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[Other Sport] World Baseball Classic & Major League Baseball 2023



Fignon's Ponytail

Well-known member
Jun 29, 2012
4,478
On the Beach
Blimey, I did not know that. Makes losing at Belo Horizonte in the 1950 World Cup a bit more palatable!

Just on those Brighton fixtures, are there two teams then? Brewers and Jets? If so why is that?
Basically just their A & B teams. The Brewers are the AA squad, and the Jets the Single A 🙂
 




Fignon's Ponytail

Well-known member
Jun 29, 2012
4,478
On the Beach
I'm afraid I don't follow him at all (only baseball I do take a passing interest in is the fortunes of Hiroshima Carp) but there is no way you could not know who he is here.
Is he as good as Ichiro was?
Ichiro was before my time following the game, so I dont know much about him - but Ohtani has the potential to be a superstar for a very long time. A 2 way star on the mound and with the bat - very unlucky IMO not to get the MVP award last season tbh. If Judge didn't break the HR record then Im convinced Sho would've got it.

@Mt.Fuji will probably be able to give a better perspective on it than me!
 


Brovion

In my defence, I was left unsupervised.
NSC Patron
Jul 6, 2003
19,863
Basically just their A & B teams. The Brewers are the AA squad, and the Jets the Single A 🙂
Ah, ok, thanks.

Sadly I have no real interest in baseball. I've tried, but it just didn't 'grab' me in the way the NFL did. If anyone asks me who I support I say the Seattle Mariners as I was there in 2001 when they were apparently having a really good season when usually they were pretty crap. I remember once I was in Green Lake buying a hot dog. The guy at the stand had a radio on and was intently following the game. In fact he was staring at the radio so much he wasn't really concentrating on what he was doing and squirted mustard up his arm rather than in my dog.
"What's the score?" I asked.
"Mariners are one up" he replied excitedly. Then he said something totally incomprehensible like: "Smith slam-dunked a forty yard bomb into the goal zone past the left field netminder."
Even though I had no clue what he was talking about I could tell he was a genuine fan and was really stoked by their good season. I obviously could sympathise with this, so I smiled and said "Great!" and really meant it.

Anyway, as I'm not a fan I'm going to bid this thread goodbye as I hate it when people comment on, say, England match threads saying how much they don't care.
 


MitomaFan

New member
Feb 9, 2023
5
I'm afraid I don't follow him at all (only baseball I do take a passing interest in is the fortunes of Hiroshima Carp) but there is no way you could not know who he is here.
Is he as good as Ichiro was?
Shohei is the best baseball player in the world currently, on pure talent. Ichiro was great, but not "no one in the history of baseball has ever done the things he's doing" great. Shohei doesn't have the longevity of Ichiro yet, obviously, but I think what we're seeing with Shohei is the best baseball player to have ever lived (in terms of absolute talent, not relative to his peers).
 


Klaas

I've changed this
Nov 1, 2017
2,662
Shohei is the best baseball player in the world currently, on pure talent. Ichiro was great, but not "no one in the history of baseball has ever done the things he's doing" great. Shohei doesn't have the longevity of Ichiro yet, obviously, but I think what we're seeing with Shohei is the best baseball player to have ever lived (in terms of absolute talent, not relative to his peers).
Thanks for that!
I arrived in Japan just as Ichiro arrived in the US. I found it borderline ridiculous the amount of coverage one man got, and I knew nothing of baseball. Over the years though, gained a lot of respect for Ichiro as he seemed, to my ignorant eyes, to be really very very good at what he did, and continued to do so for many, many years. Very rarely have terrestial TV on these days though so Ohtani's success mostly passes me by.
 




Billy in Bristol

Well-known member
Mar 25, 2004
1,477
Bristol
GB in a wild one against Canada live on BT Sport...sorely lacking in pitching but scoring a few when at bat.
 




Billy in Bristol

Well-known member
Mar 25, 2004
1,477
Bristol








Fignon's Ponytail

Well-known member
Jun 29, 2012
4,478
On the Beach
While its been a bit of a lesson for GB Baseball playing in their first WBC...its fantastic to see that they have now automatically qualified for the next tournament in 2026 by way of Colombia losing to the USA last night. Hopefully this will lead to more funding, and more growth in this country, for such a wonderful sport. Fingers crossed.

Anyway, hoping Japan go on and win the whole show now - absolutely love the Japanese style & attitude.

And on a different note - anyone got tickets for the London series this year? Only 100 days until we get live MLB over here!
 
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Fignon's Ponytail

Well-known member
Jun 29, 2012
4,478
On the Beach
USA v Japan in the WBC Final. Should be a fantastic game.

Japans win last night was incredible, with a walk off double snatching it from Mexico at the death. Absolute scenes.

Only about a week until the MLB opening games as well...bring on the Summer!
 




PeterT

Well-known member
Apr 21, 2017
2,307
Hove
Visiting Japan is on my bucket-list - and getting to a baseball game there is a must. Looking at the fans today in Tokyo they are still OBSESSED with the game - and the atmosphere (compared to a US ballpark) was more like a football stadium, with constant singing & chanting throughout the 9 innings.
What an amazing country to visit, & watch pro sport...whichever sport it is! ⚾⚽🇯🇵

BTW - Welcome to NSC! 🙏
I have been to Japan a few times for both work and as a tourist and watched several football matches over a number of years, and also rugby in 2019. Not been to baseball but did visit the Tokyo Dome.

I hope you get there one day - I’ve always enjoyed my visits from every aspect, hard to think of anything bad to say (except maybe the cost when I went as a backpacker 30 years ago!).
 




Mt.Fuji

Well-known member
Jan 5, 2023
237
Yesterday was a Japanese national holiday, so quite many Japanese people were watching the game of Japan v Mexico. The dramatic game excited many Japanese.
 






Fignon's Ponytail

Well-known member
Jun 29, 2012
4,478
On the Beach
As much as I love America, I was rooting for Japan (& GB of course!) the whole way through the WBC. Humble. Undefeated. Champions. Well deserved....

wbc_t800.jpg
16794554119916.jpg


...While Ive also seen plenty of moaning & excuses on social media this morning from the US fans about the result - the sense of entitlement is embarrassing sometimes.
 
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Billy in Bristol

Well-known member
Mar 25, 2004
1,477
Bristol
Ninth inning showdown between Trout and Ohtani...though I guess not the Hollywood ending the hosts desired.
 




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