Though it no longer hosts Grapefruit League contests, beginning on Feb. 21 and continuing through March 13, the stadium will host a 13-game spring series that will include some of the world’s best baseball teams paired against some of America’s Major League Baseball franchises and college squads.

St. Petersburg’s first season of International Baseball will feature three international teams – national squads from Canada and The Netherlands, along with the Seoul Nexen Heroes of South Korea (the No. 2 finisher in the 2009 World Baseball Classic).

The teams will play each other as well as the Rays, Blue Jays and Phillies, and college teams including Penn State and St. Petersburg College.

Games will be held at Al Lang starting at noon, 1, 2 or 7 p.m., with full schedule ticket plans available.

The schedule is as follows:
Monday, Feb. 21 – noon: Penn State vs. Nexen Heroes
Thursday, Feb. 24 – 7 p.m.: Seoul Nexen Heroes vs. USA (St. Petersburg College)
Saturday, Feb. 26 – 2 p.m.: Canada vs. Seoul Nexen Heroes
Sunday, Feb. 27 – 1 p.m.: Beach State vs. Canada
Monday, Feb. 28 – 1 p.m.: Seoul Nexen Heroes vs. Canada
Tuesday, March 1 – 1 p.m.: Seoul Nexen Heroes vs. Netherlands
Tuesday, March 1 – 7 p.m.: Canada vs. USA (St. Petersburg College)
Thursday, March 3 – 7 p.m.: Netherlands vs. Seoul Nexen Heroes
Friday, March 4 – 1 p.m.: Toronto Blue Jays vs. Canada
Saturday, March 5 – 7 p.m.: Netherlands vs. Canada
Wednesday, March 9 – 1 p.m.: Tampa Bay Rays vs. Netherlands
Friday, March 11 – 7 p.m.: Netherlands vs. USA (St. Petersburg College)
Sunday, March 13 – 1 p.m.: Philadelphia Phillies vs. Netherlands

According to the city, St. Petersburg International Baseball is an international baseball program created by Mayor Bill Foster that will include a spring league, and both a summer and fall series, all playing and practicing in St. Petersburg’s spring training facilities.

“I envision St. Petersburg as an international baseball city,” said Foster in a statement. “We already enjoy an expanding international visitor base. This baseball series will add a unique new dimension to our tourism activities, give our residents an opportunity to enjoy international ball, and bring baseball back to Al Lang Stadium.”

“Baseball is a global game, with professional baseball located in many different places.  Asia is one of our strongest regions, and we look forward to forging long term relationships in conjunction with our relationship with MLB to develop our mutually beneficial strategic goals,” said Fraccari on arriving back in Italy.

The whirlwind journey involved an engagement with Korean Baseball Organization (KBO) Commissioner You, Young-goo, followed by meetings and discussions with Chinese Professional Baseball League Commissioner Chao, Shou-po in Chinese Taipei. The final leg of the hectic Asian schedule involved meetings with Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) Commissioner Ryozo Kato in Okinawa.

“We agreed to keep in touch to discuss further. It is good to expand baseball horizons together; we discussed matters frankly,” Commissioner Kato said.

After the meetings with Asian Professional baseball, Fraccari flew to New York for meetings with MLB’s brass including MLB President, Bob DuPay, Executive Vice President Tim Brosnan and Senior Vice President Paul Archey.

“The meeting with MLB was positive, and I feel that international baseball is entering a unique stage with exciting opportunities,” said Fraccari.

Fraccari also made a stop in Hong Kong for the opening day of a women’s baseball tournament, The Phoenix Cup, which is one of the premier events in Women’s baseball.

The meetings are a prelude to Fraccari’s first meeting of his executive, which will come together in Rome on the 20th of February 2010.

The schedule will begin with the Korean Series Baseball Championship League Series on Oct. 15 when DIRECTV launches MBC Every1, a channel dedicated to Korean sports and entertainment.

The Korean baseball league season has been an exciting one, with the Kia Tigers, a former league power, ending a 12-year drought and qualifying for the Series by winning the Korea Baseball Association league pennant.  The SK Wyverns and the Doosan Bears, whose rivalry has been compared to that of the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox, square off on Tuesday in a winner-take-all fifth game in the second round of the playoffs for a spot in the Series.

The Championship Series will feature a best-of-seven format and is expected to attract a large audience of both sports fans and baseball fans.

