Dead Ball (JPN Baseball Thread)

[canman]

Will the USA Canada game be televised in Japan? I hope so. Perhaps BS might show it. Should be a good game. Tonight's wasn't. Ichiro played well, but when the Korean pitcher came in close, he didn't get a hit. I liked that move by the Koreans, make him uncomfortable at the plate.

[Takechanpoo]

Ichiro played well, but when the Korean pitcher came in close, he didn't get a hit. I liked that move by the Koreans, make him uncomfortable at the plate.

Your piled grudges toward Japanese make you think so.

[AssKissinger]

won't it stop at 9:30?

That is one thing I do NOT miss about Japan.

I liked that move by the Koreans, make him uncomfortable at the plate.

He did get three very well executed hits including a picture perfect bunt.

I'll be watching America stuff Canuckistan on ESPN.

[Mike Oxlong]

Quick question...

I'm a very casual fan of baseball...rarely watch, except for the play-offs and World/Japan Series, or these international type matches. Last night in the second inning (I think), Japan was up 8-2, and a Korean batter had a ball called on a pitch from Dice-K. Johjima jumed up and started gesticulating wildly at the first base ump, looking for a strike. Didn't sit right with me. Is that standard practice in baseball? I can imagine it if it's in late innings in a close game...but with a big lead in early innings, and I don't even think it would have made strike three for the out. Is it just me...?

[AssKissinger]

The dude's competitive.

[GuyJean]

.. Last night in the second inning (I think), Japan was up 8-2, and a Korean batter had a ball called on a pitch from Dice-K. Johjima jumed up and started gesticulating wildly at the first base ump, looking for a strike...

Did the batter attempt a half swing? Johjima might have been asking the first base ump if the batter had 'gone around', or swung far enough at the pitch in order for it to be a strike. The catcher sometimes point to the other umps for a second opinion in a situation like that..

GJ

[Mike Oxlong]

Did the batter attempt a half swing? Johjima might have been asking the first base ump if the batter had 'gone around', or swung far enough at the pitch in order for it to be a strike. The catcher sometimes point to the other umps for a second opinion in a situation like that..

GJ

Checked swing. Didn't break his wrists. I don't mind pointing for a second opinion, this was pointing and shaking his arm furiously at the first base coach, as though the entire series was riding on that one phantom strike. Seemed unsportsmanlike to me. Probably just don't watch enough baseball to really see who's doing what and when...

[GuyJean]

Checked swing. Didn't break his wrists. I don't mind pointing for a second opinion, this was pointing and shaking his arm furiously at the first base coach, as though the entire series was riding on that one phantom strike. Seemed unsportsmanlike to me. Probably just don't watch enough baseball to really see who's doing what and when...

Yeah, I didn't see it. Johjima gets kind of worked up sometimes. Ichiro, who usually doesn't show much emotion on the field, also seems more 'emotional' when playing in the WBC. I think it's the nationalism thing; I hear Japan's team bus is black and doesn't have windows.

GJ

[Behan]

[Gilligan]

He strained his hamstring in yesterday's game, and his next start is going to be pushed back. From here.

Orioles pitcher Koji Uehara strained his left hamstring during yesterday's game in Port St. Lucie, and he won't take his next scheduled turn in the rotation.

Manager Dave Trembley confirmed the injury earlier today while meeting with a small group of reporters in the visiting dugout at City of Palms Park.

Uehara tweaked his hamstring while covering first base on a ground ball by Jose Valentin that ended the second inning.

(Sorry for the typo in the title; I don't know how to fix it.)

[Greji]

[quote="Gilligan"]
(Sorry for the typo in the title]

You could say he's originally from the Dominican Republic?


BTW, Could the injury be from the shelling he's been taking?:p

[Gilligan]

I can see the Dominican rep. doing very well this year.

Unless of course they run into the powerhouse that is the Netherlands team

[Greji]

[quote="Gilligan"]Unless of course they run into the powerhouse that is the Netherlands team ]

Hey, don't count out the Netherlands. With a couple of breaks with their pitching and/or defense, they could have eliminated Puerto Rico and advanced! They play some good ball and produce a lot of good MLB talent.

But then again, I forgot that you wouldn't have a chance to see talent, following the birds as you do:p

[Gilligan]

Hey, don't count out the Netherlands. With a couple of breaks with their pitching and/or defense, they could have eliminated Puerto Rico and advanced! They play some good ball and produce a lot of good MLB talent.

But then again, I forgot that you wouldn't have a chance to see talent, following the birds as you do:p

I don't know what to say, Greji. Two of the Netherlands top players, their #1 starter Sidney Ponson and starting centerfielder Eugene Kingsale, came up through the Orioles organization. And the fact that Fat Sidney is their #1 starter tells me all I need to know about their pitching staff.

His pitching line in the first game against the DR

4.0IP 5H 2R 2ER 3BB 1KO

That's Sidney at his absolute best, total mediocrity. It's too bad for the Netherlands that he's not usually at his best.

It'll be good for the US team, though, if they can get past Venezuela tomorrow.

[Greji]

[quote="Gilligan"]I don't know what to say, Greji. Two of the Netherlands top players, their #1 starter Sidney Ponson and starting centerfielder Eugene Kingsale, came up through the Orioles organization. And the fact that Fat Sidney is their #1 starter tells me all I need to know about their pitching staff.

