First of all, congrats to the Korean baseball team. They thoroughly outplayed the U.S. team and deserved to win.
Having said that, it’s important to remember that baseball is a fickle game. Nearly any team can win on a given day. The best team in the major leagues wins only about sixty percent of its games and quite frequently a double-A team will beat a major league team in a spring training game.
I’m not bringing this up to belittle the Korean team’s accomplishment. The World Baseball Classic is far more important than spring training games and I believe winning the tournament does mean something to the American players/millionaires (though not as much as winning the World Series or signing their next fat contract). The game counted for something and Korea won. I’m aware of the fact the beating the U.S. in anything is a source of great pride to Koreans. I simply hope that the Korean media manages to keep this game in perspective. Wishful thinking on my part, perhaps.
Hey, I got a stat. In 2005, Chan Ho Park made $15 million last year with the Texas Rangers and coughed out a 5.74 ERA. Now he’s in San Diego and might not be in the rotation. Maybe he can be a closer… wait… Trevor Hoffman is still there. But whatever, only Americans in the Major Leagues play for the money. Okay.
Plus, if Korea wants to make a big deal out of winning one game over the US, fine. They’ll play again in the finals. That’s right, I said it.
I get your point but allow me to nitpick for a moment. Professional athletes from a lower-level professional league defeating a team that A) is not considered the strongest team in the field and B) lost to CANADA a few days earlier hardly compares with a team of college athletes defeating what was widely considered the greatest team in the world (including teams from the NHL). Now, had the South Korean men’s basketball team beaten the Dream Team in the 1992 Olympics, then that would have been something.
I must add, however, that up to this point the celebration hasn’t been unreasonable. Check back in a couple of months (or years).
Yeosu, I would respond that I agree you are nitpicking, but I am following a self-imposed restraint on myself to post no more than one comment to each post, except for when I need to tell people I am following a self-imposed restraint on myself to post no more than one comment to each post.
I simply hope that the Korean media manages to keep this game in perspective.
Keeping things in perspective neither sells newspapers nor feeds racial superiority complexes, so you may as well hope for Kim Jong Il to promote a free press…cause it’s about as likely to occur. You wouldn’t expect somersaults from George Will, so don’t expect perspective or objectivity from the cheerleaders that make up the Korean media.
The Korean team is playing well when it counts. To keep things in perspective, they also were blown out in 2 straight games by the Kansas City Royals and San Diego Padres in pre-tourney games, and both teams played 90% minor leaguers, many from A and AA. Korea got solid pitching and played good defense against both the US and Mexico, and good pitching beats good hitting any day of the week. Just ask the Yankees of the last 5 years. $200 mil worth of bats but couldn’t get outs when they needed them.
They also have the advantage of being largely unknown. Except for the major-leaguers, they haven’t been scouted. Korean media cheerleaders will undoubtedly extrapolate short-term success in this tournament with potential long-term success in Major League Baseball, which is absolute stupidity. Once players are scouted extensively and have a track record, teams pitch to their weaknesses and exploit them. Ask the 95% of Japanese and Korean players who were ultimately failures in the majors. The few long-term successes, like Matsui and Ichiro, don’t have holes in their swings and are successful because they’re simply great hitters and have adapted.
Choi Hee Seop is below average in the majors because he can’t hit lefties and teams know how to pitch to him to neutralize his power. 4 years in the majors, 4 different teams, and never once held a steady starting job. Lee Seung Yup could expect the same if not worse. It took him 2 years to adapt to far inferior pitching in Japan, and he’s still not even a great hitter there.
The fact is, if this Korean Dream Team played a 162-game schedule against major league teams, they would be lucky to win 30 games. And 25 of those would be pitched by Seo and Park.
I’m not even a baseball fan but first of all congrats to the Korean team on a job well done. It’s not easy to beat the US. That said, its best to not get too carried away on a superiority kick. As I remember a certian Dr. H. did just that not too long ago. It’s best to remember that on a given day or in a given week anything can happen.
Brazil can lose a soccer game.
