Comments on: Baseball @ the Olympics: Korea beats Japan 5-3

By: Gwynar

Gwynar — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 14:17:56 +0000

Thanks for the info Mike. That's what I kind of thought, based on some of the articles I've read. I just wasn't sure what kind of attention it was getting on TV and in other forms.

CORRECTION: Hoshino actually mentioned that he should have removed Wada after he walked the first batter.

By: knucklehead7

knucklehead7 — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 03:18:49 +0000

My sense is that Olympic baseball isn't getting a lot of media attention here. Most of the articles I've seen have been about Cuba being the favorite again, though a few articles mentioned Japan placing so many of their best players on the Olympic team. Davey Johnson also mentioned Japan being the favorite in the interview he gave with Big League Stew.

By: Gwynar

Gwynar — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 02:53:42 +0000

BTW: I’ve been meaning to ask, what has the US media been saying about Japan (if anything)? And who is the US media picking as the team to beat?

By: Gwynar

Gwynar — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 02:20:34 +0000

If they lose, the media is definitely going to be all over the story.

The media continues to keep playing the "Japan should win the Gold" angle. And even after the losses to Cuba and Korea, the basic mantra has been to remind everyone that Japan beat both teams during the WBC and that they were able to beat Korea multiple times during the Asia qualifiers.

It doesn't seem like people in Japan understand (or realize) that when you're dealing with a 1 game series in baseball, even bad teams have a shot at winning. Ok, maybe that's not fair. I probably shouldn't be making sweeping generalizations like that, but I don't think I've heard anyone mention it during any of the news pieces I've watched.

I think the media has really placed an unbelievable amount of pressure on the team right now.

By: knucklehead7

knucklehead7 — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 01:51:04 +0000

I know you had mentioned that the media was hyping the Olympic team and the revenge angle before the games began, so I was trying to get a sense of how they were reacting to the team’s play so far. I appreciate the information.

By: Gwynar

Gwynar — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 01:39:44 +0000

I didn't catch Hoshino's interview after the game because I turned off the TV. I usually wait for it, but I felt so drained after the game that I couldn't bear to watch anymore. But based on what the news shows were reporting today, I think Hoshino felt he should have made a pitching change prior to the 7th inning.

I'd have to agree, although I think other managers would have made the same decision to leave Wada in to start the inning (after all, he finished the previous inning by striking out the side). There was a bit of a wait since Japan scored 2 runs in their bottom of the 6th, but it wasn't so long that Wada would have gone cold.

Like I mentioned above, Hoshino probably should have yanked Wada after he walked the first batter. That's just something you don't want to see your pitcher do, especially after the team just scored 2 runs and with the game so close (and late).

But, the media hasn't been all too hard on the team. I think everyone is still more or less confident that Japan will advance. Plus, everyone is excited about all the women wrestlers winning medals over the last couple of days (2 golds, a silver, and a bronze). If not for them, I'm guessing there would be more people focusing on the loss.

By: knucklehead7

knucklehead7 — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 00:57:16 +0000

A day later, what has been the reaction?

By: Gwynar

Gwynar — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 01:48:24 +0000

To be honest, I’m not quite sure. But this was definitely a big game for Japan because Korea is such a HUGE rival. I’d say that there’s about as much excitement and fanfare as with the Yankees and Red Sox.

By: knucklehead7

knucklehead7 — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 01:45:23 +0000

South Korea remains unbeaten.

Are people following Olympic baseball closely in Japan, Gen?