WBC 2nd Round, Pool 1: Korea and Japan

Don't get me wrong, I love a good baseball game, but I think the possibility of seeing the same two teams clashing 3-5 times in the same tournament gets old. Game two of round two will make it the third time this tournament that Japan and Korea have played each other. The loser faces Cuba, so that means that either Korea or Japan could beat Cuba, once again meaning Japan and Korea face off, a fourth time, to determine the first and second seeds in the next round. Both teams would then advance to the semi-finals, giving birth to a possible all Asia finals, surprise surprise, meaning Japan and Korea face each other five times this tournament.

I asked some of my Japanese coworkers about this possible scenario, and 4 out of the 5 reactions was, "Again? I don't want to see them that many times." I like this double elimination style tournament, but clearly it has to be tweaked a little, or go back to the 2006 style of tournament, with some more teams.

I guess on the bright side a possible fifth game between the two would mean that Asia is pretty darn strong in baseball.

I don't really understand or make sense of the format. Why can't the teams in each pool simply play each other once, and then do a couple of tiebreakers if needed.

I don't understand why in Pool B, for example, Australia played Mexico (twice) and Cuba (once), but not South Africa. After beating Mexico (in Mexico City!), a win against South Africa should have guaranteed them second place in the pool. But a game against SA wasn't scheduled. Why not? Cuba and Mexico both played SA, and picked up expected wins as a result. Is it something to do with seedings? If so, how do they work that out, when international baseball games are few and far between?

Just simplify the thing so that the fans can work out what's happening!

The tiebreakers were heavily criticized the last time. Having elimination games where the loser goes home and the winner stays in the tournament is more transparent.

Just the final seeding game is useless IMO. Just give the 2-0 team the top seeding.

But the best thing would still be a switch to a playoff format using best of three or best of five series.

That or have the winner from each round split up like Team Japan going to Pool A and Team Korea going to Pool B for example. That way the only other way they would meet is if both of them make it to the finals.

I mean seriously, not having Team Cuba play in Miami was a huge mistake and they really need to use a little more common sense when doing this.

Well, Japan lost to Korea and now faces Cuba for their potential last game. Japan once again cannot score at all vs. Korea.

Also, why was Kataoka in instead of the more superior shortstop Kawasaki?

I don't know why Kataoka is playing. But why isn't Nakajima from the Lions playing at shortstop? Is he injured?

I believe Nakajima has the flu and can't play. But I'm going to go with the basic lefty vs right argument to answer the question of why Kawasaki wasn't in.

Korean Starter Jung Kuen Bong is a lefty and Kataoka bats right. So, yeah.

-Team Japan going to Pool A and Team Korea going to Pool B for example[...]

And their fans not knowing where to go until very late? Also I read somewhere that they wanted to gather teams consisted of almost all MLB players in the same pool. People in the US are more interested in seeing Team USA face off against Dominicans and Venezuelans. As long as WBC is played in the US, they can't ignore this interest. Lastly, a trip from the Far East to the east coast and to the west coast would be disadvantageous for a Far East team that makes it to the last round.

If you have the tournament in one general area where there are many ballparks like California, Florida, and possibly even New York or Chicago then it could work out.

And it's hard for me to buy the explanation that people in the US are more interested in seeing Team USA face off against Dominicans and Venezuelans. Yesterday's game against Puerto Rico only drew 13,224 people, which is slightly above what all of the non Japan games in the Tokyo Round did. That, to me, says that there is still a huge lack of interest in the WBC in the States and that people don't care. Plus, the news of players getting injured in the event itself gets more press than the actual games because it affects what the players will do in the regular season, potentially.

Oh, no! Not again.

I agree with the people who say the tournament needs to change format. Japan and Korea should not be playing each other over and over and should have been in different groups.

Darvish's first inning, ouch. Japan has trouble batting against Korea, too.

Now Japan will just have to beat Cuba. Keeping my finger crossed. So, now it is Iwakuma, and if Japan is through Matsuzaka in the semis and Darvish in the finals.