Canada, the Swedes or Russians can lose a hockey game (ask the Swiss).
Korean women can lose an archery tournament.
The US can lose at basketball or baseball.
Hopefully the local media will keep this in mind and not erode the spirit of good sportsmanship which has been a part of this tourny.
You apparently didn’t watch the game. It was very easy to beat the US. They could have wheelchaired Kim Dae-jung to the mound and he would have shut down the US lineup for at least four innings.
“Plus, if Korea wants to make a big deal out of winning one game over the US, fine. They’ll play again in the finals. That’s right, I said it.”
Um, the pool that the U.S. and Korea are in can only send one team to the finals, so it’s highly unlikely that they’ll meet in the finals. They will, however, probably meet again in the semi-finals (unless the U.S. has another meltdown against Mexico). I’m still not sure who I’ll be rooting for in that game.
For what it’s worth, I read that if Japan defeats Korea while scoring less than seven runs, the U.S. will be eliminated from the next round before its game versus Mexico. If Korea wins or Japan scores more than seven runs, then the U.S. will advance if it beats Mexico.
Yeosu.be.there, this situation was almost the same as in the World Cup Soccer 2002. Remember Korea facing Portugal, and Korea saving the US from going home?
I think there will be more pain for American fans to come. If Korea loses to Japan, the US is eliminated and there’d be more cries of overpaid clowns. If Korea wins, Americans will have to bear more of Korean gloating about Korea saving US team’s ass. Now I don’t know which one would be worse. Take your pick.
Granted I am not expert on how the WBC decides who advances, but how can a 2-1 Japan (assuming victory against S. Korea) advance based solely on points when the 2-1 USA (assuming victory against Mexico) beat them (albeit on a cheap call) in head to head competition?
What does the diagram illustrate? US players play for money, K players play for exemption from military draft. I think the latter is a better motivation to win, don’t you think?
Nevermind before someone tells me how. In my vision I was envisioning an undefeated Korean team and a US and Japanese team tied at 2-1. That however will not ever happen. Sorry to fill the board with my thoughtless ramblings.
If by chance everything plays out for the U.S. to advance, I wonder who would be left out - Japan or Korea? Both teams (as well as the U.S.) would be 2-1.
“South Korean Defense Minister Yoon Kwang-ung Wednesday ordered “careful consideration” of a proposal to exempt from compulsory military service the young Korean baseball players currently participating in the World Baseball Classic.”
Nothing new here really. I think a similar thing was put out about the Marlins/Yankees in ‘03. The Rangers are another example of the same thing in the NHL - enormous payroll but they failed to even make the playoffs. Big payroll does not equal success but it always means a “good” story.
One of the sports papers in Korea had a headline that said “Japan is nothing” over a picture of Park Chan-ho, implying he said it. But maybe a better translation would be “Yes, We Have an Obsession and We Need Therapy.”
The competition is going to increase a few notches–sad to say that the U.S. is not among the better teams right now. I’m just hoping Korea’s win is the kick in the ass they need to get playing seriously.
Robert - my profound apologies. As i stated I am not a baseball fan and am quite ignorant of the game. However “It’s not easy to beat the US” is what we all a general statement, is it not? You could read about it in one of those grammar and usage books. For clarification that would mean that Korea does not, generally, beat the US. Please correct me if my general statement was wrong and Korea do, in fact, beat the US on a regular basis.
That said, I wonder why we see no comparisons of Korean vs. Cuban baseball salaries?
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29 Comments
First of all, congrats to the Korean baseball team. They thoroughly outplayed the U.S. team and deserved to win.
Having said that, it’s important to remember that baseball is a fickle game. Nearly any team can win on a given day. The best team in the major leagues wins only about sixty percent of its games and quite frequently a double-A team will beat a major league team in a spring training game.
