Such a fantastic game. We spent most of the game rooting for whoever was behind. Two likeable teams playing awesome baseball.
It really had it all. You had the young star pitcher going for Japan, Arozarena making great defensive plays, Ohtani doing superstar Ohtani things, Murakami getting total JD Drew redemption, Yoshida with the foul pole hugging HR, the raw emotion, etc.Such a fantastic game. We spent most of the game rooting for whoever was behind. Two likeable teams playing awesome baseball.
They are really great indeed (and especially regular season) but man do they need to do this for Spring TrainingJust watched the highlights of this on Youtube (credit to MLB's Youtube account for uploading great 10-12 minute highlight reels of these games), man...that seems like the kind of game that makes someone love baseball.
How much of the increased interest here is related to the number of Red Sox involved this year? In 2017, there were only 5 players from the Red Sox organization on any roster: Fernando Abad (DR), Xander Bogaerts (NED), Eduardo Rodriguez (VEN), and two minor leaguers (Daniel McGrath for Australia, Ryan Oduber for Netherlands). This year, we saw at least twice that, including a third of the expected starting lineup. I know I made more of an effort to watch Japan because of Yoshida.Posts on SoSH about the World Baseball Classic:
2017: 431
2023: 946 and counting
(I can't find 2013 or 2009 threads about the WBC, nevermind 2006, so I assume they've been lost to the all-consuming XenForo monster unless @SumnerH has some tricks up his sleeve somehow, like there are archives I can't see or something)
Probably some of that but there’s also a lot more star power this year vs. 2017How much of the increased interest here is related to the number of Red Sox involved this year? In 2017, there were only 5 players from the Red Sox organization on any roster: Fernando Abad (DR), Xander Bogaerts (NED), Eduardo Rodriguez (VEN), and two minor leaguers (Daniel McGrath for Australia, Ryan Oduber for Netherlands). This year, we saw at least twice that, including a third of the expected starting lineup. I know I made more of an effort to watch Japan because of Yoshida.
I buy it. Check out the numbers from earlier games in the tournament. For reference, Japan has roughly 126 million residents.Will MIddlebrooks said on Twitter that he saw 93.6% of Japanese homes had the game on last night. If that's true, just.... wow.
I'd rather have Chaim "get it done".Murakami can be posted after 2025. Sasaki looks like a future Cy Young winner. Get it done, Theo.
Though this game started at what, 8am Japan time?I buy it. Check out the numbers from earlier games in the tournament. For reference, Japan has roughly 126 million residents.
And don't forget Masanori Murakami, the first Asian player in MLB (Giants, 1964)!! My Dad's favorite player.Between Munetaka Murakami in baseball, Haruki Murakami in books, and Takashi Murakami in art, the Murakami contributions in different fields of human endeavor is very impressive
To be fair, Ohtani makes most of these guys look tiny.This announcer is so awful. Yikes!
And Yoshida looks so tiny next to Ohtani.
He is just incredible.Trout got 2 out of that? LOL. It's a shame he doesn't play in games that matter usually.
I'm guessing because Japan was the higher seed coming out of pool play?How do they determine the home team?
Having trouble deciding what to root for when he is up100% sold on Yoshida
The lefty isn't going to be in for long.Why is Schwarber DH-ing vs LHers? Aside from being "a dude," he's not good vs LHers.
This pitcher has a "reverse split;" don't know if that means he's not so good against left-handed batters.Why is Schwarber DH-ing vs LHers? Aside from being "a dude," he's not good vs LHers.
I'm glad I was not alone in that regard.I thought that was way out