When the World Baseball Classic began in 2006, many thought that though the tournament might be fun, ultimately it would get boring and repetitive to see team USA win it every time. Alas, 11 years and zero championships later, it’s team USA playing the role of underdog as they defeated two time champion Japan 2-1 to advance to their very first WBC final, thanks in large part to their stellar pitching.
Prior to their matchup with Japan, USA manager Jim Leyland was asked if winning the World Baseball Classic required a different strategy than taking home a World Series crown. His answer was pretty simple, just like everything in baseball it all comes down to good pitching. There was plenty of that to be had on a soggy Tuesday night in LA, as both team’s brought their best to the mound, albeit using very different strategies.
Leyland made it a bullpen game from the get go, using Tanner Roark for four effective innings before turning to bullpen stars like Andrew Miller and new Giants closer Mark Melancon. Japan manager Hiroki Kokubo employed a much more traditional approach, trotting out ace pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano for six strong innings before turning to their relief ace Kodai Senga, normally a starting pitcher in Nippon Professional Baseball, who struck out the side in order to start his night.
With high caliber pitching on display all night and constant rain, it became a battle of the elements. Team USA owes a big thank you to Mother Nature for their two runs as the normally sound Japanese defense made two critical mistakes. First in the 4th inning after Christian Yelich scored due in large part to a two base error by 2nd baseman Ryosuke Kikuchi, and another in the 8th on a misplayed ball by 3rd baseman Nobuhiro Matsuda that allowed Brandon Crawford to score the game winning run.
The rain certainly played a factor and may have helped team USA squeak out a victory. “Who would have thought we’d be playing in this type of game in Los Angeles?” outfielder Andrew McCutchen said after the game. “But I play in Pittsburgh, so I’m pretty used to the weather there. It’s not always great, a lot of rain.”
Japan manager Hiroki Kokubo was quick to dismiss the idea that the rain was the reason they lost. “It rained, it’s the same for both teams. But in Japan, after all, this is do or die.”
Pitching ruled the night, and while the more notable starter was Japan’s Sugano, who Leyland described as “a big league pitcher” after allowing no earned runs in 6 innings, he was quick to point out that Roark was the difference in the game for his side.
“We needed some innings from him, he gave us those innings…He’s a guy I’ve wanted for a little while for this thing. I’ve watched him from afar play a bit and he’s a guy who stuck with us and I respect him. I told everybody last night, I felt great about my starting pitcher and for once in my life I was proven to be right.”
It was a game of inches all night long and a stark contrast to last night’s wild back and forth marathon between the Netherlands and Puerto Rico. Team Japan, the WBC’s most successful participant in its short history, was on the brink of breaking the game open numerous times and looked to take momentum back in the 6th after an impressive opposite field home run by Ryosuke Kikuchi. After such a tense matchup, there was nothing but respect from both sides.
Japan manager Hiroki Kokubo said of the American pitching effort, “The first round, second round, third round pitchers compared to (USA), the power, speed…they were one rank higher with the American team.” On the other side, McCutchen was very complimentary of team Japan and their competitiveness. “We know what the Japanese teams are all about. They’re a team that’s going to play the game the right way. They’re gonna do the small things right, a team that’s not going to make many mistakes. So we knew we had to bring our A-game. They brought theirs.”
Tonight’s victory was a landmark one for team USA, who had never advanced past the semi-final rounds in WBC play. It won’t get any easier for them in their first championship game appearance, as they face off against undefeated Puerto Rico, themselves a star-studded team. Yet Leyland, who told reporters he didn’t feel pressure to take team USA to the finals, and his players are relaxed and ready for the challenge.
“A lot of people wanted to make a big deal about (getting to the finals). I don’t feel that kind of pressure. Do I feel pressure during 2-1 games? Absolutely. Show me a manager that can sit there calm and cool in this type of event in a 2-1 game, and I’ll show you somebody that‘s not feeling well.
Now that team USA has broken through and made it to the WBC final, tomorrow night represents the biggest game for USA baseball since the sport was still played in the Olympics. It also represents a turning point for the tournament’s stature in the United States, where it has been overshadowed by things like the NCAA college basketball tournament or hampered by the superstars who have yet to don the USA uniform like Mike Trout and Clayton Kershaw. Now with a trophy on the line, US fans could be out in full force at Dodger Stadium tomorrow, but the players were quick to compliment fan support all tournament long.
“The fans are definitely into it,” Roark said. “You heard it tonight, in San Diego. They were loud and we feed off that. We love a loud crowd chanting ‘USA’. It gets your adrenaline pumping and we feed off that.”
Judging by the energy brought by both fans of Puerto Rico and the USA over the last two days, there won’t be a shortage of energy and adrenaline for either side when the first pitch is thrown tomorrow night.