Konami Cup Final
Discussion in the NPB News forum
Comments
Corrections
[ Author: westbaystars | Posted: Nov 14, 2005 9:00 AM
| YBS Fan
]
Looks like my memory was working backwords when I wrote that up last night. Benny's home run was in the third inning, and the Watanabe boots and home run were in the fourth inning. Sorry for the mix up.
Re: Corrections
[ Author: Deanna | Posted: Nov 14, 2005 4:06 PM
| NIP Fan
]
I don't see a Benny home run on any of the box scores from the game. I see him getting a 2-run RBI hit in the 3rd with Franco and Imae on second and third. And Masato Watanabe getting the 2-run homer in the fourth.
It also kind of looks like Imae wasn't taken out until after the third inning - is that true?
(I'm looking at the Konami Cup site box score and the play-by-play on the Marines' site).
It really does sound like a great game nonetheless.
It also kind of looks like Imae wasn't taken out until after the third inning - is that true?
(I'm looking at the Konami Cup site box score and the play-by-play on the Marines' site).
It really does sound like a great game nonetheless.
Re: Corrections
[ Author: westbaystars | Posted: Nov 14, 2005 4:42 PM
| YBS Fan
]
Looks like I need a correction for the corrections.
As I reported correctly in the original article, Benny singled in two runs. But it was the fourth, not the third inning.
I tried to be vague as to when Watanabe replaced Imae because it wasn't until the boots in the fourth that I noticed the player change. But if Imae was in bad enough shape that he had to be taken out, then I figured he must have been taken out earlier.
Follow up: There was nothing in today's newspaper to suggest that Imae was seriously injured with the hit-by-pitch he recieved in the first inning. And he was out on the field celebrating the victory after the game, so he wasn't waiting for test results at a hospital. Looks like he'll be OK for all of the new years specials that start taping at the end of the month.
As I reported correctly in the original article, Benny singled in two runs. But it was the fourth, not the third inning.
I tried to be vague as to when Watanabe replaced Imae because it wasn't until the boots in the fourth that I noticed the player change. But if Imae was in bad enough shape that he had to be taken out, then I figured he must have been taken out earlier.
Follow up: There was nothing in today's newspaper to suggest that Imae was seriously injured with the hit-by-pitch he recieved in the first inning. And he was out on the field celebrating the victory after the game, so he wasn't waiting for test results at a hospital. Looks like he'll be OK for all of the new years specials that start taping at the end of the month.
Re: Konami Cup Final
[ Author: Something Lions | Posted: Nov 14, 2005 2:52 PM
| SL Fan
]
The "semi-final" between the Sinon Bulls and Samsung Lions was a good game (though the Bulls lost the game all by themselves with early sloppiness on defense). And the finals seemed to be in the bag for the Chiba Lotte Marines, but the Lions started to light up the Marines' closer Kobayashi in the final inning and made it a heck of an exciting finish. And the other nations were treated to the fantastic Marines' fans (first time I've ever seen them live, and man, are they ever impressive), so all in all, this seems to be a great start to the new Asia Series.
Re: Konami Cup Final
[ Author: Guest: buymeabeer | Posted: Nov 18, 2005 2:13 PM
]
The game was amazing. We (the Marines fans) went into the game with kind of an air of this game being a formality, but it turned out to be nothing of the sort.
The air around the fans before the game was charged, as they had been waiting, a few of them singing and drinking for a solid 8 hours. I was there quite early myself, as I have ditched hotels for the cheaper internet cafes to sleep in. When the guys with the oendan and the MVPs showed up, there was an electricity that was undeniable. My friend Tanaka mentioned it to me before I was able to figure out how to say it in Japanese.
The seating arrangement was fun this time around, with the MVPs behind us (the oendan) rather than beside us as is normal. We were surprised that Samsung was able to play so well, they had us on our toes there for a few innings, and then shocked us in the 9th.
