WBC SF#2 IGT: Japan vs. Korea (Third time's the charm)

[Willets Point]

Can Korea remain undefeated and beat Japan for the third time?

Ex-Met Jae Seo on the mound for Korea.

[metirish]

Seo now sporting glasses , Ichiro with the first hit, then steals second.

[Willets Point]

I love listening to Miller & Morgan pronounce Asian names.

[Willets Point]

Awesome DP gets Korea out of a jam.

[metirish]

That was a great play,I am loving this WBC.

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

Gotta love the matte finish on the Japan batting helmets.

[metirish]

Yeah that's cool, the Japanese jerseys look like the Braves ones so I am shouting for Korea.

[Willets Point]

And Korea's caps look like they were made for a beer-league softball team. You've got to love that.

Ichiro once again leads off with a single, steals second, and his teammates don't drive him in.

[metirish]

What a catch in by the Japanese left fielder.....I mean WOW.

[Willets Point]

Korea hits 'em deep to left, right, and center all for long outs.

[Willets Point]

The hits keep on coming, balls flying out of the yard and runners crossing home plate for both sides.

Not.

[metirish]

I tell ya what,I wish Seo was on our team......he can pitch.

[metirish]

Kim now pitching for Korea, Miller and Morgan talking about his two meltdowns versus the evil empire.......yeah but they still won as Morgan pointed out.

[metirish]

Holy shit, a two run A-Bomb form the pinch hitter...Kim again gives it up....and now he drills the next hitter..to late mate.

[Willets Point]

And he allows a two-run homer to Japan's pinch-hitter.

[Willets Point]

Ground rule double plates another run for Japan.

BK Kim getting the hook.

[Guest SI Metman]

He's pitching like it's 2001. He's the Korean Benitez!!!

[metirish]

That's cold SI Metman.......but yeah he blew it.....

[Guest SI Metman]

come on, someone had to say it.

[metirish]

No doubt someone had to say it, but I think Kim is worse that Armando in big games...

[Willets Point]

If Japan holds on to win, the number of Major League Baseball players who could appear in the final would be 1.

[metirish]

Looks like it will be Cuba V Japan in the final.....I will be shouting for Cuba.."El Presidente" all the way.

[metirish]

Japan bats around in this inning, Ichiro is amazing tonight, Sadahar Oh looks like a genius with his moves in this game.

[Guest Rotblatt]

What a great game.

Call me crazy, but I think if Japan hangs on, they're going to mop the floor with Cuba, especially without Marti or Lazo.

[Guest Rotblatt]

Tamura just crushes one to left center field.

Japan's opening up a can of whoopass right now.

[metirish]

Well another homer for Japan....they are peaking , still I would not count Cuba out, one game Sunday who knows what will happen.

[Guest Rotblatt]

You're totally right, but I've got a feeling about Japan.

We're in rain delay right now.

[metirish]

yeah a rain delay in SD, who knew?.....I get the feeling that the next time this is played it will be even better....just a few tweaks are needed is all.

[metsmarathon]

maybe the assumption that the best baseball players in the owrld play in the major leagues, is not really such a valid assumption after all.

or, more likely, the rest of the worlds' non-MLB baseball players were better prepared and perhaps better adapted to the style of play necessary for tourney play...?

either way, this should really be a bigger story, just for the fun of it, than i suspect it will be.

[Willets Point]

Japan's in the final.