“With our exclusive launch of MBC Every1, DIRECTV opens a new era of live broadcast of inland sports for Korean Americans,” said John de Armas, vice president, WorldDirect, Inc. “Since there has been no TV service in the U.S. that delivers live broadcast of Korea’s professional baseball games, this live broadcast has significant meaning to Korean Americans. We are thrilled to provide quality Korean inland content to our Korean customers in the U.S. and offer this exciting baseball series for the first time.”

MBC Every1, which is known for its comedy, drama and original programming, including “The Moohan Girls,” the most popular cable program in Korea. The channel will also carry StarCraft professional gamers’ battles, unique variety shows and dramas such as “BSG Police,” as well as live broadcasts of 2009 and 2010 Korean professional baseball and basketball league games. Customers will be able to watch MBC Every1 on DIRECTV Channel 2085 when it launches on October 14.

DIRECTV – MBC Every1 (Ch. 2085)
Korean Series Championship Live Broadcasting Schedule
all times PT
10/15 (Thu), 2 a.m.
10/16 (Fri), 2 a.m.
10/17 (Sat), 10 p.m.
10/19 (Mon), 2 a.m.
10/21 (Wed), 2 a.m.
10/22 (Thu), 2 a.m.
10/23 (Fri), 2 a.m.

Numerous foreign-born players are making their mark on the NCAA landscape.  One is Shohei Fujita, from Kitakyushu-shi, Japan, who attends Troy University in Alabama.  Troy has more than 60 campuses around the U.S. and in 11 foreign countries, which has led to a large international student body on its main campus.

In the fall of 2006, Troy’s baseball coaches got a call from a student from Japan who had been to some games as a freshman during the 2006 season. He asked, through an interpreter, if it would be possible to try out for the team.

Knowing how large the international scope of the University is, they agreed and sent volunteer assistant coach Mike Murphree out to the field to hit the guy some ground balls and let him take some swings in the cage.

Murphree had only been at the field for about 10 minutes when Head Coach Bobby Pierce received a call on his cell phone. It was Murphree, telling Coach Pierce that he had better get out to the field.

Even though he was raw, the coaches could see that the kid had some ability. They let him come out to practice through the fall and he made the team. By the start of the 2007 season, when Troy opened against nationally-ranked Arkansas, Fujita was the starting shortstop.

Now a junior, Fujita has played in more than 100 games so far in his career. His highlights include a bases loaded single in the 10th inning to beat Alabama in 2008 and a game-winning hit against Saint Louis in 2007. He was the opening day starter at short again this year and is a regular contributor.

In addition to his play, he has been somewhat of an ambassador for Troy.  He is on a University billboard with three other students that can be found all over the state and the South and he joined Chancellor, Dr. Jack Hawkins, Jr., in Dothan, Ala., last year to meet the president of the Sony Corporation, who was in town at one of their facilities and was being recognized by a local civic group.

Shohei is also a fan favorite and always draws a huge reaction from the students, especially the host of international students, who can be found at virtually every Troy home game.

Some others having an impact on their respective squads include:

• Kosuke Hattori, Kanagawa, Japan, Minnesota State Univ.-Mankato – Originally a walk-on who didn’t even make the team on his first tryout, Hattori showed he belonged in his second try, finishing third on the team in batting average with a .350 clip and pacing the squad in walks (35), on base percentage (.493) and stolen bases (31), falling just one short of tying the program’s all-time single season record.  Hattori followed up a strong 2008 with an even better 2009 campaign, hitting .356 and helping the NCAA Division II Mavericks to a 38-15 record.  “From day one had impressed us with his fundamentals and passion for the game,” said Head Coach Matt Magers.  “He is on pace to rank in the top five of many of our categories by the time he leaves the program.”

• Jonathan Balentina,Willemstad, Curacao; Matt Jebb, Toronto, Ontario; Carson Pillar, Mississauga, Ontario, Univ. of Maine – Balentina (3-0, 3.88 in 48 2/3 innings) and Jebb (7-3, 4.38 in a team-high 12 starts) have been two of the Black Bears‘ most reliable pitchers in 2009. Additionally, Curt Smith, a 2008 UM graduate, was named the America East Player of the Year last season and competed for the Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic.

• Juan Alejandro Herrera, Santiago, Dominican Republic, Norfolk State Univ. – The sophomore infielder is hitting .304 with 3 home runs and 19 RBI for the Spartans as the first player from the D.R. at NSU. He arrived at Norfolk on the heels of the school’s first-ever Canadian player, Lyall Foran, an All-MEAC catcher who finished up in spring of 2007 and is now a student assistant/manager.

