I know Japan didn't send their version of Nick Martinez (competing for #5 spot in SD rotation) or Merrill Kelly (34 year old declining player who is at best the #2 starter in a shitty Dbacks rotation) to start a game.Originally Posted by notin
I know Japan didn't send their version of Nick Martinez (competing for #5 spot in SD rotation) or Merrill Kelly (34 year old declining player who is at best the #2 starter in a shitty Dbacks rotation) to start a game.
Last edited by bkzwhitestrican; 03-23-2023 at 01:41 PM.
Then you know your Japanese players better than I do…
I don't know what Japan assumes, but do know that their tournament MVP -- the guy they sent out there to win it all, in the end -- is often called the best player in the world.
... but maybe that's just assumed by players, coaches, fans and media in the United States.
They sent Ohtani and Darvish (the two best Japanese pitchers in the MLB), Sasaki (21 year old phenom who throws 102, almost threw 2 consecutive perfect games last season, 2.02 ERA/0.79 WHIP/12.0 Ks per 9), and Yamamoto (24 year old ace who won 2021 NBP MVP, 1.95 career ERA).
The US sent Lance Lynn (35 years old, 3.99 ERA last season, probably the 5th best US pitcher on his OWN team [behind Cease/Giolito/Clevinger/Kopech), Nick Martinez (32 years old, career 4.50 ERA, swingman who might not even win a rotation spot this season), Adam Wainwright (40 years old - actually ok having him on the roster for his leadership, but not as our #1 starter), and Merrill Kelly (34 years old, career 3.96 ERA, probably a #3 or 4 starter on most MLB teams that aren't the Dbacks).
The difference in quality is evident, at least on the starting pitching side. The US sent their old dogs to play while Japan sent their top players who are in their prime. The equivalent for the US would've been sending a rotation along the lines of Burnes/Cole/Fried/Gallen. Hopefully next WBC our top starters will be more inclined to play.
You're obviously right, and good job documenting it.
But I wouldn't expect to see much change in the next WBC just because the US lost 3-2 in the deciding game.
The other countries do want it a little more, there's no question.
But the US did win the last one and came very close to winning this one.
Championships since purchase by John Henry group: Red Sox 4 Yankees 1
The Red Sox are 8-1 in their last 9 postseason games against the Yankees.
Pretty telling- how we came so close with our 20th string pitching staff.
When you say it's gonna happen now
When exactly do you mean?
Incorrect, unless you think Devin Williams and Ryan Pressley would fall that far. The strategy utilized by USA was to string together short starts and just run a bullpen train. That strategy worked whenever they didn't put Daniel Bard on the mound.
Also, here's Merrill Kelly's stats from last season:
200 IP
1.14 WHIP
177 K
3.37 ERA
Seems like he's a pretty good pitcher. He had about the same fWAR as Shane McClanahan, Joe Musgrove, Julio Urias and Gerritt Cole last season.
Ok, 20th string was an exaggeration.
When you say it's gonna happen now
When exactly do you mean?
I don't think you'll ever see that, much like how we rarely send our best players to Team USA for the Olympics in basketball.
It's probably true that players from other countries view the WBC not only as national pride, but also as an opportunity to showcase themselves to MLB. Pete Moylan, for example, received a spring training invite based on his performance in the WBC for the Australian team. (He wasn't a total unknown at the time, as he had been part of the Twins farm system. But he failed to capitalize on that chance.)
USA players just won't ever need that opportunity...
Team USA also had a decent amount of pitchers who played in Asian professional leagues, including not onlyKelly, but also Miles Mikolas and Nick Martinez. Not sure if they were the best available or their international competition experience figured to be useful or both...
40's, why?
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