TOKYO, Nov. 27 (AP) - (Kyodo)—Japanese players will face the first test to prove their mettle since winning the World Baseball Classic in March 2006 as Senichi Hoshino's men enter the Asian-zone qualifying tournament that started Tuesday for only one ticket to next year's Beijing Olympic Games.
Japan manager Hoshino boasts a strong pitching staff, led by Nippon Ham Fighters sensation Yu Darvish, the probable starter against South Korea, arguably Japan's biggest competitor in the Dec. 1-3 final round of the qualifiers in Taiwan.
Darvish struck out eight in four innings in the second of a two-game exhibition series against Australia last Friday, but it was a somewhat sub-par performance, controlwise, considering he won Pacific League MVP honors.
The 21-year-old right-hander gave up a run in the first inning on two doubles and admitted after allowing four hits and three walks with a hit batter that he struggled with his control.
Hoshino, however, is not worried about his ace pitcher.
"He (Darvish) said he wasn't comfortable with the rosin bag -- which was different from the commonly used ones, but he is a pitcher who knows how to win. He indeed passed the baton to the next pitcher without giving up any other runs," Hoshino said. "I'm sure he'll be ready for the tournament."
Darvish had a 15-5 record with a 1.820 ERA in 26 starts this past season. He led the league with 210 strikeouts and 12 complete games.
Japan will take on the preliminary round winner, South Korea and host Taiwan, respectively, in round-robin play.
The preliminary round held for three days through Thursday features Thailand, the Philippines, Hong Kong and Pakistan. China has earned an automatic berth as the Olympic host.
Lotte Marines left-hander Yoshihisa Naruse, Seibu Lions right-hander Hideaki Wakui and Chunichi Dragons right-hander Kenshin Kawakami are among the candidates to fill up the remaining two starter spots.
Naruse had a breakout season in 2007, leading the PL with a 1.817 ERA and a .941 winning percentage (16-1). Wakui became the PL winningest pitcher with a 17-10 record.
Kawakami has made his case by allowing only one hit in four dominant innings in the first game against Australia.
The bullpen is also filled with talent. Chunichi's Hitoki Iwase, Koji Uehara of the Yomiuri Giants and Kyuji Fujikawa of the Hanshin Tigers, the closers of their respective clubs, are set to handle late-inning duties.
Hiroyuki Kobayashi (Lotte), Shunsuke Watanabe (Lotte), Hisanori Takahashi (Yomiuri), key starting pitchers in the regular season, will likely be middle relievers as Hoshino says he has chosen players who will do anything for the national team.
"Ten (Japanese) guys pitched the last two nights. I think any of them could pitch in the big leagues," Australian manager Jon Deeble said after his players managed just one run in two games.
Deeble expected Japan to finish the upcoming tournament "undefeated easily," while saying, "I didn't think they had a lot of power on the team. They are more of a running, quick ballclub. It's hard to defend Kawasaki, Aoki and Araki."
Yakult Swallows outfielder Norichika Aoki won his second Central League batting title this year with a .346 average and will likely be batting third.
Chunichi second baseman Masahiro Araki, the CL stolen base leader with 31 this year, or Lotte's Tsuyoshi Nishioka is expected to hit in the leadoff spot, followed by a player such as Chunichi's Hirokazu Ibata.
Takahiro Arai, the 2005 CL home run leader who has agreed to join Hanshin as a free agent from the Hiroshima Carp, was in the cleanup spot in the series against Australia.
"I know that reporters call us 'small baseball' because our players have got speed, but everyone's got a big heart and they are great players, not small at all," Hoshino said.
In the 2006 WBC, South Korea beat Japan twice before losing to Sadaharu Oh's team featuring two major leaguers, Ichiro Suzuki and Akinori Otsuka, in the semifinals in their third encounter.
South Korea even defeated the United States 7-3 in a second-round game and was the only team that had a perfect 6-0 record in the first two rounds.
South Korea has many speedy players like Japan, while outfielder Lee Byung Kyu (Chunichi), Doosan Bears third baseman Kim Dong Joo and 2006 Triple Crown winner Lee Dae Ho of the Lotte Giants are projected to bat in the heart of the order without WBC home run leader Lee Seung Yeop (Yomiuri), who has pulled out with a finger injury.
Hanwha Eagles left-hander Ryu Hyun Jin, who won 18 and 17 games in his first seasons, is widely expected to start against Japan.
"Ryu is more of a power pitcher although he doesn't have great control," New York Mets scout Isao Ojimi said during his visit to the Japan-Australia exhibition series.
"It must be hard for Japanese hitters since they face him for the first time. I expect a close game between Japan and South Korea, probably within two runs by each side, because of great pitching," Ojimi said.
Ryu Jae Kuk, the right-hander who went 1-2 with a 7.33 ERA in 17 relief appearances for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 2007, his second major league season, will likely be another key starter.
Park Chan Ho, the first Korean major leaguer with a 113-88 career record in the big leagues, serves as captain. Samsung Lions right- hander Oh Seung Hwan, who earned a total of 87 saves the last two seasons, is expected to assume the closer role.
Taiwan, skippered by former Seibu pitcher Kuo Tai-yuan, features powerful hitters such as three-time batting champion Peng Cheng-min (Brother Elephants), former Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder and 2007 batting leader Chen Chin-feng (La New Bears) and Chang Tai-shan (Sinon Bulls).
Uni-President Lions right-hander Pan Wei-lun, who went 16-2 with a 2.26 ERA in 21 games this year, is one of Taiwan's starter candidates, along with Lin En-yu (Rakuten Eagles), Lin Ying-chieh (Rakuten) and Hsu Ming-chieh (Seibu), who all had limited appearances in Japanese baseball in 2007.