• Chris Kimpton, Canberra, Australia, Concordia University St. Paul – The righthander had a fine senior season for the Division II Golden Bears, compiling a 5-5 record and team-best 3.29 ERA in 12 appearances, including 10 starts.  Chris has an older brother, Nick, who played a few years in the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim organization and this season spent some time with the Australian team in the World Baseball Classic.

• Kevin Atkinson, Surrey, B.C., Canada; John Hesketh, Langley, B.C., Canada; Will Kerr, Vancouver, B.C., Canada; Rafael Neda, Obregon, Sonora, Mexico; Adam Courcha, Perth, Australia, University of New Mexico – Atkinson is hitting an even .400 while starting 51 of the Lobos’ 52 games.  Hesketh is the team’s best starter, posting a 5-3 record with a 3.26 ERA in a team-high 13 starts.  Kerr is 1-0, 6.09 in 34 innings in 23 games, including two starts.  Neda is hitting .404 with 7 HR and 44 RBI in 50 games, and Courcha is at .347, 2, 20 in 98 at bats.

• Cory Hill, Abbotsford, B.C., Canada; Sebastien Vendette, Laval, Quebec, Canada; New Mexico State University - Hill has posted a 2-0 record in 19 innings in his first year at NMSU. Vendette is 7-1 in a team-high 80 1/3 innings over 13 appearances (12 starts) for the Aggies.

• David Narodowski, Vancouver, B.C., University of Kansas –  The Jayhawks’ starting shortstop has been one of the team’s best hitters, batting .355 with 17 doubles and 3 homers and scoring a team-high 53 runs.

• Russell Deutschmann, Baden, Ontario, Canada; Jorge Pichardo, La Vega, Dominican Republic; Karim Gonzalez, Mexico City, Mexico, University of Maryland-Eastern Shore – Deutshmann has hit .261 with a home run and 26 RBI – second on the Hawks.  Pichardo is at .219 with 19 RBI and Gonzalez is 2-7 in a team-high 12 starts as a freshman.

• 11 players at Bethune-Cookman College are Puerto Rico natives – see story here

• Aidan Francis, N.S.W., Australia; Marc Mimeault, Candiac, Quebec, Canada; Carl Moniz, Laval, Quebec, Canada, Georgia State University – Francis, a left handed pitcher, is 5-1 with 3 saves in a team-best 18 appearances for the Panthers.  The start of a Canadian pipeline coming through Georgia State began last year with Jean-Michel Rochon-Salvas, who graduated from here last year and was one of the most decorated baseball student-athletes in Georgia State history.  Mimeault, the starting senior catcher, was named to the Johnny Bench Watch List for the second consecutive year and has the team triple crown at .399-13-51. His junior college roommate, Muniz, is now the team’s starting second baseman, hitting .258 with 8 HR and 34 RBI.  Georgia State skipper Greg Frady also currently serves as the head coach of the German National Team.

• Canisius College in Buffalo, N.Y. features 15 Canadians on its roster. Head Coach Mike McRae is a Niagara Falls, Ontario, native.

Also of note:

• Drew Martinez, University of Memphis – Drew’s father, Chito was the first Belizean-born Major League Baseball player and played three seasons for the Baltimore Orioles.  Drew has hit a team-high .3l3 as a freshman outfielder.

• Shaver Hansen, Baylor University – The Bears’ third baseman is the son of Stan Hansen, who was a professional wrestler on many circuits, including several years in Japan . Shaver’s mother is Japanese. The team’s top slugger, Hansen is hitting .328 with team-leading marks of 15 HR and 49 RBI.

• 15 current BYU Cougars have completed their volunteer two-year Church missions and 10 other team members are currently on their missions.  In all they are serving in more than a dozen different foreign countries on five continents.

