Baseball Musings: South Korea vs. Japan

March 15, 2006

South Korea vs. Japan

They're underway in San Diego, and Korea failed to score in the top of the first.

Update: They're through the fourth in San Diego with no score. Japan has four hits to Korea's one. This is exactly what the US doesn't want, a low scoring game. Chan Ho Park has struck out three without a walk through four innings.

Update: It continues to be a pitching duel through five innings. Watanabe, the Japanese pitcher has retired 10 in a row.

Update: They are through six, no change. Park went five innings, giving up four hits and striking out three. Korea still has just one hit.

Update: Toshiya Sugiuchi is the new pitcher for Japan in the top of the seventh. Watanabe allowed just one hit through six.

Update: Korea has a man on second with one out in the seventh.

Update: The runner is left stranded. The game is still scoreless in the 7th.

This game can end in a tie. If so, that would help the US, as Japan would be 1 1/2-1 1/2. If the US wins, then they'd be 2-1 and go on to the next round.

Update: Byung-Hyun Kim strikes out two in the 7th, getting the side in order.

Update: Korea has men on first and third with 1 out. The runner was dead at third, but the Japanese third baseman bobbled the ball!

Update: JB Lee drives in two with a double, and he's thrown out trying to stretch it into a triple. But Korea takes a 2-0 lead in the top of the eighth.

Update: That's all they get. Japan is coming to bat in the bottom of the eighth.

Update: Japan fails to score. Korea is just three outs away from the semis.

Update: Korea goes 1-2-3 in the ninth. Japan has three outs to score two runs.

Update: A leadoff home run makes the score 2-1 Korea. It was Tsuyoshi Nishioka.

Update: Nobuhiko Matsunaka singles. Japan has the tying run on base with 1 out.

Update: Korea is making a pitching change. Seung Hwan Oh is coming in.

Update: Arai strikes out for the second out of the inning. One out to go for Korea. Tamura is batting for Japan.

Update: Two strikes on Tamura.

Update: Tamura strikes out swinging! Korea remains undefeated and advances to the semis. Congratulations to the Koreans on another great pitching performance!

The US is still alive, and a win tomorrow sends them to the semis.

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Posted by David Pinto at 10:21 PM | World Cup | TrackBack (0)

Comments

In the top of the third for Korea, Lee grounded out, Lee grounded out, and then Lee grounded out.

Posted by: Benjamin Kabak at March 15, 2006 10:53 PM

Why is ESPN2 airing women's college softball instead of this game? Do they really think softball will get higher ratings than Japan/Korea live?

Posted by: Benjamin Kabak at March 15, 2006 11:28 PM

Lee struck again:

Top 6TH B:0 S:0 O:1
Lee flies out to right fielder Suzuki.

Top 6TH B:2 S:2 O:2
Lee grounds out, second baseman Nishioka to first baseman Ogasawara.

Top 6TH B:1 S:0 O:3
Lee flies out to right fielder Suzuki.

Get this guy out of the game and bring Lee in.

Posted by: James at March 15, 2006 11:42 PM

Somebody in programming should lose their job. Wasn't ESPN-U invented for women's softball? No way softball gets more viewers than Japan/Korea.

And David's idea from earlier was perfect. The Classic on Classic.

Posted by: CB at March 16, 2006 12:02 AM

I assume ESPN would rather not piss off the NCAA or break some contract.

Posted by: Franklin Scott at March 16, 2006 12:10 AM

This is by far the best performance Park has ever had in San Diego. If only he could pitch like this when he was gettin paid 14 million dollars!

Posted by: david at March 16, 2006 12:11 AM

Lee just singled and made it to second on the throw to third.

Two men on, one out and Lee is up at bat. Fujikawa is the new pitcher.

GO LEE!

Posted by: James at March 16, 2006 12:17 AM

I just want to point out, that the anchors of "SportsCenter" wondered why there wasn't anywhere on ESPN to show even highlights of the WBC, summing things up with the comment, which I am summarizing here: "I mean, why couldn't the Classic be shown on ESPN Classic."

Good question.

Posted by: Hunter at March 16, 2006 01:06 AM

Let's hope they find somewhere in the schedule for the frickin' semifinals and finals. At least I'm boning up on my Spanish on ESPNDeportes.

So, what's the tiebreaker if the US loses to Mexico?

Posted by: Adam Villani at March 16, 2006 03:14 AM

The real reason Korea went 6-0 through the first two rounds:

And as an added bonus, none of its players will be going into their country's military after the tournament ends. Prior to the start of the second round, the Korean government announced that it would waive for its players the mandatory three-year stint in the armed forces -- imposed on every Korean male -- if the team reached the semifinals in San Diego.

Unbeaten Korea headed to semifinals

Posted by: Jason at March 16, 2006 07:45 AM

So, what's the tiebreaker if the US loses to Mexico?

That'll make a 3-way tie for 2nd. Head-to-head record will be 1-1 for all teams, so it'll come down to fewest runs allowed (vs. tied teams). Japan has 5 runs allowed vs. US & Mexico, so if the US loses and allows more than 2 runs, it's back to spring training...

Posted by: Jason at March 16, 2006 07:56 AM

Utterly ridiculous the game wasn't on. (I don't get Desportes, and don't speak Spanish anyway.) I do not want to hear any stories about the WBC having low ratings, or wasn't followed in the US.

Posted by: rbj at March 16, 2006 08:20 AM

The New York Times has an article today that outlines the unexpected appettite for the WBC. Tim Brosnan, Executive Vice President of MLB said "The ratings have exceeded our most optimistic expectations." Also, "the tournament has featured four games with ratings better than any event ESPN2 carried in March 2005."

Most ridiculously: "Brosnan said that he had asked ESPN to put the games on ESPN Classic without success. (Despite its apt title, the World Baseball Classic did not meet rules to be carried live on ESPN Classic.)" What the heck does that mean? ESPN Classic has rules? Who are they kidding?

You'd think that they'd be able to respond more nimbly, and punch in these games elsewhere. One good thing that'll come out of this is that the clear demand will result in better distribution for the next one.

Posted by: Dave S. at March 16, 2006 10:29 AM

ESPN did preempt a scheduled early round tennis match for one of tne US games. Are they telling me that ESPN-Classic has tougher rules about only showing 20 year old college basketball games than the Deuce has on a contract with a sport?
Something doesn't smell right.

Posted by: rbj at March 16, 2006 11:57 AM

Any "rules" ESPN Classic has would be rules made by ESPN. Therefore, they can change them any time they want to. Talk about a lame excuse.

Posted by: Jeff A at March 16, 2006 06:22 PM