BRONZE MEDAL:   Japan versus Mexico (Saturday 21 November, 1.00 PM local, 3.00 PM AEDST)    WATCH LIVE

 

GOLD MEDAL:   United States versus South Korea (Saturday 21 November, 7.00 PM, 9.00 PM AEDST)  WATCH LIVE

 

 

Just four nations remain in contention as the inaugural Premier 12 tournament moves to Japan for semi-finals to be played at Tokyo Dome on Thursday and Friday, followed by medals rounds on Saturday.

 

World number one-ranked Japan will meet South Korea and Mexico will lock horns with United States for the right to play off for the prestigious Premier 12 championship title and for a share of almost four million dollars in prize money that is on offer.

 

Alumni personnel at the Premier 12 tournament offer some insights into team prospects. 

 

Australian Baseball Alumni

Taiwan, 16 November 2015

 

The baseball has been outstanding right throughout the tournament. We are all done for games in Taiwan now, with a rest day before travelling to Tokyo for the finals. Everyone here is really looking forward to Tokyo Dome and of course to the four games to come.

 

The quarter finals were all hard-fought affairs, although United States and Japan got away later in their games (against Netherlands and Puerto Rico) and South Korea led Cuba throughout after a big second innings. Mexico edged out Canada to make the final four.

 

Semi Final:   UNITED STATES versus MEXICO

 

Mexico went two and three in the Round Robin and beat previously undefeated Canada 4-3 in the quarter final – probably the biggest upset of the tournament.

 

Mexico was thumped 10-0 by United States in the round robin – their worst loss – but they should not be underestimated. They have played pretty well with baseball fortunes against them. They had a disorganised and interrupted preparation and did not train together at all prior to the start of the tournament. There is a real sense of belief amongst this team led by Mike Brito (pictured below). Dubbed The Man with the Golden Eye, Brito has worked as a scout for the Dodgers for over forty years. He signed Fernando Valenzuela – who he taught the screw ball - and more recently Yasiel Puig. He has signed twenty-seven players who have reached the Majors.

 

Brito is perhaps best known by Dodgers fans for his Panama hat and he was frequently seen on televised Dodgers games holding a radar gun behind home plate.

 

United States (3-2 in round robin play) beat the Netherlands 6-1 in the quarter finals. Led by Willie Randolph (also below) they are in this with a chance heading to Tokyo with wins over Dominican Republic 11-5, Mexico 10-0 and Korea 3-2 in ten innings. They are a young team with no MLB 40-man roster guys available, so a lot will ride on the arm of Zeke Spruill (the likely semi-final starter) and the big bats of Dan Black and Brett Eibner. United States have some speed and their defence is average but they are definitely in with a shot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Semi-Final:     JAPAN versus SOUTH KOREA

 

Japan (5-0 in round robin) defeated Puerto Rico 9-3 in the quarters. They have been the best team in this tournament and should win the whole thing.

 

Led by Hiroki Kokubo (pictured below) the efficiency of the Japan team is relentless. Flame thrower Shohei Otani has been announced as starting against Korea in Tokyo and he will certainly feel confident after opening the tournament with a 5-0 win over Korea in Sapporo.

 

Leading hitter of the tournament Sho Nakata (first base) will lead the offence along with Nobuhiro Matsuda (third base). Nakata is hitting .435 for the tournament, with ten hits and two home runs for an incredible thirteen RBIs. The Japan team hits from one to nine and all of their pitchers are capable of throwing mid to high nineties. They will be very tough to beat.

 

South Korea (3-2 after round robin) beat Cuba 7-2 in the quarters and are led by In-Sik Kim (below). After the 5-0 loss to Japan in Sapporo, they came to Taiwan and thumped Dominican Republic 10-1 and Venezuela 13-2 in seven innings to stamp real authority on the tournament.

 

A tight win over Mexico 4-3 and a tough loss to the United States in extras suggests that they have the game to go all the way – although their starting pitching will be the key. With an opposition batting average of .251, South Korea has struck out more hitters than any other team (fifty-two). They have scored twenty-nine runs to Japan thirty-one and both teams have twenty-five walks through the round robin stage.

 

The numbers are similar, but most people feel the edge is with Japan. But with this style of tournament – one sudden death semi-final to make the championship game - you just never know.

 

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