I’m not bringing this up to belittle the Korean team’s accomplishment. The World Baseball Classic is far more important than spring training games and I believe winning the tournament does mean something to the American players/millionaires (though not as much as winning the World Series or signing their next fat contract). The game counted for something and Korea won. I’m aware of the fact the beating the U.S. in anything is a source of great pride to Koreans. I simply hope that the Korean media manages to keep this game in perspective. Wishful thinking on my part, perhaps.
Overpaid pussies.
Hey, I got a stat. In 2005, Chan Ho Park made $15 million last year with the Texas Rangers and coughed out a 5.74 ERA. Now he’s in San Diego and might not be in the rotation. Maybe he can be a closer… wait… Trevor Hoffman is still there. But whatever, only Americans in the Major Leagues play for the money. Okay.
Plus, if Korea wants to make a big deal out of winning one game over the US, fine. They’ll play again in the finals. That’s right, I said it.
So how much is Ji-Sung Park making in Manchester?
All this gloating and chest-beating by the Koreans over some game is annoying.
Geez, you’d think they’d just beaten the Russians at hockey or something.
Dibs on playing the Kurt Russel’s role when the movie comes out twenty-six years from now!
kushibo,
I get your point but allow me to nitpick for a moment. Professional athletes from a lower-level professional league defeating a team that A) is not considered the strongest team in the field and B) lost to CANADA a few days earlier hardly compares with a team of college athletes defeating what was widely considered the greatest team in the world (including teams from the NHL). Now, had the South Korean men’s basketball team beaten the Dream Team in the 1992 Olympics, then that would have been something.
I must add, however, that up to this point the celebration hasn’t been unreasonable. Check back in a couple of months (or years).
Yeosu, I would respond that I agree you are nitpicking, but I am following a self-imposed restraint on myself to post no more than one comment to each post, except for when I need to tell people I am following a self-imposed restraint on myself to post no more than one comment to each post.
One comment per post seems a bit harsh. Go easy on yourself. Make it three…
Keeping things in perspective neither sells newspapers nor feeds racial superiority complexes, so you may as well hope for Kim Jong Il to promote a free press…cause it’s about as likely to occur. You wouldn’t expect somersaults from George Will, so don’t expect perspective or objectivity from the cheerleaders that make up the Korean media.
The Korean team is playing well when it counts. To keep things in perspective, they also were blown out in 2 straight games by the Kansas City Royals and San Diego Padres in pre-tourney games, and both teams played 90% minor leaguers, many from A and AA. Korea got solid pitching and played good defense against both the US and Mexico, and good pitching beats good hitting any day of the week. Just ask the Yankees of the last 5 years. $200 mil worth of bats but couldn’t get outs when they needed them.
They also have the advantage of being largely unknown. Except for the major-leaguers, they haven’t been scouted. Korean media cheerleaders will undoubtedly extrapolate short-term success in this tournament with potential long-term success in Major League Baseball, which is absolute stupidity. Once players are scouted extensively and have a track record, teams pitch to their weaknesses and exploit them. Ask the 95% of Japanese and Korean players who were ultimately failures in the majors. The few long-term successes, like Matsui and Ichiro, don’t have holes in their swings and are successful because they’re simply great hitters and have adapted.
Choi Hee Seop is below average in the majors because he can’t hit lefties and teams know how to pitch to him to neutralize his power. 4 years in the majors, 4 different teams, and never once held a steady starting job. Lee Seung Yup could expect the same if not worse. It took him 2 years to adapt to far inferior pitching in Japan, and he’s still not even a great hitter there.
The fact is, if this Korean Dream Team played a 162-game schedule against major league teams, they would be lucky to win 30 games. And 25 of those would be pitched by Seo and Park.
I’m not even a baseball fan but first of all congrats to the Korean team on a job well done. It’s not easy to beat the US. That said, its best to not get too carried away on a superiority kick. As I remember a certian Dr. H. did just that not too long ago. It’s best to remember that on a given day or in a given week anything can happen.
Brazil can lose a soccer game.
Canada, the Swedes or Russians can lose a hockey game (ask the Swiss).
Korean women can lose an archery tournament.
The US can lose at basketball or baseball.
