{"id":136081,"date":"2017-03-21T02:58:08","date_gmt":"2017-03-21T06:58:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/topbet.eu\/news\/?p=136081"},"modified":"2017-03-21T02:58:08","modified_gmt":"2017-03-21T06:58:08","slug":"2017-world-baseball-classic-semifinal-usa-vs-japan-predictions-picks-odds-and-betting-preview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/topbet.eu\/news\/2017-world-baseball-classic-semifinal-usa-vs-japan-predictions-picks-odds-and-betting-preview.html","title":{"rendered":"2017 World Baseball Classic Semifinal \u2013 USA vs. Japan Predictions, Picks, Odds and Betting Preview"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"http:\/\/record.tbaffiliate.com\/_y8k7RB3Ll4xutv7iXV6HvmNd7ZgqdRLk\/22\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-119725\" src=\"http:\/\/topbet.eu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/BASEBALL-BANNERS620x110.gif\" alt=\"baseball-banners620x110\" width=\"620\" height=\"110\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>USA vs. Japan\u00a0&#8211; World Baseball Classic\u00a0Preview<\/h2>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>Where:<\/strong>\u00a0Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, CA<\/p>\n<p><strong>When:<\/strong>\u00a0Tuesday,\u00a0March 21, 2017, 9:00\u00a0PM ET<\/p>\n<p><strong>Line:<\/strong>\u00a0USA (<a href=\"http:\/\/topbet.eu\/sportsbook\/baseball\/wbc-game-lines\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>+108<\/strong><\/a>) vs. Japan (<a href=\"http:\/\/topbet.eu\/sportsbook\/baseball\/wbc-game-lines\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>-118<\/strong><\/a>); total: <a href=\"http:\/\/topbet.eu\/sportsbook\/baseball\/wbc-game-lines\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>8.0<\/strong><\/a> \u2013 <a href=\"http:\/\/topbet.eu\/sportsbook\/baseball\/wbc-game-lines\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>view all World Baseball Classic lines<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>TV Broadcast:<\/strong>\u00a0MLB Network\/ESPN Deportes<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3><strong>MLB World Series\u00a0News and Previews<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/topbet.eu\/news\/cleveland-indians-vs-minnesota-twins-predictions-picks-and-mlb-preview-august-17-2017.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Cleveland Indians vs. Minnesota Twins Preview \u2013August 17, 2017<\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/topbet.eu\/news\/tampa-bay-rays-vs-toronto-blue-jays-predictions-picks-and-mlb-preview-august-17-2017.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Tampa Bay Rays vs. Toronto Blue Jays \u2013 August 17, 2017<\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/topbet.eu\/news\/chicago-white-sox-vs-texas-rangers-predictions-picks-and-mlb-preview-august-17-2017.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Chicago White Sox vs. Texas Rangers Betting Preview \u2013 August 17, 2017<\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>Betting on USA (<a href=\"http:\/\/topbet.eu\/sportsbook\/baseball\/wbc-game-lines\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>+108<\/strong><\/a>)<\/h3>\n<p>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\u00a0WBC title dreams alive.<\/p>\n<p>The Americans would need more of that firepower to overthrow team Japan this Tuesday, although that&#8217;s actually easier said than done. Stanton and Baltimore&#8217;s Adam Jones have had their moments in the spotlight with some crucial plays, but neither of them have been truly reliable\u00a0at the plate. Only Kansas City first baseman Eric Hosmer, who&#8217;s hitting .381 and has yet to be struck out in 21 at-bats in the tournament, can be considered as the US&#8217; truly consistent performer.<\/p>\n<p>Manager Jim Leyland also has some work cut out for him in configuring his pitching\u00a0corps. Tanner Roark will get the starting nod against the Japanese, but he&#8217;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\u00a0surrendered\u00a0three runs in such a short amount of time.<\/p>\n<p>Perhaps the recent recruitment of Giants closer Mark Melancon will alleviate some of the United States&#8217;\u00a0starting rotation woes. After all, five of the team&#8217;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&#8217;s roster has some pretty glaring weaknesses that could very well be the\u00a0hometown heroes&#8217; downfall.<\/p>\n<h3>Betting on\u00a0Japan (<a href=\"http:\/\/topbet.eu\/sportsbook\/baseball\/wbc-game-lines\" target=\"_blank\">-118<\/a>)<\/h3>\n<p>Even without pitching wonder\u00a0Yu Darvish in the lineup plus a handful of other current MLB players of note, team Japan continues to wow fans\u00a0by remaining\u00a0undefeated at the WBC with a virtually unheralded roster of Nippon Professional Baseball standouts.