We Are Sorry, Japan

I'm not a baseball genius, and I'm still rooting for the USA to win, but if it's karma you're looking for, you might not have to worry. I think Buck is mismanaging his team, and might not make it past this round.

I've been wondering how the American television media has handled it. I've been reading on the Internet from various sites saying how Japan was literally robbed, but what about the TV? What's going on back there?

The overwhelming sentiment here is that we either want to play as you suggested, or we want a rematch. I don't think the MLB tour of Japan after this season will be as amicable as it has been in the past.

Most analysts on ESPN have been sympathetic to Japan's side of things, actually.

American TV agrees that it was a bad call and VERY suspicious, but they try not to mention it too much. They also made a point not to make too much of a big deal about the USA losing to Korea. When they did talk about it, though, they ripped the U.S. team a new one. They think the U.S. got too arrogant and expected to walk into the finals without practicing much. They also agree that having American bush league umps was a very dumb idea.

The best part about the Japan game and the loss to Korea was Asian baseball is finally getting some respect. I think the sports writers and baseball fans now know that Asian baseball is no joke. We may not have as many physical specimens as the USA, but the teams are first class. Just goes to show that Bobby was right the whole time.

For those who don’t know, U.S. professional sports (i.e. Football, Baseball, and Basketball) have been experiencing horrible officiating these past couple of years. I cannot even list all of the professional teams that have been "jobbed" by horrible calls from officials. The call against Japan was bad but typical of what goes on around here. I don't think many people in the U.S. are surprised by the incompetence of the officiating.

Football has instituted replay for the officials, but the knuckleheads still get the calls wrong; some calls cannot be reversed via instant replay. Ugghhh.

Most American analysts, reporters, and fans felt that Japan was literally robbed. Even the analysts on ESPN felt the same way. All around the country we felt like it was a downright terrible call.

I can't beleive U.S. cheated again! When I say again, it's like this, everything in this WBC designed for the U.S. team to advance to the finals (or so they thought before Korea gave them a reality check). They were put on the easiest group, and the rules about pitching and runs scored to advance, is just not right.

I hope the rest of Americans feel ashamed of the actions of their country as Jardee. If I was American, I would be, too.

Let's go Dominicana!

OK, arguing about the call in the US/Japan game has very good reason, but by saying the USA is cheating in games they aren't even playing; sorry, it's just stupid.

The setup of the tournament makes the road to the championship just as easy and just as difficult for every team - the quality of each team not withstanding. Japan still has a chance to advance, and the U.S. still has a chance as well. If your team lost, and lost unfairly, and you're angry, fine, but be angry for the right reasons. I realize the U.S. has been put into favorable situations, but that's a consequence of tournament's setup - something that applies to everyone.

Finally:

- I hope the rest of Americans feel ashamed of the actions of their country as Jardee. If I was American, I would be, too.

Actions of their COUNTRY? It was a bad umpire, and a bad managerial decision at best. A bad call from bad officiating can hardly be defined as a national blunder. I'm American and am EXTREMELY dissapointed in the call. I feel bad that something like that happened in such a great game, and that my team's victory is now so suspect. But I'm not holding my head in my hands about it.

I thought the Japanese player left third base after the ball was caught. Normally, that is the call of the third base umpire, not the home plate umpire.

Anyway, I'm glad that the Americans are gone from the WBC. The Major Leagues needed, and deserved, to be beat. They have to realize that they are not the necessarily best in the world.

I'm American, but I've been cheering for Cuba. They need to be recognized. Just looking at guys from Cuba - Orlando and Livan Hernandez, Mr. Fork Ball of the Chicago White Sox - you knew all along these guys were something special, a diamond in the rough that was almost completely processed already. They play so hard - they deserve to win. The players don't even know what communism is (assuming Castro does), so I am cheering for Cuba - not communism.

But anyway, this is just to show that the USA has no draw for a baseball fan like me. The tired, arrogant, unenthusiatic, even unathletic type of baseball they play is insulting to Americans when placed next to the drive of countries like Korea, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Japan. They refuse to adapt to situations - perhaps why teams like the Yankees keep losing their "automatic crown" to young athletic teams like the Marlins, Angels, and Chicago White Sox. Even the Red Sox at the time they won had great pitching, defense, and speed (think midseason trades). In some ways USA were no more than a Yankees team - you expect to win, not because you play brilliantly, but because you're a Yankee or American and you're just inherently better, so you expect that unless a obscure chance intervenes, you must win.

On monday I'll enjoy watching some real baseball between Cuba and Japan.

I must admit I agree with much of what you say, despite being a Yankee fan. You are so right when you say American baseball has, for the most part, become downright unathletic. There are many reasons why, but maybe foremost among them is, yup, steroid use. Starting in earnest with jokers like Jose Canseco and Jason Giambi, then ballooning out full with McGwire and Bonds, the balance of power swung so much to hulks at the plate it couldn't help but have this overall bat-em-out effect on the game.

I am so happy to see honest athletes from Japan, Korea, and Cuba hand it to the Americans and, yes, also to the Dominicans and Puerto Ricans who aren't far behind us in DerbyBall. I am sorely tempted to change my longstanding MLB allegiance to whatever team looks most like what I've just seen from Japan, Korea, and Cuba. Maybe the Mariners?

Anyway, hearty congratulations to Team Japan. Cuba and Korea deserved it just as much, even more in some ways, if you just look at these 39 games played. But the Japanese tradition certainly deserves this worldwide glory. I can't think of any two living American players I can admire on the same level with Oh and Ichiro, except just maybe Willie Mays.

At first I was disappointed that the U.S. lost out on advancing due to the silly tiebreaker system that doesn't consider head to head results. In retrospect, though, it was fitting, considering that the U.S. didn't actually "beat" Japan. It's poetic that the two teams in the final were one that almost got knocked out due to a bad call and one that the U.S. tried to keep out in the first place.

I guess the only people feeling good about the whole "victory" of the U.S. over Japan are some football refs, as it takes some attention away from the worst officiated Super Bowl in recent memory.