Final four give Baseball Classic true world appeal
SAN DIEGO (Reuters) - While the World Baseball Classic's prestige may have been dented by the shock exit of the U.S., organizers can take heart from the surge in interest in the tournament on a global level.
Interest in the inaugural 16-nation tournament is sure to be sky high on Saturday throughout Asia and the Caribbean with Japan and South Korea clashing in one semi-final and Cuba and the Dominican Republic contesting the other.
The winners will meet in Monday's final.
But what importance American baseball fans will place on this weekend's action is another question.
With the star-studded U.S. going out in the second round, the World Baseball Classic is sure to struggle for attention from Americans on a busy weekend of sports action dominated by the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
While television ratings and coverage are sure to plunge in the U.S., Major League Baseball, who organized the 16 nation tournament, will be contented by the fact that sport can now claim true global appeal.
Baseball fans are sure to find Saturday's showdown between bitter rivals Japan and South Korea a mouth-watering clash.
The South Koreans have been one of the major surprises, rampaging through the tournament with an unbeaten record of 6-0, including two emotionally charged wins over Japan.
WANING DOMINANCE
With the top professional baseball league outside of the U.S., Japan has long ruled Asia's diamonds, but that supremacy has been severely tested over the last two weeks.
"Since I was little, whenever Korea and Japan teams were having a game, nobody wanted to lose," said Korean outfielder Lee Jong-Beom.
"They had a very strong will to beat the other team. Up to now, Japan has been known to be a top team in Asia, but we work harder to beat Japan.
"I think because of that, because of our strong will, the zeal to beat the Japan team, maybe there is some hidden power that comes out when we fight against the Japan team."
Cuba, which was nearly kept out of the tournament because of U.S. government restrictions, will feel it has plenty to prove when it takes the field at Petco Park.
Along with President Fidel Castro, Cubans have developed a huge passion for baseball and produced a steady trickle of major league caliber players, who have defected from their communist country to play in the United States.
"They can play in the big league level any time," said Dominican Republic's David Ortiz. "The way they play the game is unbelievable.
"You've got a guy, the second baseman, (Yulieski) Gourriel, outstanding player, very outstanding player."
Baseball is no less of a passion in the Dominican Republic, the tiny island nation fielding a team rich in major league talent, including American League Cy Young winner Bartolo Colon of the Anaheim Angels, who is scheduled to take the mound against Cuba.
