VALENTINE INTERESTED IN USA SKIPPER’S JOB IN 2013 WBC

Whatever one thinks of straight-shooting Bobby Valentine, they can’t say he lacks confidence. Valentine is a former major league player and manager now entering the final year of his contract with the Chiba Lotte Marines of Japan’s Pacific League. While he’s not sure of where he’ll be next year, he’d like a crack at changing the United States’ fortunes in the next World Baseball Classic.


Valentine said last week the first thing he’d do as manager of Team USA in 2013 is bring in players with more of a desire to win the event. “It seems like there’s a little more passion and a little more desire to do your best from the Japanese players,” Valentine said. He went on to say he would interview players prior to the next WBC to determine who would work harder to win the tournament.

Valentine, a former outfielder who managed the New York Mets to the 2000 National League pennant is in his sixth season with the Marines, who he led to a title in 2005. His contract with the team is reportedly worth $3.9 million this season, and is not expected back in 2010 because of the global economic crisis.

ICHIRO CLUTCH HIT KEYS JAPAN'S SECOND WBC TITLE GAME WIN

Ichiro Suzuki’s two-run single in the top of the 10th inning broke a 3-3 tie as Japan went on to beat South Korea, 5-3, Monday night in Los Angeles to win their second World Baseball Classic championship. With two Japanese runners on, first base open and two out, Korean reliever Chang-Yong Lim pitched to Suzuki, who already had three hits on the night. The two battled it out until Ichiro stroked Lim’s eighth pitch into right field to score both runners, putting Japan up for good. Yu Darvish, Japan’s 22-year-old pitching prodigy, held Korea scoreless in the bottom of the 10th.


Korea was trailing by a 3-2 count going into the bottom of the ninth when Darvish gave up an RBI single to Bum-Ho Lee, but Darvish settled down when it mattered. Shin-Soo Choo whacked a homer for the second straight game for the Koreans in the fifth inning. Japan’s Daisuke Matsuzaka was the WBC’s MVP for the second consecutive time after going 3-0 with a 1.69 ERA.

AMERICANS CLOBBERED IN WBC SEMIS

The United States took a shaky pitching staff into their WBC semifinal matchup against Japan, and went on to be crunched, 9-4, last Saturday at Dodger Stadium. Roy Oswalt, who had pitched creditably his first two times out in the tournament, was rocked for five Japanese runs in the fourth inning before USA manager Dave Johnson finally brought John Grabow in from the bullpen. The Americans had led, 2-1, before that fateful frame.


To their credit, the USA battled back, scoring two runs on a Mark DeRosa double in the eighth to come to within 6-4, but Johnson raised eyebrows when he sent in right-handed batter Evan Longoria to pinch-hit for lefty batter Curtis Granderson against righty Takahiro Mahara. Longoria struck out, and the rally died when Brian Roberts tapped a 1-3 comebacker to Mahara for the third out. Japan scored three more times in the bottom of the eighth to close out the game’s scoring.

KOREANS DRUB VENEZUELA TO REACH FINALS

One night later, South Korea bludgeoned Venezuela, 10-2, to win the other semifinal game, setting up the title bout with archrival Japan. Korean starter Suk-Min Yook turned in 6.1 solid innings, giving up two runs while scattering seven hits for the win. Conversely, Venezuelan opener Carlos Silva was battered for five runs in the first inning, including a three-run homer by Shin-Soo Choo. After Tae-Kyun Kim walloped a two-run bomb in the second, Silva was yanked. He ended up allowing seven runs on six hits in just 1.1 innings.


The Venezuelans scored their first run on a Melvin Mora single in the third, but Korea posted three more runs on the board to effectively put the game out of reach. Carlos Guillen swatted a solo homer in the seventh inning for Venezuela, but it was too little, too late.

ATTENDANCE IMPROVES FOR WBC IN 2009

Although 19 of the WBC’s 39 games had fewer than 15,000 fans on hand, the event ended up drawing 801,407 attendees for an average of 20,549 (both WBC records). The final totals were boosted by the 141,854 who came to the final three games in Los Angeles. Among first round venues, Pool A games in Tokyo averaged 28,352 over six games to lead the four groups. Second round games in Miami averaged 19,066 fans, while San Diego’s second-round action averaged 15,297.

