Korea-Japan Match, Invisible Forces Dominate

Korean Baseball Always Blocks Japan at Crucial Moments
Japan Led by Inaba, Haunted by Lee Seung-yeop's Home Run Trauma
Ko Young-pyo vs Yamamoto Yoshinobu... Objective Strength Disadvantage
Short Tournaments, Especially Against Japan, Are Unpredictable... Exciting Matches Expected

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The national baseball team aims for a second consecutive victory at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. They must overcome Japan to achieve this. Japan is the favorite, currently on a three-game winning streak. With the tournament held on home soil, they show a strong will to win. For them, Korea is a thorn in their side. Korea has always been a stumbling block at crucial moments. This time, they want to break the bad relationship. They have gathered the best players from their domestic league and are burning with determination.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Korea has blocked Japan's Olympic path since the 2000 Sydney Games. They fought close matches every time and won. In the group stage match at the 2000 Sydney Games (7-6), with the score tied 5-5 in the 10th inning with one out and bases loaded, Hong Seong-heun’s ordinary hit bounced off the glove of Japan’s third baseman Nakamura Norihiro and went foul, becoming the winning run. Japan’s 'monster pitcher' Matsuzaka Daisuke appeared again in the bronze medal game against Korea (3-1). However, Koo Dae-sung, who had earned fame as a 'Japan killer' since his amateur days, pitched a complete game with 9 innings, 5 hits, 11 strikeouts, and 1 run allowed, forcing Japan to bow their heads again. At that time, a Japanese newspaper could not hide its frustration: "Nakamura cried. Suzuki too. Matsuzaka just hung his head... The frustration of not winning pierced the heart."

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

Korea also met Japan twice at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. In the preliminary round (5-3), Kim Kwang-hyun (St. Louis) pitched well, allowing 3 hits, 7 strikeouts, and 1 run over 5⅓ innings. The batters scored 3 runs in the 9th inning with the score tied 2-2. With two outs and runners on first and second, pinch hitter Kim Hyun-soo (LG) hit an RBI single off Iwase Hitoki, and additional runs were scored thanks to a surprise bunt by Lee Jong-wook and an error by catcher Abe Shinnosuke. In the semifinal (6-2), with the score tied 2-2 in the 8th inning and one out with a runner on first, 'national hitter' Lee Seung-yeop hit a home run off Iwase to seal the game. The energized players then defeated Cuba 3-2 in the final to win the first-ever gold medal. Meanwhile, Japan lost to the United States 4-8 in the bronze medal game and ended up without a medal.

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

For current Japan manager Inaba Atsunori, Lee Seung-yeop’s home run 13 years ago is a trauma. At that time, he was the right fielder. He had to helplessly watch the ball fly over his head and fall under the stands where the Rising Sun flag was displayed. Recently, Manager Inaba said, "I used the frustration from that time as motivation to work hard until now." Last month, he visited the grave of the late Hoshino Senichi, who was Japan’s manager at that time, to vow victory. Manager Hoshino passed away from pancreatic cancer in 2018. "It felt like he was saying, 'Do as you wish. Follow the path you believe in.' I will come back with good news."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Korea and Japan will meet again in the semifinals this time. Today (the 4th) at 7 p.m., they will play at Yokohama Stadium in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. Objectively, Japan has the advantage. Starting pitcher Yamamoto Yoshinobu (Orix) is the ace who shut down the Dominican Republic’s lineup over 6 innings, allowing 2 hits, 1 walk, 9 strikeouts, and no runs. He has recorded a 1.82 ERA in sixteen games in his domestic league this year. He freely uses a fastball in the 150 km/h range, along with a cut fastball, splitter, curveball, and forkball. The bullpen, including Daira Kaima (Seibu), Ito Hiromi (Nippon Ham), and Ono Yudai (Chunichi), also consists of top-level pitchers.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Manager Kim Kyung-moon has announced that Ko Young-pyo (kt), who has recently improved his skills, will start as pitcher. His record in fourteen KBO League games this year is 7 wins, 4 losses, and a 3.87 ERA. He is far from being a definite ace like Ryu Hyun-jin (Toronto) or Kim Kwang-hyun. The bullpen is mostly composed of rookies and lacks experience. However, in short tournaments, especially against Japan, the outcome is always unpredictable. Although often rated as the underdog, Korea has created thrilling moments and overturned the odds. Since forming a national team with professional players at the 1998 Bangkok Asian Games, Korea leads Japan 19 wins to 17 losses in head-to-head matches. Their resilience is fully demonstrated in this tournament as well. They defeated Israel 6-5 in extra innings in the first game, won the third game against the Dominican Republic 4-3 with a walk-off hit in the 9th inning, and crushed Israel again 11-1 in a cold game, boosting their morale sky-high. Japan has every reason to remain wary.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.