Baseball's WBC = World Baseball Classic concluded with the quarterfinals, with Japan, Mexico, Cuba and USA advancing to the last four.
When I asked reporters who have been covering the big leagues in the United States for many years, many of them predicted that Japan would win the championship.
John Morosi, a reporter for MLB Network, a television program run by the Major League Baseball Organization and others, said, "Japan is the most balanced team in the tournament, and I expected Japan to win from the beginning, and that hasn't changed. Japan has both power and technology, and I don't see any shortcomings. It's really fun to see a team like that."
As for Mexico, where Japan will play in the semifinals, he said, "The pitchers in the starting rotation are as good as Japan," adding, "The Dominican Republic, who were the favourites to win the championship, were eliminated, but I think it's not that they weren't doing well, it's that the world caught up with them, showing how much baseball talent there is around the world." He expressed the view that the international level has improved compared to previous tournaments.
Bob Nightingale, a reporter for USA Today, said of the Japan pitching staff, "They are full of talent, and MLB scouts have said that the Japan pitching staff in this tournament is one of the best in the WBC of all time, and that "the Japan pitchers are good enough to put anyone on the mound, even if it's not Ohtani." I think all of them are pitchers who can become aces and stars when they come to the United States, and I think Japan will win the championship," he said, praising the pitching ability of Japan, who has the highest team ERA of 1.80 on all teams so far.
And BallySports reporter Gordon Eads, who has been covering the game for more than 40 years, said, "It would be quite surprising if Japan hadn't played on March 3 Japan, when the final is held.