<\/p>\n<p>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&#8217;re certainly getting\u00a0just that. The Japanese have hit 10 home runs through their six games in the tournament, with 25-year-old outfielder\u00a0Yoshimoto Tsutsugoh accounting for three of those dingers.<\/p>\n<p>As for Japan&#8217;s\u00a0pitching 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.\u00a0The 32-year-old veteran Makita, in particular, has picked up a win and two saves thus far in the tournament.<\/p>\n<p>What&#8217;s got to be concerning for the Japanese, however, is that Wednesday&#8217;s clash against the Americans will be their first game in this year&#8217;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&#8217;s AT&amp;T Park), which was also a semifinal clash at the 2013 edition of the WBC against a surging Puerto Rico squad.<\/p>\n<p>Then again, the Japanese are\u00a0no strangers at Dodger Stadium; the setting where they won their final\u00a0two games at\u00a0the 2009 installment of the tournament en route to their second-consecutive\u00a0WBC title.<\/p>\n<h3>Writer\u2019s Prediction<\/h3>\n<p>Japan (<a href=\"http:\/\/topbet.eu\/sportsbook\/baseball\/wbc-game-lines\" target=\"_blank\">-118<\/a>) beats team USA, 6-3, to advance to the WBC finals for the third time.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/record.tbaffiliate.com\/_y8k7RB3Ll4xutv7iXV6HvmNd7ZgqdRLk\/6\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"broken_link\" rel=\"nofollow\">Create a betting account now<\/a>\u00a0to start placing stakes on the World Baseball Classic&#8217;s last few games\u00a0before the much-awaited MLB regular season goes into full swing!<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/record.tbaffiliate.com\/_y8k7RB3Ll4xutv7iXV6HvmNd7ZgqdRLk\/22\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-119725\" src=\"http:\/\/topbet.eu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/BASEBALL-BANNERS620x110.gif\" alt=\"baseball-banners620x110\" width=\"620\" height=\"110\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>\n<p class=\"pvc_stats all \" data-element-id=\"136081\" style=\"\"><i class=\"pvc-stats-icon medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" data-prefix=\"far\" data-icon=\"chart-bar\" role=\"img\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\" class=\"svg-inline--fa fa-chart-bar fa-w-16 fa-2x\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M396.8 352h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 12.8-12.8V108.8c0-6.4-6.4-12.8-12.8-12.8h-22.4c-6.4 0-12.8 6.4-12.8 12.8v230.4c0 6.4 6.4 12.8 12.8 12.8zm-192 0h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 12.8-12.8V140.8c0-6.4-6.4-12.8-12.8-12.8h-22.4c-6.4 0-12.8 6.4-12.8 12.8v198.4c0 6.4 6.4 12.8 12.8 12.8zm96 0h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 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focusable=\"false\" data-prefix=\"far\" data-icon=\"chart-bar\" role=\"img\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\" class=\"svg-inline--fa fa-chart-bar fa-w-16 fa-2x\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M396.8 352h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 12.8-12.8V108.8c0-6.4-6.4-12.8-12.8-12.8h-22.4c-6.4 0-12.8 6.4-12.8 12.8v230.4c0 6.4 6.4 12.8 12.8 12.8zm-192 0h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 12.8-12.8V140.8c0-6.4-6.4-12.8-12.8-12.8h-22.4c-6.4 0-12.8 6.4-12.8 12.8v198.4c0 6.4 6.4 12.8 12.8 12.8zm96 0h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 12.8-12.8V204.8c0-6.4-6.4-12.8-12.8-12.8h-22.4c-6.4 0-12.8 6.4-12.8 12.8v134.4c0 6.4 6.4 12.8 12.8 12.8zM496 400H48V80c0-8.84-7.16-16-16-16H16C7.16 64 0 71.16 0 80v336c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h464c8.84 0 16-7.16 16-16v-16c0-8.84-7.16-16-16-16zm-387.2-48h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 12.8-12.8v-70.4c0-6.4-6.4-12.8-12.8-12.8h-22.4c-6.4 0-12.8 6.4-12.8 12.8v70.4c0 6.4 6.4 12.8 12.8 12.8z\" class=\"\"><\/path><\/svg><\/i> &nbsp;5,459&nbsp;total views, &nbsp;1&nbsp;views today<\/p>\n<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":136162,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[393,44],"tags":[22976,107,15586,1530,1108,17053,4465,22977,22978,22979],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v16.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>USA vs Japan World Baseball Classic Predictions and Preview<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Predictions, picks and preview for the USA vs Japan World Baseball Classic semifinal matchup, courtesy of TopBet online sportsbook.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"http:\/\/topbet.eu\/news\/2017-world-baseball-classic-semifinal-usa-vs-japan-predictions-picks-odds-and-betting-preview.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta 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