The best big match of the World Baseball Classic (WBC) this coming March is, no matter what anyone says, the confrontation between the United States and Japan.
There can be no disagreement that the two teams have the power to compete for the best in the world. The Dominican Republic, a powerhouse in Central and South America, and Cuba, which is the strongest in Ambaseball and has become a major league player, will not be touched, but the overall composition of players is incomparable to that of the United States and Japan.
What are the chances that the two teams, the USA and Japan, will face each other in the WBC? Looking at the draw, it is analyzed that the probability of a big match between the United States and Japan is very high. in the semifinals or finals.
Japan will play Group B with South Korea, Australia, China and the Czech Republic, while the United States will play Group C with Mexico, Colombia, Canada and Great Britain. In the quarterfinals, where the first and second place in each group advance, Japan will face Group A 1st or 2nd place, and the United States will meet Group D 1st or 2nd place.
If the US and Japan pass through the quarterfinals side by side, they can meet in the semifinals. Both teams advance to the quarterfinals as first place in their group and beat their opponent, or both teams advance to the quarterfinals as second in their group and defeat their opponents. The scenario in the finals is that the United States and Japan advance to the quarterfinals with one 1st place in the group and the other 2nd in the group stage, and then pass through the semifinals side by side.
For example, if the U.S. passes the group round with No. 1 in Group C and No. 1 in Group B with Japan, the U.S. No. 2 in Group D and Japan No. 2 in Group A will face each other in the quarterfinals. If they both pass the quarterfinals, they will meet in the semifinals. In other words, considering that the two teams are the strongest in each group, it is highly likely that a big match will take place in the semifinals. To meet in the final, the two teams’ group rankings would have to be split, which is relatively unlikely.
Also, the opponents to meet in the quarterfinals are expected to be the Dominican Republic or Puerto Rico for the United States and Cuba or the Netherlands for Japan. Of course, there is a good chance that they will be eliminated in the quarterfinals between the US and Japan. A big deal between the US and Japan would not happen then.
It is because of Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani that the two teams are expected to face each other. The only chance for the two, who are eating together at the Los Angeles Angels, to compete head-to-head is the national competition.
MLB.com reported on Trout’s interview on the 22nd (Korean time), “Considering the expectations for the United States and Japan, it may not be unreasonable to imagine the two teams facing each other at some point in the tournament.” 메이저사이트
Trout said in a video interview with local media that day, “We are participating in this competition to win. All the players on our team are great, they play for each other and know each other better. The goal in our hearts is the same. All It’s about winning the game,” he said, revealing his will to win.
The U.S. national team includes top players in the major leagues, including Trout, Paul Goldschmidt, Mookie Betts, Nolan Arenado, Pete Alonso, and Tim Anderson. The strength of the Japanese national team is no less than that of the United States. Including Ohtani, Yu Darvish and Seiya Suzuki decided to participate in this tournament. These include Munetaka Murakami, the home run champion in Japanese professional baseball, and Yushinobu Yamamoto, the four-time pitcher.
“I’ve talked to a lot of players on the phone, and representing the United States is a special experience,” Trout said. “When I talked to Ohtani about the Japanese national team, he emphasized very much that he’s not the best in Japan. It’s impossible to have a better player than Ohtani. But he knows the national team players well, and if he continues to advance to the higher rounds, he wants to meet them and play well.”
The WBC Organizing Committee also heightened the atmosphere by posting a message on Twitter, saying, “The match between Trout and Ohtani at this WBC is a must-see match.”