Hopefully the local media will keep this in mind and not erode the spirit of good sportsmanship which has been a part of this tourny.
You apparently didn’t watch the game. It was very easy to beat the US. They could have wheelchaired Kim Dae-jung to the mound and he would have shut down the US lineup for at least four innings.
“Plus, if Korea wants to make a big deal out of winning one game over the US, fine. They’ll play again in the finals. That’s right, I said it.”
Um, the pool that the U.S. and Korea are in can only send one team to the finals, so it’s highly unlikely that they’ll meet in the finals. They will, however, probably meet again in the semi-finals (unless the U.S. has another meltdown against Mexico). I’m still not sure who I’ll be rooting for in that game.
For what it’s worth, I read that if Japan defeats Korea while scoring less than seven runs, the U.S. will be eliminated from the next round before its game versus Mexico. If Korea wins or Japan scores more than seven runs, then the U.S. will advance if it beats Mexico.
Yeosu.be.there, this situation was almost the same as in the World Cup Soccer 2002. Remember Korea facing Portugal, and Korea saving the US from going home?
I think there will be more pain for American fans to come. If Korea loses to Japan, the US is eliminated and there’d be more cries of overpaid clowns. If Korea wins, Americans will have to bear more of Korean gloating about Korea saving US team’s ass. Now I don’t know which one would be worse. Take your pick.
Granted I am not expert on how the WBC decides who advances, but how can a 2-1 Japan (assuming victory against S. Korea) advance based solely on points when the 2-1 USA (assuming victory against Mexico) beat them (albeit on a cheap call) in head to head competition?
What does the diagram illustrate? US players play for money, K players play for exemption from military draft. I think the latter is a better motivation to win, don’t you think?
Nevermind before someone tells me how. In my vision I was envisioning an undefeated Korean team and a US and Japanese team tied at 2-1. That however will not ever happen. Sorry to fill the board with my thoughtless ramblings.
If by chance everything plays out for the U.S. to advance, I wonder who would be left out - Japan or Korea? Both teams (as well as the U.S.) would be 2-1.
Potential controversy brewing???
So, is anyone still complaining about the US-Japan game?
Some other fun news
http://english.yna.co.kr/Engne.....838E9.html
“South Korean Defense Minister Yoon Kwang-ung Wednesday ordered “careful consideration” of a proposal to exempt from compulsory military service the young Korean baseball players currently participating in the World Baseball Classic.”
“Kim Dae-jung to the mound and he would have shut down the US lineup for at least four innings” -Robert
He surely would. He is known to make deals with an opposing team and pay off hugh amount of money to win a prize.
His illegimate daughter can lead cheers.
“He is known to make deals with an opposing team and pay off hugh amount of money to win a prize.” Ouch. That was a good one, Baduk.
americans are just waaaaay overpaid.
that’s gonna be america’s undoing.
Nothing new here really. I think a similar thing was put out about the Marlins/Yankees in ‘03. The Rangers are another example of the same thing in the NHL - enormous payroll but they failed to even make the playoffs. Big payroll does not equal success but it always means a “good” story.
Japan-Korea, 0-0, bottom of the 6th
One of the sports papers in Korea had a headline that said “Japan is nothing” over a picture of Park Chan-ho, implying he said it. But maybe a better translation would be “Yes, We Have an Obsession and We Need Therapy.”
Bottom of the 8th - Korea 2 Japan 0
That was fun but reality looms large.
The competition is going to increase a few notches–sad to say that the U.S. is not among the better teams right now. I’m just hoping Korea’s win is the kick in the ass they need to get playing seriously.
Robert - my profound apologies. As i stated I am not a baseball fan and am quite ignorant of the game. However “It’s not easy to beat the US” is what we all a general statement, is it not? You could read about it in one of those grammar and usage books. For clarification that would mean that Korea does not, generally, beat the US. Please correct me if my general statement was wrong and Korea do, in fact, beat the US on a regular basis.
That said, I wonder why we see no comparisons of Korean vs. Cuban baseball salaries?