For just the second time in four tries, team USA is back in the semifinal round of the World Baseball Classic. The team defeated defending champion the Dominican Republic in the final game of second-round play, 6-3, behind a key two-run homer in the fourth inning from Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton to keep its WBC title dreams alive.
The Americans would need more of that firepower to overthrow team Japan this Tuesday, although that’s actually easier said than done. Stanton and Baltimore’s Adam Jones have had their moments in the spotlight with some crucial plays, but neither of them have been truly reliable at the plate. Only Kansas City first baseman Eric Hosmer, who’s hitting .381 and has yet to be struck out in 21 at-bats in the tournament, can be considered as the US’ truly consistent performer.
Manager Jim Leyland also has some work cut out for him in configuring his pitching corps. Tanner Roark will get the starting nod against the Japanese, but he’s far from the ace that the Americans need to advance to their first-ever WBC final. In just 1.1 innings of work during the first-round match against the Dominican Republic, Roark surrendered three runs in such a short amount of time.
Perhaps the recent recruitment of Giants closer Mark Melancon will alleviate some of the United States’ starting rotation woes. After all, five of the team’s six games played in the tournament have been decided by three runs or fewer. And even though the Americans won their only meeting against Japan at the WBC in 2006 (4-3), this year’s roster has some pretty glaring weaknesses that could very well be the hometown heroes’ downfall.
Even without pitching wonder Yu Darvish in the lineup plus a handful of other current MLB players of note, team Japan continues to wow fans by remaining undefeated at the WBC with a virtually unheralded roster of Nippon Professional Baseball standouts.
All that manager Hiroki Kukubo and his boys need is some fantastic team play on both sides of the ball to win their third WBC title, and they’re certainly getting just that. The Japanese have hit 10 home runs through their six games in the tournament, with 25-year-old outfielder Yoshimoto Tsutsugoh accounting for three of those dingers.
As for Japan’s pitching staff, a mixture of solid outings from the likes of Kazuhisa Makita, Ryo Akiyoshi and Yoshihisa Hirano have gotten the team this far with nary a meltdown. The 32-year-old veteran Makita, in particular, has picked up a win and two saves thus far in the tournament.
What’s got to be concerning for the Japanese, however, is that Wednesday’s clash against the Americans will be their first game in this year’s tournament played on US soil, as all six of their previous contests were held in the friendly confines of Tokyo Dome. They lost they last time they played in an American ballpark (San Francisco’s AT&T Park), which was also a semifinal clash at the 2013 edition of the WBC against a surging Puerto Rico squad.
Then again, the Japanese are no strangers at Dodger Stadium; the setting where they won their final two games at the 2009 installment of the tournament en route to their second-consecutive WBC title.
Writer’s Prediction
Japan (-118) beats team USA, 6-3, to advance to the WBC finals for the third time.
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