ID :
51941
Tue, 03/24/2009 - 14:00
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/51941
The shortlink copeid
Baseball: No more surprise, Japan, S. Korea set for WBC final+
LOS ANGELES, March 23 Kyodo - In what could be described as an inevitable encounter, Japan and South Korea will square off in the World Baseball Classic final Monday, their fifth meeting in the second Classic.
The two Asian rivals have drawn a new map of the world of baseball in recent
years. The winners of the past two major international tournaments are the last
ones standing after the Dominican Republic was eliminated in the first round,
Cuba in the second round and the United States in the semifinals.
''I don't understand why two teams have to meet five times in one tournament,
but I guess we have no choice but to follow what organizers have decided,''
Akinori Iwamura said Sunday after defending champion Japan's 9-4 semifinal win
over Team USA.
''In tomorrow's game, I only look for a result -- a win. The way we play the
game doesn't really matter. We must win no matter what,'' said the Tampa Bay
Rays second baseman.
Both teams knew they could face each other up to five times but did not really
expect it to happen.
''This is like bumping into the girl you broke up with on the street. You
should get married to her if you meet her that many times,'' Ichiro Suzuki
joked the day before Japan's third game against Olympic baseball champion South
Korea last week.
Japan has won the first and last of the previous four meetings in the 2009
Classic.
Former Atlanta Braves left-hander Bong Jung Keun has won both of his two starts
against Japan and will take the ball again Monday.
Hisashi Iwakuma will start for Japan after pitching six shutout innings in a
5-0 win over Cuba in an elimination game last Wednesday.
''I expect to feel different because of the final, but I'll just do what I have
to do,'' said Iwakuma, the Rakuten Eagles' 21-game winner last year.
Both teams will try hard to score first like in any other games because they
feature great pitching and defense.
South Korea has advanced to the final with a 10-2 rout of Venezuela on Saturday.
In the 2006 WBC, Japan avenged two losses to South Korea in the first two
rounds with a 6-0 victory in the semifinals. Japan is 3-4 in seven games
against South Korea in two WBCs.
Asked if he wants to get the trophy from Japan or whether he preferred to face
the United States, South Korea manager Kim In Sik said at a post-game press
conference Saturday, ''Either team is fine. We came all the way here, and this
is what we hoped.''
''The best team out of the two will win in the final. Maybe we will face the
team that has pitchers with the most energy.''
The two Asian rivals have drawn a new map of the world of baseball in recent
years. The winners of the past two major international tournaments are the last
ones standing after the Dominican Republic was eliminated in the first round,
Cuba in the second round and the United States in the semifinals.
''I don't understand why two teams have to meet five times in one tournament,
but I guess we have no choice but to follow what organizers have decided,''
Akinori Iwamura said Sunday after defending champion Japan's 9-4 semifinal win
over Team USA.
''In tomorrow's game, I only look for a result -- a win. The way we play the
game doesn't really matter. We must win no matter what,'' said the Tampa Bay
Rays second baseman.
Both teams knew they could face each other up to five times but did not really
expect it to happen.
''This is like bumping into the girl you broke up with on the street. You
should get married to her if you meet her that many times,'' Ichiro Suzuki
joked the day before Japan's third game against Olympic baseball champion South
Korea last week.
Japan has won the first and last of the previous four meetings in the 2009
Classic.
Former Atlanta Braves left-hander Bong Jung Keun has won both of his two starts
against Japan and will take the ball again Monday.
Hisashi Iwakuma will start for Japan after pitching six shutout innings in a
5-0 win over Cuba in an elimination game last Wednesday.
''I expect to feel different because of the final, but I'll just do what I have
to do,'' said Iwakuma, the Rakuten Eagles' 21-game winner last year.
Both teams will try hard to score first like in any other games because they
feature great pitching and defense.
South Korea has advanced to the final with a 10-2 rout of Venezuela on Saturday.
In the 2006 WBC, Japan avenged two losses to South Korea in the first two
rounds with a 6-0 victory in the semifinals. Japan is 3-4 in seven games
against South Korea in two WBCs.
Asked if he wants to get the trophy from Japan or whether he preferred to face
the United States, South Korea manager Kim In Sik said at a post-game press
conference Saturday, ''Either team is fine. We came all the way here, and this
is what we hoped.''
''The best team out of the two will win in the final. Maybe we will face the
team that has pitchers with the most energy.''