With center fielder/lead off hitter Park Han-yi recovering from a leg injury, Samsung Lions manager Sun Dong-yeol felt he could trust Kim to bat leadoff and fill Samsung’s need for a quality 2nd baseman. Kim is only 5 feet 9 inches and weighs a robust 155 lbs, but he has loomed large at the top of the Lions batting order. I’d be impressed if the diminutive Kim hit a homer this season, but he’s proven he’s more than capable at the top of the order. With 44 KBO at bats under his belt, Kim has posted a .295/.354/.432 line. 6 of his 13 hits have been for extra bases and he started his career with an 8 game hitting streak. I don’t think he has the build to ever hit more than a handful of homers, but he has the patience to hit at the top of the order and the speed to be a disruptive force on the base paths.  It’s going to be interesting to see what happens when Park comes off the disabled list. Will Samsung stick with the rookie or go back to the veteran? I’m also curious to learn if Kim can handle the rigors of a KBO season. It’s a huge jump from Korean high school to the KBO. If Kim can’t get a few days off early, there is a good chance he won’t be effective during the stretch run.

Ahn could be developing into the next quality 3rd baseman in the KBO. The current crop of Koreans manning the hot corner is solid. SK’s Choi Jeong is coming off a .300 season. Lotte’s Lee Dae-ho is one of the league’s better lefty power hitters. Hanwha’s Lee Beom-ho showed a flair for the dramatic in the WBC. Ahn’s name could be added to that list after this season. Ahn rode the pine for the first few games of the season, but his bat has forced KIA to give him a shot at the every day job. In his 2nd KBO start, Ahn went 3-5 with a double 2 runs scored and 2 RBI’s. He’s posting a line of .294/.314/.441. Not bad for a guy who doesn’t turn 19 until July. He’s going to need to develop better plate discipline, but that should come with experience. He hit his first KBO homer over the weekend. It definitely won’t be his last.

In other news, Yang Joon-hyeok tied the KBO career mark for homeruns with his 340th blast on Tuesday night. I’m planning to give the big fella his proper due when he breaks the record.

Hanwha Eagles pitcher, Song Jin-woo threw his 3000th KBO inning last week. He is the first pitcher in KBO history to reach 3000 innings and he is already the career leader in innings pitched by a wide margin. The 43-year old pitcher is in his 21st KBO season. He broke in with the Eagles in 1989(Then sponsored by Bingrae) and actually started out as a reliever. In 1992, Song finished the season 19-8 with 17 saves in 48 appearances. He tossed 191 1/3 innings that year. In 2002, he set a career mark for innings pitched with 220. He finished with a 18-7 record over 31 starts. For his career, Song boasts a 210-153 record with 103 saves. Last season he recorded his 2000th career strikeout. He’s also 1-4 in his career at the plate.

The two-time defending KBO champions are looking to become the 2nd three-peat in KBO history(the ’86-’89 Haitai Tigers won 4 championships in a row). This team is lead by the best pitching staff, top to bottom, in the KBO and a solid lineup. 2008 KBO MVP is the ace of the staff and looks to pick up where he left off last year. The 21-year old ace finished 16-4 with a 2.39 ERA and 1.17 WHIP in 162 innings last year. Chae Byeong-yong figures as the Wyverns #2 starter. Chae finished with a 10-2 record and 2.70 ERA last season. Jeong Dae-hyeon will be the team’s closer this year. In 2008, he saved 20 games with a 2.67 ERA in 50 appearances. Journeymen CJ Nitkowski and Mike Johnson figure to round out the SK rotation.

At the plate, the Wyverns will be lead by 22-year old third baseman, Choi Jeong. Choi lead the team in hitting with a .328 batting average. He also posted an .890 OPS in only his third full season in the KBO. Centerfielder Park Jae-hong should also play a key role in the middle of the SK lineup this year. He lead the team with a .958 OPS and 19 homers last year. SK doesn’t swing for the fences. This is a patient, disciplined offense that wears down the opposition. 7 SK regulars posted an OBA of over .370 last season.

The burning question: Is this team still hungry? They’ve won the league championship twice without much competition. Kim Kwang-hyeon has already reached the pinnacle of success in the KBO. Is there anything left for these guys to prove in Korea?

2. Lotte Giants

In 2007, the Giants were essentially a laughingstock. They had talent on the roster, but the team lacked direction and wandered to a 7th place finish. That winter, they replaced their manager with the first foreign manager in the KBO, Jerry Royster. Things changed right away. The Giants started winning. Royster managed to instill a positive attitude in this talented roster and it paid off. The Giants finished 3rd last year, but sputtered in the opening round of the playoffs against an over-achieving Samsung Lions team.