JAPAN BOPS SOUTH KOREA, 6-2, TO WIN WBC POOL 1 TITLE

Michihiro Ogasawara’s pinch-hit single in the eighth inning broke a 2-2 tie as Japan went on to post a 6-2 win over South Korea Thursday night in San Diego to clinch first place in Pool 1 of the World Baseball Classic’s second round. Japan scored two more runs in the eighth off an Akinori Iwamura single, and added an insurance run in the ninth inning.

Japan reached the Pool 1 title game by bracketing a pair of shutouts over Cuba around a loss to the Koreans. Japan whitewashed Cuba, 6-0, last Sunday as Daisuke Matsuzaka struck out eight batters in five innings and Shuichi Murata drove in two runs. Following a 4-1 loss to South Korea in which Kosuke Fukudome scored Japan’s only run, the Japanese registered a 5-0 shutout over Cuba as Hisashi Iwakuma blanked the Cubans over six innings.

KOREANS REACH SEMIS DESPITE LOSS TO JAPAN

Although Thursday’s loss to Japan included uncharacteristic defensive miscues, South Korea scored a pair of important Pool 1 victories along the way to ensure their berth in the semifinals.


The Koreans opened pool play with an 8-2 win over Mexico last Sunday as Kim Tae-kyun drove in three runs on two hits, including a solo homer, and five relievers held Mexico scoreless from the third inning on. South Korea clinched their spot in the WBC’s final four with a solid 4-1 win over Japan two nights later Starter Bong Jung-keun turned in another solid performance, allowing just one run on three hits over 5.1 innings. The Koreans were scheduled to play Pool 2 champions Venezuela Saturday in Los Angeles.

VENEZUELANS TOP USA TO CLAIM POOL 2 CROWN

Venezuela will be the only nation in the WBC semifinals to go through second-round play undefeated after beating The Netherlands, Puerto Rico and the USA in consecutive outings last week in Miami. The Venezuelans opened last Saturday with a hard-fought 3-1 win over the surprising Dutch team despite only recording three hits, two of them solo homers by Jose Lopez and Miguel Cabrera. That was followed Monday by a thrilling 2-0 shutout over Puerto Rico as Felix Hernandez and four relievers combined to hold the powerful Puerto Ricans to just five hits.


The week was capped by a 10-6 win over the United States in a Wednesday night slugfest in which the two teams combined for 27 hits. Max Ramirez blasted a three-run homer for Venezuela, who did most of their damage with a six-run second inning off American starter Jeremy Guthrie.

AMERICANS HOBBLE INTO FINAL FOUR

In reaching the WBC semifinals, the United States has already surpassed their 2006 showing, but they paid for it along the way. After an embarrassing 11-1 loss to Puerto Rico last Saturday in a game called after seven innings on the mercy rule, the Americans eliminated The Netherlands, 9-3, Sunday night and exacted revenge Tuesday by sending Puerto Rico home with a 6-5 comeback win as David Wright’s two-run single off Fernando Cabrera ended the contest in the ninth. The USA fought back to within one run of Venezuela Wednesday as Mark DeRosa hit a two-run homer, but fell short.


Along the way, the Americans lost Dustin Pedroia, Chipper Jones, Kevin Youkilis and Matt Lindstrom to injuries. The USA was scheduled to play Japan Sunday at Dodger Stadium.

CUBA, MEXICO SECURE BERTH IN WBC SECOND ROUND

Pool B was the last group to begin play in the WBC, but Cuba more than made up for any lost time by easily winning two games to clinch a spot in the second round. After Frederich Cepeda’s two solo homers helped propel the Cubans to an 8-1 win over South Africa last Sunday afternoon in Mexico City, Cuba required a two-run roundtripper by Yosvani Peraza in the eighth inning to register a come-from-behind 5-4 win Wednesday night against surprisingly plucky Australia.


The Aussies opened their pool schedule with a 17-7 pounding of host Mexico Sunday night, setting a WBC record with 22 hits, including two homers by Chris Snelling. The Mexicans came back with a 14-3 win over South Africa one night later behind Adrian Gonzalez’ two homers before exacting revenge on Australia, 16-1, Wednesday night.

Cuba closed out pool play Thursday night with a 16-4 win over Mexico as Ariel Pestano and Cepeda each hit three-run homers in a nine-run seventh inning. Both teams advanced to round two.

