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Japan emerges as early favorite in baseball World Cup

While the US Major League would not release players on 40-man rosters to play in the Baseball World Cup, the Japanese professional leagues had no such qualms.

Japan has stocked its World Cup roster with 14 players from the Pacific and Central professional leagues, making the team a solid favorite for the tournament.

The remainder of Japan's team is composed of promising amateur players, including high school phenomenon Hayato Terahara, whose 97mph fastball has reportedly drawn interest from Major League teams.

The professionals are led by pitcher Shugo Fujii, who achieved most wins in the Central League this season, going 14-7, 2.91 for the Yakult Swallows. He was named to the post-season Central League All-star team.

Shugo started Game 2 of the Japan Series two weeks ago, getting a no decision in five innings of work.

His Yakult team went on to defeat the Kintetsu Buffaloes in five games to win the series.

The only other player on the World Cup roster who played in the Japan Series is Buffalo rookie outfielder Takano Fumitoshi.

Other notables in Japan's team include pitcher Kato Kosuke of the Lotte Marines, who was runner up this season for Pacific League Rookie of the Year, going 6-3 with a 3.94 ERA.

Another player that enjoyed an outstanding rookie season was outfielder Katsuragi Ikuoru of the Orix Blue Wave, batting .268 with 14 home runs and 53 RBIs.

Only catcher Abe Shinnosuke of the Yomiuri Giants remains from last year's Japan Olympic team that finished a disappointing fourth in Sydney.

Abe was runner-up this season for Central League Rookie of the Year.

Another Yomiuri player on the World Cup squad is Giants outfielder Yoshinobu Takahashi, who hit .302-27-85 this season.

Japan's manager Goto Toshihiko said that the character of the Japan team has changed from last year.

"This team is younger than the Sydney team and we are faster on the base paths," he said.

"We have our weaknesses, but I will leave it to the other teams to find out what they are during the games."

Goto did, however, admit that the pitchers were mostly starters. "We need to mix them up over the first few games in order to work out their roles."
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