The Lotte Giants boast a solid top 3 in their rotation. 34-year old ace Son Min-han doesn’t have the velocity to blow hitters away, but he is capable of changing speeds and keeping most hitters in the KBO off balance. He finished last year with a 12-4 record in 26 starts. He worked 179 innings with a 2.97 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. #2 starter Song Seung-jun finished 12-7 over 26 starts. Song threw 153 1/3 innings with a 3.76 ERA and 1.41 WHIP. #3 Jang Won-jun finished 12-10 over 26 starts. In Jang’s155 2/3 innings, he posted a career best 3.53 ERA and 1.39 WHIP. Lotte has added foreign ringer, Jon Adkins, to stabilize the backend of the bullpen. The bullpen the achilles heel in the ’08 Giants. No one stepped up to be the lights out reliever that they needed. The Giants hope Adkins can be that kind of pitcher.

The Lotte Giants have a deep and deadly lineup. The same group from last year is back plus catcher/DH Hong Seong-heun was signed as a free agent from Doosan. Hong enjoyed a career year in 2008 with a a .331 batting average and .812 OPS over 423 AB’s. He figures to see more time at DH with the Giants. Karim Garcia is back for another season with the Giants. Garcia lead the team with 30 homers, 111 RBI and an .894 OPS. You also might recognize a few Lotte Giants from the WBC. Chubby third baseman Lee Dae-ho and catcher Kang Min-ho both saw action for the 2009 WBC team and will be key members of this Lotte squad.

The Burning Question: Can they find anyone to bridge the gap between their starters and Jon Adkins?

3. Doosan Bears

Last season the Doosan Bears clawed their way to a 2nd place finish despite not having a single starting pitcher reach double digit wins. 16 different pitchers started for Doosanlast year. Doosan made it to the Korean Series, only to lose in 6 games to SK.

Lee Hye-chan started 22 games and relieved in 15 others. He finished the year with a 7-3 record. His ERA was 4.69 and his WHIP was at 1.40 in 109 1/3 innings. Kim Myeong-jae figures to have a larger role in the ’09 Bears pitching staff. In 2008, Kim made 17 starts and 5 relief appearances. He posted a 3.81 ERA and 1.20 WHIP in 111 innings. Former Boston Red Sox, Kim Sun-woo spent most of 2008 moving between the rotation and the disabled list. Kim finished with a 6-7 record in 21 starts. He had a 4.25 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP in 101 2/3 innings. He’ll probably be the #3 or #4 starter this season. Veteran Matt Randel has already been sent home for the season due to an undisclosed injury.

In 2008, Kim Dong-ju had a solid season at third base for the Bears. Kim lead the team with 19 homers and 104 RBI. Kim posted a .916 OPS in 363 at bats. For the second consecutive season Kim tried and failed to make the jump to the NPB. As good as Kim is at the plate, he’s not quick enough in the field to play third base everyday in the NPB.  The only other new addition that should have any impact on the 2009 season is foreign ringer, Matt Watson. Matt figures to play right field and provide some protection for the big bats in the Doosan lineup. Left fielder, Lee Hyeon-su lead the KBO in hitting last year with a .357 batting average. Lee drove in 89 runs and scored 83 runs. He also completely choked in the Korean Series. In Doosan’s last two losses to SK, Kim grounded into game ending double plays in both. To be fair, Kim is still only 21 years old and this was his first full season in a run producing role.

The Burning Question: Who is going to fill the void left by Matt Randel?

4. Hanwha Eagles

Ryu Hyeon-jin is one of the guys worth knowing in the KBO. Ryu finished last year with a 14-7 record in 26 starts. He struck out 143 batters in 165 2/3 innings. He walked only 67 hitters last year. He posted a 3.31 ERA with a 1.27 WHIP. He’s left-handed and he just celebrated his 22nd birthday. Last year was his 3rd KBO season, so only 6 more until free agency! The clock is ticking!

Brad Thomas finished 2nd in the league with 31 saves last season. He was the one reliever that manager Kim In-sik could always count on. He threw 63 1/3 innings in 59 games last year. In those 63 1/3 innings, he struck out exactly 63 batters. Hanwha has to be thrilled that he’s returning for another season. Yoon Gyu-jin and Koo Dae-seong are a nice righty, lefty combo, but they’re not exactly shut down relievers.