As for the Samsung fans, I can't wait to get together with them again. We sat with them the night before at the game against the Bulls, and they were very nice to us, both sides doing their best to communicate. They got a real kick out of us because their rivals to the end in Korea are the Busan Lotte Giants, so it was wierd for them to see Lotte fans cheering, enthusiastically for their team.
But the series was definitely not a joke. I agree, the Chinese have a ways to go, but they will get there. The Sinon team that we beat 12-1 was definitely not the team that played Samsung. Totally different group of guys. But the Koreans will be back next year, and they will have something to prove. None of these guys like losing to the Japanese, so it will be a good bunch of games next year.
As for now, BRING ON THE WHITE SOX!
The air around the fans before the game was charged, as they had been waiting, a few of them singing and drinking for a solid 8 hours. I was there quite early myself, as I have ditched hotels for the cheaper internet cafes to sleep in. When the guys with the oendan and the MVPs showed up, there was an electricity that was undeniable. My friend Tanaka mentioned it to me before I was able to figure out how to say it in Japanese.
The seating arrangement was fun this time around, with the MVPs behind us (the oendan) rather than beside us as is normal. We were surprised that Samsung was able to play so well, they had us on our toes there for a few innings, and then shocked us in the 9th.
As for the Samsung fans, I can't wait to get together with them again. We sat with them the night before at the game against the Bulls, and they were very nice to us, both sides doing their best to communicate. They got a real kick out of us because their rivals to the end in Korea are the Busan Lotte Giants, so it was wierd for them to see Lotte fans cheering, enthusiastically for their team.
But the series was definitely not a joke. I agree, the Chinese have a ways to go, but they will get there. The Sinon team that we beat 12-1 was definitely not the team that played Samsung. Totally different group of guys. But the Koreans will be back next year, and they will have something to prove. None of these guys like losing to the Japanese, so it will be a good bunch of games next year.
As for now, BRING ON THE WHITE SOX!
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Lotte had a huge chance in the first inning with the bases loaded, but only managed to score one run on a sacrifice fly by Franco.
Thanks to a couple of boots by replacement third baseman Masato Watanabe (Imae was hit by a pitch in the first inning and taken out - I fear he may have a fractured arm), Samsun tied the game at 1-1 in the third inning.
But Lotte struck right back in the bottom of the third as Watanabe made up for those booted balls by hitting a two run line drive into the left field stands. It was a beautiful slight bow of an arch as viewed from the third base side. Lotte up 3-1.
Lotte added a pair of insurance runs in the fourth inning when Benny came through with a 2-run single with runners at second and third. He's is tough with runners in scoring position. Those were RBI numbers 8 and 9 for the Series. Benny had been instrumental when it came to run production in the Asia Series.
After the forth, Samsun started into their relief pitching, and it was excellent. Furthermore, the Lions were solid in the field - more so than Lotte tonight. They just couldn't get that one more hit when they needed it.
Submariner Shunsuke Watanabe started for Lotte and threw six innings. At that point, he'd given up more hits than the Samsun pitching staff, but managed to scatter them a little better, and got big outs when he needed them.
Fujita, Yabuta, and Masahide Kobayashi pitched one inning each, the 7th, 8th, and 9th respectively. After a one-out error in the 9th, though, things started going bad for Kobayashi. I really do seem to be a curse for him, as he gave up two run in the 9th, escaping by striking out the last batter to end the game. In fact, the last two outs were strike outs. I think he gave up on the idea that he'd let the other team hit the ball and his defense will hold.
Nonethless, the Chiba Lotte Marines win the first ever Asia Cup. While they pretty much dominated the competition this year, I don't expect Japan to be able to take it for granted in years to come. Korea was solid this final game, and I think they're going come back next year with something to prove. Same goes for the Taiwanese representative. China may be a few years away from really being competitive, but they soon will be, too. I've got more thoughts on the subject, that I'll write to the "Asia Series a Joke" thread in "Open Talk" when I have more time.
That's it for now. It was a great Asia Series.