JAPAN
With less than a month remaining until the start of the World Baseball Classic on March 5, it’s time to break down the double-elimination opening round. First up, Pool A, being played in Tokyo. (Part four in a seven-part series)
2006 finish: Champ
Key players: OF Ichiro Suzuki, RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka, OF Kosuke Fukudome
Strengths: Experience, depth
Weakness: Bullpen
Outlook: Lacking the offensive firepower of some teams, a veteran squad led by the revered Ichiro knows this multi-week tourney is a marathon not a sprint. Expect multiple showdowns with rival South Korea.
Prediction: 2-1
CHINA
2006 finish: Eliminated in pool play
Key players: OF Fei Feng, OF Lingfeng Sun, RHP Chenhao Li
Strength: Mercy rule
Weakness: Offense
Outlook: What will be higher, the country’s population or its team’s ERA? China was outscored 60-14 in seven games at the Bejing Olympics last year.
Prediction: 0-2
SOUTH KOREA
2006 finish: Semifinals
Key players: LHP Hyunjin Ryu, 1B Seung-Yeop Lee, DH Dae Ho Lee
Strengths: Tournament savvy, bats
Weakness: Right-handed pitching
Outlook: Reigning Olympic gold medalists have best team with no major big-league presence. Will give Japan and the Western powers all they can handle, but two straight international crowns is too much to ask.
Prediction: 3-1
TAIWAN
2006 finish: Eliminated in pool play
Key players: LHP Fu-Te Ni, OF Kuo Hi Lo, OF Che-Hsuan Lin
Strength: Starting pitching
Weakness: Youth
Outlook: No Chien-Ming Wang means virtually no chance of advancing from the pool for this talented but up-and-coming green team.
Prediction: 1-2