His pitching line in the first game against the DR

4.0IP 5H 2R 2ER 3BB 1KO

That's Sidney at his absolute best, total mediocrity. It's too bad for the Netherlands that he's not usually at his best. ]

Well, Kingsdale did his job, getting on base and scoring in the bottom of the 11th. The Dominican defense fell on their butts and were eliminated. The Netherlands advances to the second round, winning 2-1 in 11.

BTW, Australia and Cuba are tied at 1 in the top of the 5th. Don't count the Aussies out yet.

[Gilligan]

I just heard that players on the Dominican roster make a collective $83.4 million in the majors; players on the Netherlands roster make a collective $0.4 million in the majors. That's what I'd call a major upset.

[Gilligan]

Well, Kingsdale did his job, getting on base and scoring in the bottom of the 11th.

That made up for the 2-out liner that he misplayed in the top of the 11th, giving the DR their only run.

[Greji]

That made up for the 2-out liner that he misplayed in the top of the 11th, giving the DR their only run.

Cuba got a two run pinch hit home run in the 8th to go on top 5-4 and are batting in the top of the 9th!

[Behan]

Australia beat Japan twice at the 2004 Athens Olympics, the first game 9-4, and won the silver medal.

[Greji]

Australia beat Japan twice at the 2004 Athens Olympics, the first game 9-4, and won the silver medal.

And the J-media continues to play them as a second rate baseball team!

[Gilligan]

Keith Law of ESPN.com had some nice things to say about Darvish (the article is for subscribers only so I'll cut and paste below).

As if all of that [he was running through Darvish's accomplishments in NPB in the previous paragraph] wasn't enough to make Darvish worth your attention, he showed a ridiculous repertoire in his two innings of work Thursday. His primary pitches were a four-seam fastball from 91-94 mph, a two-seamer from 87-91 with great downward tailing action, and a hard slider from 84-87 with a sharp, long break and good tilt. To a right-handed hitter, the slider would look like it might hit him on the hands and end up in the other batter's box; at 87 mph, that's hard to hit. He also showed a slow curveball at around 72 mph, an in-between slurve around 80-81 mph (I called it a soft slider; another scout called it a hard curve), a so-so splitter with some tumble, and I believe one shuuto for good measure. He could probably go through a batting order twice with just the two fastballs and the hard slider, especially if his command is as good as or better than it was Thursday.

His delivery looks odd, but it works. He does have a significant hook in the back, but it doesn't cause any timing problems. Neither does the weird glove-tap he does after separating his hands. He drops, drives, takes a good stride, by which point his pitching arm is well underway.

Darvish's control wasn't great, although the umpire's strike zone was small. His command of the two fastballs was good, and he seemed equally comfortable throwing the two- and four-seamers. The four-seamer has just a little glove-side run, so he needs to set it off with at least the two-seamer. A decent splitter would help, but the hard slider's velocity will fool some hitters who are looking fastball. The total package is that of a No. 1 starter in the U.S., especially when you consider his success in Japan, particularly in missing bats.

Darvish is entering his fifth year in NPB. He won't be a free agent until at least after the 2014 season and has indicated that he has no interest in coming to pitch in the United States, so it may be some time before he pitches on American soil again after the World Baseball Classic ends.

[Greji]

Keith Law of ESPN.com had some nice things to say about Darvish (the article is for subscribers only so I'll cut and paste below).j".....He won't be a free agent until at least after the 2014 season and has indicated that he has no interest in coming to pitch in the United States, so it may be some time before he pitches on American soil again after the World Baseball Classic ends. ...."

Gil,

May I translate this line for you. It means in that very difficult baseball language, "If you mothers don't come up with a figure that is added on to the front of seven zeros, you got no chance of talking to me. If you want to get me before 2014, it's going to take some more MF'ing zeros with a posting!"

[Behan]

If he went before 2014, then it would be Nippon Ham getting a lot of the money, wouldn't it?

[Greji]

If he went before 2014, then it would be Nippon Ham getting a lot of the money, wouldn't it?

That's the posting system, but if you recall how that works (ala Matsuzaka), the gaining team posts large bucks to negotiate with the player, if the player accepts the offer, the posting money goes to the losing team. If he declines the offer, the money goes back to the bidding team.

[AssKissinger]

Well, they got rid of the Cubans.

[GuyJean]

Well, they got rid of the Cubans.

Was hoping for a better game, but not a bad one.. Japan's pitching dominates.

The final four! Japan, Korea, Venezuela, USA..

GJ

[Behan]

Was Johjima tossed for arguing? From what little I saw of it it didn't look like much.

[GuyJean]

Was Johjima tossed for arguing?..

Oh, I don't think so.. I remember him batting in the 8th, I think.. It must've been after that, if it happened.

GJ

[Behan]

Thanks and sorry, GuyJean, I should have said in an earlier game. Maybe it wasn't anything big. I guess I should stop being lazy and look it up myself.
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Edit:

I found this:

http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?mid=200903183981147

It looks like he got tossed for leaving his bat at the plate. A bit harsh? But it did seem a little strange of Johjima to do it, too.

[wuchan]

Thanks and sorry, GuyJean, I should have said in an earlier game. Maybe it wasn't anything big. I guess I should stop being lazy and look it up myself.
----------------------------------------------------------

Edit:

I found this:

http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?mid=200903183981147

It looks like he got tossed for leaving his bat at the plate. A bit harsh? But it did seem a little strange of Johjima to do it, too.

It was more about the way he did it. A MLB player would have argued the call and got tossed but this guy gave the ump a bad look, dropped his bat on the plate, turned, started walking and acted like he didn't hear the ump yelling. Ump got mad and ejected his ass.