Leading this team in the field is WBC star Kim Tae-kyun. Kim  lead the KBO in homers(31) and OPS(1.039). If Hanwhahad qualified for the playoffs, the slugging first baseman would have been in the mix for the MVP award. Protecting Kim this year will be foreign ringer Victor Diaz. Diaz should man right field for the Eagles and bat behind Kim in the lineup. Diaz is really intriguing as a middle of the order prescence in the KBO. In just under 500 career MLB AB’s, Diaz has 24 homers. He’s coming off a 24 homer, 100 RBI season at AAA. Third baseman Lee Beom-ho is a nice power/speed guy. He finished last year with double-digit homers and stolen bases with an .844 OPS in 434 AB’s. DH Kim Tae-won also posted a solid season last year. He clubbed 23 homers with 73 RBI and a .850 OPS. Both Lee Beom-ho and Kim Tae-gyun are free agents after this season.

Burning Question: Who is going to pitch when Ryu and Thomas are on the bench?

5. Samsung Lions

The Lions clawed their way to a 4th place finish last year. They’ll be lucky to finish 5th this year. Since winning championships in ’05 and ’06, this team has gotten old in a hurry. KBO vets Park Jin-man, Jin Kab-yong and Yang Jun-hyeok could find themselves as part time players this year. These could be the “Get-To-Know-Your-Lions.” The Lions have a solid bullpen with Oh Seung-hwan closing and Kwon Hyeok as his top set up man. Oh just missed his 3rd consecutive season of 40+ saves. He finished with 39. Kwon is a big power lefty that has served as an excellent bridge to the 9th inning. The starting rotation should be deeper this year with Runelvys Hernandez and Francisco Cruceta eating up innings.

The Burning Question: Can this team rebuild AND stay competitive?

6. Seoul Heroes

This is the team that lost their sponsor last year. IF this team can complete the year without folding, they should be solid. They boast a nice 1-2 punch in their starting rotation with lefties Ma Il-yeong and Jeong Won-sam. The middle of the Heroes lineup is solid with KBO vets Doug Clark and Cliff Brumbaugh hitting 3rd and 4th.

The Burning Question: Will this team fold?

7. KIA Tigers

This team was possibly the most hyped team in the league last season…and they fell flat on their faces. The Tigers brought in former Chicago Cub Choi Hee-seop and former Tampa Bay Devil Ray, Seo Jae-wong. They also signed former 21-game winner, Jose Lima. Choi almost ate his way out of the league. Seo wasn’t that bad, but had trouble staying healthy and Lima was released in July.

Now, there is little hype surrounding this club. The only pitcher really worth mentioning is WBC star, Yoon Seok-min. Yoon finished the year 14-5 in 24 starts. In his 154 2/3 innings, he struck out 119 and walked 46. His ERA ended at 2.05 and his WHIP was a solid 1.05. If he pitched for any other team(except LG) he would have been in contention for the MVP award.

Burning Question: Can this team stay out of the cellar?

8. LG Twins

This team has an awful offense and a mediocre pitching staff. The only bright spot for this team last year was WBC hero, Bong Jung-geun. In 28 starts, Bong finished with a 11-8 record. In his league best 186 1/3 innings, he struck out 140 and walked 80. He ended the year with a 2.66 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP. Behind Bong is Australian innings eater Chris Oxspring and not much else.

At the plate, the Twins have the most anemic offense in the league. Roberto Petagine should add some punch, but he won’t see very many pitches this year with this supporting cast. This team needs a “reboot.”

The Burning Question: Will this team win a game?

1. Cuba
2. Korea
3. Japan
4. USA
5. Chinese Taipei
6. Netherlands
7. Mexico
8. Canada
9. Australia
10. Puerto Rico

The IBAF debuted its World Rankings earlier this year in January.  Developed in conjunction with Scott Goode, a sports information director from Harding University (Arkansas, USA), the rankings are based on a point total which IBAF member federations (teams) earn from IBAF-sanctioned events in a four-year window, or a period of time that encompasses two IBAF Baseball World Cups.

Teams earn points based on their finish in an event. A tournament winner takes home 50 points, second place, 40; third place, 30; and fourth place, 15. From there, points are divided evenly among the remaining teams in the event to ensure balance between tournaments that feature different-sized fields.

Once points are rewarded based on a team’s finish, that amount is then multiplied by a number based on the strength of the event. Major world championships, such as an Olympic Games, IBAF Baseball World Cup or World Baseball Classic, all receive 4X multipliers. Minor world championship events (Junior, Youth or FISU University Worlds, or the Honkbol Tournament, for example) have a 1X multiplier, and all other continental championships receive multipliers from 1X-.25X based on how many teams in the top-10 of the current IBAF World Rankings compete in the event.