Kawasaki is better than Kataoka, but Kataoka is faster on the bases. I'd go with Kawasaki at short in the next game and bring in Kataoka as pinch runner in a crucial situation.

Ganbare!

I am watching the Cuba-Japan game right now. It's in the second inning and by the looks of it, it doesn't look like japan will score at all. They are being very impatient at the plate, swinging at bad pitches and it looks like they've gassed out. even though it's 0-0, I am shamed to predict that Japan will go home.

This is the second time that a "Guest" has chimed in with predictions before the game was even over. Are you "shamed" that the Japanese pitchers are holding Cuba to 0 runs for the second time this tournament? I am "happy" to predict that you are wrong.

I spoke too soon. Japan wins.

Japan-Korea rematch, 4 tomorrow for:

the right to avoid King Felix in the semis?

I think Carlos Silva is pitching.

Plenty of reasons to win the seeding game:

1. Because it's against Korea
2. Possibility to face the USA (probably Peavy who's not been that outstanding)
3. Extra day off (so Darvish could pitch against the US)
4. Oh, did I mention: it's against Korea

I wonder if the Japanese plant a Japanese flag on the mound if they win.

Japan did put a big Japanese flag on the mound after they had won the WBC the last time.

I don't get offended by Koreans planting the flag on the mound. Players play for their countries and are proud. Good for them.

-Japan did put a big Japanese flag on the mound after they had won the WBC the last time.

It was prepared by WBC people. It was rather big. Do you really think Japanese players would bring that thing in the dugout in advance?

- I wonder if the Japanese plant a Japanese flag on the mound if they win.

That wouldn't be considered a class act by many Japanese people.

Great win! Japan! Iwakuma was amazing. While most of the hype is towards Darvish and Matsuzaka, Iwakuma is just as good if not even better than the 2 other starters.

This next game is not important. Whether Japan meets the US or Venezuela does not matter, it is the game after Korea which does matter. I am wondering if Hara is thinking about reshuffling his rotation and instead will bring Matsuzaka in the semi finals?

I'm hoping for a pure Asian final in WBC.

By the way, did any other teams plant their flag on the mound, or was it just a Korea bush-league antic?

Using a term like "bush-league antic" is arbitrarily judgmental. It's meaningless fodder meant to stir flames of anguish. As I tell my wife when she makes a derogatory comment about something she doesn't understand, "It's art. It's not meant for you to understand."

The planting of the flag on the mound was symbolic. Korea was telling their opposition (present and future) that the mound and/or grounds were their territory. They dominated and have declared the field of battle to be theirs.

Perhaps our anonymous guest is too young, not well enough read, and/or so completely lacking in international awareness to see the poetry in the act of erecting a flag on the mound. Maybe he/she can only see things through his/her own juvenile experience and peer values, thereby being unable to understand the physiological games the Korean are playing on their enemies.

This baseball series is an excellent opportunity for xenophobic Americans to learn something about other countries - and about themselves. Don't write off something you don't understand as "bush-league antics" or any other loaded phrase. Try to understand. Observe without rejection. Learn something new.

"The planting of the flag on the mound was symbolic. Korea was telling their opposition (present and future) that the mound and/or grounds were their territory. They dominated and have declared the field of battle to be theirs."

Yes, but I really think the Koreans should have waited until they had completely vanquished the enemy. What if they lose to Japan tomorrow (today) or lose against them in the final? I think the gesture was rather childish. Wait until the final game before bragging about how good you are. It's not as if they humiliated Japan with a mercy-rule drubbing or anything. (Oh, wait - wasn't it the other way round a week or so ago? Those guys must have really short memories.)

Despite the possible intent, planting the flag came across as rather petty and, I would say, not the best way to represent your country. This sort of thing should be left to the fans, but a team itself really needs to be above reproach.

Japan 6 - Korea 2.

Japan wins the pool. Didn't see many Korean flags at the end of today's game - just glum faces. No in-your-face antics for the Japan squad either; just congratulatory pats on the back. Because they know they've got more games to play before this thing's over.

I don't know, I found it to be in poor taste. If they did it after winning the whole tournament, I wouldn't have a problem with that. There is still a lot of baseball to be played.

