Japan v Cuba

[Ohfor]

I find it interesting that two of the teams with the least amount of mlb players are in the finals.

I have my opinion.....what is yours.

[Sultan_1895-1948]

More pride, more hustle, better execution, better fundamentals.

Even if we sent our best guys over, I'm not convinced the results would have been any different.

[Ohfor]

Do you feel the same about the Dominican team? Venezuelan team? Puerto Rican team?

[ssarge]

I've thought about this, and have not yet forumlated an opinion.

I DO think this is the worst possible time of year for an MLB hitter to be sharp. I haven't reseacrhed the playing calendar for the other countries, and have no idea if their hitters faced a similar problem.

I also think that a ONE game series in baseball is about like playing a football game where each team has one possession. I don't see an alternative for a world tournament, but nontheless note the obvious.

Regards,

Scott

[tadlock11]

I believe the Cuban coach said it best:
"It's not about the price of the player but the heart with which the baseball is played."

[Fuddrules]

Our baseball players simply haven't completely caught up to our NBA players yet. Hopefully they won't.

[Sultan_1895-1948]

Do you feel the same about the Dominican team? Venezuelan team? Puerto Rican team?

Well I think the Dominican team is a completely different animal. The style of hitter they produce seem to be free swinging mashers. I think there are other countries who treat baseball like it's National Pastime more than we do today. They play ball all day long as youngsters. They hit rocks with sticks, they field grounders on crappy infields.

There's too much to do in our society today; too many options, and baseball doesn't appeal to young kids the way it used to. Many kids would rather sit inside and play video games than grab a bat, glove, and two balls, and head out to the sandlot. It's easier for most to grab a basketball, or to get on a bike if they even go outside and play.

I liken the Japanese baseball style to Europeans in basketball. They seem to be more fundamentally sound, better all around players who simply find a way to win as a team. They're not so much about ME ME ME. Thats my 2cents.

[runningshoes]

What makes the Japanese players any more prepared than the American players?

Those guys play a full season in Japan.

[fungo22]

What makes the Japanese players any more prepared than the American players?

Those guys play a full season in Japan.

I lived in Japan for close to 18 months and when i was there, their season was about the same as ours. But in the Orient (where I spent over 13 years), they view international competition as involving the national honor, and in spite of our fits of patriotic rhetoric and bluster, when all is said and done, we really don't give a ****. I'm not criticizing. Just observing. We're a lot less "international" than the rest of the world.

And I agree with the concept that baseball is more the national pasttime in Japan than in the U.S. And baseball in Central America is even more so. The stickball analogy is a good one. Add to the Oriental feelings of national honor the fanaticism of Castro Cuba, and you get the Cuban feelings about international competition - especially in the US.

But I'm with Scott. I don't really have an explanation. Just a few observations that may or may not be relevant.

[Jake Patterson]

I was down at Pirate City, Florida several weeks back watching the Hundai Unicorns (?) (S. Korea Pro team) play and train and the Pirates. It was night and day. The American pro team was at opposite ends of the spectrum when it came to focus, hard work, discipline, fundementals etc...

For the last four years I coached at a prep school. I had several Japanese and S. Koreans and found them much easier to coach than the American kids. I think its a cultural thing.... one that's to OUR society's detrement.

[Honus Wagner Rules]

More pride, more hustle, better execution, better fundamentals.

Even if we sent our best guys over, I'm not convinced the results would have been any different.

I disagree. The Japanese and Cubans were simply better prepared and had more practice. The time has long passed when a team of major leaguers can just show up and win. Team USA should have formed on February 1st. And many of the American players were very proud to represent their country, Chipper Jones, Jeter, Derek Lee, and Roger Clemens all said as much. Also if the WBC was played in July or the WBC was a best of five or seven series the results wound have been far far different. If Team USA played Korea 100 times they'd win at least 85 of those games. But I wasn't troubled by Team USA's loss. Hopefully next time they will be better prepared.

[Sultan_1895-1948]

I disagree. The Japanese and Cubans were simply better prepared and had more practice. The time has long passed when a team of major leaguers can just show up and win. Team USA should have formed on February 1st. And many of the American players were very proud to represent their country, Chipper Jones, Jeter, Derek Lee, and Roger Clemens all said as much. Also if the WBC was played in July or the WBC was a best of five or seven series the results wound have been far far different. If Team USA played Korea 100 times they'd win at least 85 of those games. But I wasn't troubled by Team USA's loss. Hopefully next time they will be better prepared.

Adam,

I would agree that practicing together as a team more often would lead to better play. In this case though, I just think our players' approaches were more individually focused and they still would have been, even with more practice.

Did they care, probably. Did it really matter that much in the long run, not really imo. Win or lose, they still have their millions and millions to go back to and America will still be the king of the world in every other endeavor. Adam, do you really think baseball is still our National Pastime? Do you think we treat it like one? Heck, does baseball treat itself like one? Haven't they actually abandoned the true baseball fan more and more over the past decade or so?

ps. Bro, you've been standing on third base for quite some time now. You should have scored by now

[Jake Patterson]

Adam, do you really think baseball is still our National Pastime? Do you think we treat it like one? Heck, does baseball treat itself like one? Haven't they actually abandoned the true baseball fan more and more over the past decade or so?

It's now more entertainment than it is a sport (As we think we know it) at the Major League level. If it wasn't tickets would still be $5.00 and hot dogs $1.00. Players wouldn't be making a gazillion dollars and the owners even more. What we Americans have done to the game is sinful. All you have to do is see the game played professionally over seas to understand. I say good for the Cubans and Japanese

[Sultan_1895-1948]

It's now more entertainment than it is a sport (As we think we know it) at the Major League level. If it wasn't tickets would still be $5.00 and hot dogs $1.00. Players wouldn't be making a gazillion dollars and the owners even more. What we Americans have done to the game is sinful. All you have to do is see the game played professionally over seas to understand. I say good for the Cubans and Japanese

So I take it you're not a fan of the swimming pools, batting cages, video game rooms...basically turning each stadium into friekin' Wally World