AMERICANS, VENEZUELANS EMERGE FROM GROUP C

When the United States and Venezuela squared off in Toronto Wednesday night, both nations had clinched second round berths. However, after a 15-6 pasting by the Americans Sunday, the Venezuelans had something to prove, and beat the USA, 5-3, as Henry Blanco doubled and homered.


The first time the two teams faced each other, Chris Ianetta’s three-run double keyed an eight-run sixth inning as the USA clinched a berth in the Pool C final and a slot in the second round. After Italy eliminated Canada with a 6-2 win Monday, Venezuela sent the Italians packing one night later with a 10-1 win as Endy Chavez and Miguel Cabrera each logged three hits for the winners.

DUTCH SHOCK DOMINICANS AGAIN, MOVE ON TO ROUND TWO

Just three days after shocking the baseball world with their 3-2 win over the Dominican Republic in Pool D’s opening game, The Netherlands did it again Tuesday night by eliminating the Dominicans with a 2-1 win in 11 innings in San Juan.


After ten scoreless innings, the Dominicans pulled ahead when Jose Reyes scored on right fielder Eugene Kingsale’s throwing error. Kingsale more than atoned for his miscue in the bottom of the 11th by singling off Carlos Marmol to drive in Sidney de Jong with the tying run, then scoring the game-winner from third on a Willy Aybar throwing error.

Puerto Rico shut out The Netherlands, 5-0, Wednesday behind Jonathan Sanchez’ four shutout innings to win the pool final and join the Dutchmen in the second stanza.

BONG PITCHES KOREA TO 1-0 WIN OVER JAPAN IN POOL A FINAL

After being crushed, 14-2, by Japan the first time the two countries met in World Baseball Classic Pool A action, South Korea came back to win a 1-0 nailbiter at the Tokyo Dome Tuesday night to earn the top seed coming out of pool play.


Nearly 43,000 fans witnessed a superlative pitching performance by Korean starter Bong Jeun-Keun, who allowed just three hits and no walks in 5.1 innings for the win. Korea plated the game’s only run in the top of the fourth when Lee Jong-Wook came in on Kim Tae-Kyun’s single to left.

The Koreans advanced to the Pool A final with a 14-0 drubbing of China on Monday night.

TAIWAN OFFICIALS VOW OVERHAUL AFTER EARLY WBC EXIT

On the heels of Taiwan’s surprising two-and-out exit from the World Baseball Classic, baseball officials in that country are promising a complete overhaul to the domestic game. Taiwan’s Sports Affairs Council, which oversees baseball in the island nation, says it will develop new programs in schools, companies and the military, fight against gambling scandals that have rocked the game, and call on the federal government for more help in rebuilding Taiwan’s once-promising baseball fortunes.


Taiwan teams have won 17 Little League World Series, earned medals in two Olympic Games, and won the 2006 Asia Games. However, following a disappointing showing in last summer’s Beijing Olympics Taiwan lost 4-1 to China and 9-0 to South Korea in the WBC. Their next shot for redemption will be at the Baseball World Cup in Prague this September.

MLB TO HOST SPRING GAMES WITH EURO NATIONAL SIDES

Major League Baseball teams will play three games apiece against two national teams from Europe during spring training in Florida next March. The Italian National Team is scheduled to play the Washington Nationals, Florida Marlins and New York Mets; while the Dutch National Team is slated to face the Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds and Minnesota Twins after playing a contest against the University of South Florida.
The two three-game sets with big league teams are scheduled to take place between March 3 and 5 as both the Italian and Dutch teams prepare for the upcoming World Baseball Classic. While they are considered the two strongest baseball countries in Europe, neither is expected to contend for the WBC title.

DAVE JOHNSON TO MANAGE USA IN WBC

Former major league player and manager Dave Johnson will lead the United States in the World Baseball Classic next March. Johnson was introduced as Team USA manager at a press conference during the annual winter baseball meetings in Las Vegas last week.

Johnson played in all or part of 13 MLB seasons with Baltimore, Atlanta and Philadelphia, batting .261 with 136 homers. He was a four-time All-Star second baseman who played in five World Series. He went on to manage four teams over 14 years, including the 1986 World Champion New York Mets. Johnson led the USA to a bronze medal at last summer’s Beijing Olympics.

Team USA finished 3-3 in the first World Baseball Classic in 2006 under Buck Martinez.