Did they do that after the Mexico game? If they did it didn't get nearly as much publicity.

I am an American and am really enjoying the WBC so far. Part of me is rooting for a Korea/Japan finals. I wouldn't be upset if the USA moved on either, but I wish more people in the States payed attention to the games. Why don't they have the games in Japan or elsewhere if they can't get better fan attendance at the games?

Japanese crowds don't show up unless it's for the Japanese national team.

It's because the WBC starts during pre-season that a lot of professional player don't want to risk getting injured. They should have changed it so that it would start after the season.

Today's Japan vs. Korea would be fun to watch. I like how the Japanese play, but I also like the Korean cheer squads. So full of energy, it's sad you don't see that kind of support from Americans.

I was likewise startled by the shots of the upper deck of Petco, wholly empty. The American TV announcers mentioned at one point that the ticket prices might have been priced too high. But what great games there have been, and what an event! (I very nearly bought airline tickets from Vancouver to San Diego just to attend, but couldn't take that time off).

Anyway, I leave it to others to debate why interest in the WBC is flaky at times. I've been loving it, as have many of my friends in western Canada.

Konban ganbatte Nihon!

Ticket prices probably are too high. Apparently they're about 3 times the price of regular season Padres tickets ($50 for the upper deck seats!).

Also, March is in the middle of the season for Cubans and some Caribbean players have just finished up their winter league seasons, so they're in shape, too. So it's not necessarily bad timing, unless you only think about MLB, NPB, and KBO.

I agree that Korea should have waited until winning it all to plant the flag. They are finished now, so it does seem petty.

I'm still confused by the format of this tournament. Are we into single elimination yet? Does Japan meet the winner of US--Venezuela in the finals or are there still other scenarios?

Does anyone know an update to Murata? Can Matsunaka replace him?

Read on ESPN that Kenta Kurihara is obviously already on his way to L.A.

"Bush league" may have been too harsh a term, but I just felt the timing was strange. Since the tournament was far from over, it seemed more like a political statement. Due to their tragic history, Korea loves beating Japan, and rightly so. But planting the flag seemed more like a political gesture.

I also do feel there is a double standard. How do you think people would have reacted if the American team had put a flag on the mound? Beautiful gesture? Or symbol of arrogance?

By the way, you also might want to follow your own advice to "learn something new" before making sweeping generalizations about "xenophobic Americans."

Anyway, don't want to turn this into a political discussion. Back to baseball. Thanks for a great site!

Westbay-san refers to "xenophobic Americans" as those who do not embrace or care to understand other cultures; believing the "American Way" is the ONLY way.

I love what the Koreans did on the mound; and I don't even see it as a political gesture (not saying it wasn't). Korea and Japan are "turning the tide" in International competition; they are becoming the two power houses. They both "teamed"-up to beat the International Baseball "Giant" (Cuba) on back-to-back nights. And they are one game away of making the WBC an ALL Asia Finals.

Think about it; their would be no Ali if not for Frazier, Larry Bird without Magic Johnson, Giants vs Tigers, Giants vs Dodgers, Yankees vs Red Sox. There would be no rivalry (therefore no Legacy) if not for the opponents.

I'm excited to witness the very begining of the competitive side of the Korea vs Japan rivalry. And the future looks very bright.

And the winner is: us, the Baseball Fans. I Love This Game!

I have no problem with what the Koreans did - if it had been the final game and they had won the tournament. But they'll look like fools if Japan beats them tomorrow in the final. Celebrate too early and the baseball gods always find a way to bring you down a peg or two.

It does add more intrigue to tomorrow's final. Although there is something wrong when two teams meet five times in a tournament, I'm still looking forward to the deciding game of Japan and Korea's "best-of-five." The teams know each other well and all the games have been good except for the first Tokyo game.

- It does add more intrigue to tomorrow's final.

Sure - my wife isn't really passionate about baseball, but even she was steamed when she heard about what the Koreans had done. Just look at how the Japanese reacted yesterday when they beat the USA. Real pros. They know there's still one more game to play.