan in previous meetings.

You can't play baseball with one hand clutching your throat... :hehe:

[image] Opening Day :dancing: (Wish the Dodgers still had this guy! :puppydog: )

[image]2 games, 2 Home Runs, :bow: Kenji san is making it look easy!

gaijin mark wrote:[image]2 games, 2 Home Runs, :bow: Kenji san is making it look easy!

Wow! Isn't he the rookie of the Seattle Mariners?

Saito_Hajime asked:

Wow! Isn't he the rookie of the Seattle Mariners?

That's him! Although he's 30 years old and played several years in Japan and was an All-Star, so the term "rookie" is a little bit deceiving.

gaijin mark wrote:[image] Opening Day :dancing: (Wish the Dodgers still had this guy! :puppydog: )

He and Don Drysdale always gave Giants great hitters a hard time. Willie Mays and McCovey. If it wasn't for the Dodgers, the Giants could of won some division titles in the 60's. They always came second to LA. :grumble:

gaijin mark wrote:Saito_Hajime asked:

Wow! Isn't he the rookie of the Seattle Mariners?

That's him! Although he's 30 years old and played several years in Japan and was an All-Star, so the term "rookie" is a little bit deceiving.

I see. So he's a rookie......with experience and skills that can be compared to a veteran :mrgreen: . At his age, he would probably be about to retire soon if he is a player of sports like football and basketball :hehe: .

gaijin mark wrote:Saito_Hajime asked:

Wow! Isn't he the rookie of the Seattle Mariners?

That's him! Although he's 30 years old and played several years in Japan and was an All-Star, so the term "rookie" is a little bit deceiving.

So was Ichiro when he entered the MLB. ;)

dochira wrote:
So was Ichiro when he entered the MLB. ;)

I remember when Nomo first came up with the Dodgers, there was some controversy over whether he not he was really a rookie because he had played for 5 years in Japan. But he still won Rookie of the Year award :applaud: [/list:u]

Looks like it'll be a rain-out tonight for the Giants - Astros.

Yours truly has tickets, but even if it doesn't get postponed, it'll be a cold and wet night.



Play ball! :drink:
-PCM

Yeah, can't say for sure. It's still listed on Yahoo's sports page.

Update: Game has been postponed again. That would be back-to-back rainouts here in SF. Wacky rain.

Dodgers lose 2 of 3 to the hated Giants :beaten: Jeff Kent got drilled and Barry got hit later in the game. But according to the Dodgers, it wasn't retaliation (wink, wink, nod, nod)