Japan manager Hoshino boasts a strong pitching staff, led by Nippon Ham Fighters sensation Yu Darvish, the probable starter against South Korea, arguably Japan's biggest competitor in the Dec. 1-3 final round of the qualifiers in Taiwan.
Darvish struck out eight in four innings in the second of a two-game exhibition series against Australia last Friday, but it was a somewhat sub-par performance, controlwise, considering he won Pacific League MVP honors.
The 21-year-old right-hander gave up a run in the first inning on two doubles and admitted after allowing four hits and three walks with a hit batter that he struggled with his control.
Hoshino, however, is not worried about his ace pitcher.
"He (Darvish) said he wasn't comfortable with the rosin bag -- which was different from the commonly used ones, but he is a pitcher who knows how to win. He indeed passed the baton to the next pitcher without giving up any other runs," Hoshino said. "I'm sure he'll be ready for the tournament."
Darvish had a 15-5 record with a 1.820 ERA in 26 starts this past season. He led the league with 210 strikeouts and 12 complete games.
Japan will take on the preliminary round winner, South Korea and host Taiwan, respectively, in round-robin play.
The preliminary round held for three days through Thursday features Thailand, the Philippines, Hong Kong and Pakistan. China has earned an automatic berth as the Olympic host.
Lotte Marines left-hander Yoshihisa Naruse, Seibu Lions right-hander Hideaki Wakui and Chunichi Dragons right-hander Kenshin Kawakami are among the candidates to fill up the remaining two starter spots.
Naruse had a breakout season in 2007, leading the PL with a 1.817 ERA and a .941 winning percentage (16-1). Wakui became the PL winningest pitcher with a 17-10 record.
Kawakami has made his case by allowing only one hit in four dominant innings in the first game against Australia.
The bullpen is also filled with talent. Chunichi's Hitoki Iwase, Koji Uehara of the Yomiuri Giants and Kyuji Fujikawa of the Hanshin Tigers, the closers of their respective clubs, are set to handle late-inning duties.
Hiroyuki Kobayashi (Lotte), Shunsuke Watanabe (Lotte), Hisanori Takahashi (Yomiuri), key starting pitchers in the regular season, will likely be middle relievers as Hoshino says he has chosen players who will do anything for the national team.
"Ten (Japanese) guys pitched the last two nights. I think any of them could pitch in the big leagues," Australian manager Jon Deeble said after his players managed just one run in two games.
Deeble expected Japan to finish the upcoming tournament "undefeated easily," while saying, "I didn't think they had a lot of power on the team. They are more of a running, quick ballclub. It's hard to defend Kawasaki, Aoki and Araki."
Yakult Swallows outfielder Norichika Aoki won his second Central League batting title this year with a .346 average and will likely be batting third.
Chunichi second baseman Masahiro Araki, the CL stolen base leader with 31 this year, or Lotte's Tsuyoshi Nishioka is expected to hit in the leadoff spot, followed by a player such as Chunichi's Hirokazu Ibata.
Takahiro Arai, the 2005 CL home run leader who has agreed to join Hanshin as a free agent from the Hiroshima Carp, was in the cleanup spot in the series against Australia.
"I know that reporters call us 'small baseball' because our players have got speed, but everyone's got a big heart and they are great players, not small at all," Hoshino said.
In the 2006 WBC, South Korea beat Japan twice before losing to Sadaharu Oh's team featuring two major leaguers, Ichiro Suzuki and Akinori Otsuka, in the semifinals in their third encounter.
South Korea even defeated the United States 7-3 in a second-round game and was the only team that had a perfect 6-0 record in the first two rounds.
South Korea has many speedy players like Japan, while outfielder Lee Byung Kyu (Chunichi), Doosan Bears third baseman Kim Dong Joo and 2006 Triple Crown winner Lee Dae Ho of the Lotte Giants are projected to bat in the heart of the order without WBC home run leader Lee Seung Yeop (Yomiuri), who has pulled out with a finger injury.
Hanwha Eagles left-hander Ryu Hyun Jin, who won 18 and 17 games in his first seasons, is widely expected to start against Japan.
"Ryu is more of a power pitcher although he doesn't have great control," New York Mets scout Isao Ojimi said during his visit to the Japan-Australia exhibition series.
"It must be hard for Japanese hitters since they face him for the first time. I expect a close game between Japan and South Korea, probably within two runs by each side, because of great pitching," Ojimi said.
Ryu Jae Kuk, the right-hander who went 1-2 with a 7.33 ERA in 17 relief appearances for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 2007, his second major league season, will likely be another key starter.
Park Chan Ho, the first Korean major leaguer with a 113-88 career record in the big leagues, serves as captain. Samsung Lions right- hander Oh Seung Hwan, who earned a total of 87 saves the last two seasons, is expected to assume the closer role.
Taiwan, skippered by former Seibu pitcher Kuo Tai-yuan, features powerful hitters such as three-time batting champion Peng Cheng-min (Brother Elephants), former Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder and 2007 batting leader Chen Chin-feng (La New Bears) and Chang Tai-shan (Sinon Bulls).
Uni-President Lions right-hander Pan Wei-lun, who went 16-2 with a 2.26 ERA in 21 games this year, is one of Taiwan's starter candidates, along with Lin En-yu (Rakuten Eagles), Lin Ying-chieh (Rakuten) and Hsu Ming-chieh (Seibu), who all had limited appearances in Japanese baseball in 2007.
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