The full rankings can be seen at: http://www.ibaf.org/fileadmin/user_upload/Files_-_world_rankings/2009_IBAF_World_Rankings_March.htm

At the plate…

Not much happened here for the Korean side. Korea didn’t get on the scoreboard until right fielder, Choo Shin-soo swatted a solo homer. Before Choo’s blast, Korea had exactly one hit off of Japanese starter, Hisashi Iwakuma. Korea tallied their 2nd run in the 8th inning. Pinch hitter Lee Dae-ho drove in third baseman Lee Beom-ho on a sacrifice fly to make the score 3-2. Lee Beom-ho also played an important role in the 9th. He knocked a base hit through Japan’s left side and drove in Lee Jong-wook to tie the game at 3. Iwakuma was brilliant. He worked 7 2/3 strong innings allowing only 2 runs on 4 hits and 2 walks with 6 K’s. He only started to slip in the 8th inning when he was getting close to his pitch limit.

On the mound…

Bong Jung-geun wasn’t nearly as good as his line suggests. He pitched 4 innings allowing 1 run(unearned) on 6 hits and 3 walks. He was constantly under duress and I can’t believe he came away with only 1 unearned run during his outing. Japan’s goal wasn’t to beat him, but to wear him down. Every hitter took him deep into the count, but never really made him pay. It took Bong 94 pitches to complete 4 innings. Jong Hyeon-wook worked 3 2/3 innings of relief. He did his best to keep the game close. He gave up 2 runs on 4 hits, but managed 4 K’s. Lim Chang-yong was essentially left out to hang himself. He pitched a scoreless 9th, but stayed on for the 10th. He ran into trouble in the 10th inning. He gave up a single to Uchikawa to start the inning. Inaba bunted Uchikawa over to 2nd. Then, he surrendered a base hit to Iwamura. Kawasaki popped out to short for the 2nd out. With 2 outs and Ichiro at the plate, Iwamura advanced to 2nd on indifference. Lim was ahead of Ichiro with a 1-2 count. Ichiro kept fouling off pitches and wearing down Lim. On the 8th pitch of the at bat, Ichiro drilled a single up the middle to drive in 2 runs and give Japan more than enough to win.

In the field…

Both sides absolutely sparkled. To single out any one player would be unfair because this was a complete effort from both sides. Other than 2nd baseman Koh Yeong-min’s fielding error in the 2nd, I can’t remember a single misplayed ball.

The KBO season starts on April 4th. See you then.

Choo Shin-soo finally looked healthy. Big League Choo clubbed a 3-run bomb in the 1st inning to give Team Korea a 5-0 advantage. Choo finished the day 1-2 with 2 BB’s and 1 HBP(again!). 1st baseman Kim Tae-gyun delivered a 2-run bomb in the 2nd. Kim finished the day 2-4. KBO batting champ and Team Korea left fielder finished the game 3-3 with a walk, 1 RBI and 2 runs scored. DH, Lee Dae-ho, also drove in a pair.

On the mound…

Yoon Seok-min pitched his guts out for the Korean side. Yoon worked 6 1/3 strong innings. He allowed both Venezuelan runs on 7 hits and 1 walk. He also struck out 4. I was surprised to see Ryu Hyeon-jin come in to face one batter in relief. I guess Korean manager Kim In-sik needed a lefty for one batter. This probably rules Ryu out as the starter of the final. Kim will probably turn to Bong Jung-geun to get the job done against the Americans or the Japanese. Carlos Silva was absolutely awful for the Venezuelans. He lasted only 1 1/3 innings allowing 7 runs(6 earned) on 6 hits and 1 walk. He was as bad as his line suggested.

In the field…

12 of the 19 outs recorded by Yoon came via the ground ball. These guys were throwing some leather out there. Kim Tae-gyun did miss a catch in the 8th inning that was ruled an error, but the game was so far out of hand that it didn’t really matter. The Venezuelan team committed 5 errors. All either led directly to runs or extended the inning for the Korean team. 5 errors is a KBO record.

Next up for team Korea is the finals on Monday at 9 PM ET. They’ll face the winner of tomorrow’s(today’s?) Japan/USA match up.

On the mound…

Jang Won-sam was competent in a starting role. In his 3 innings of work he allowed 2 runs(1 earned) on 5 hits with 2 K’s. The Korean bullpen was awful. Oh Seung-hwan, Kim Kwang-hyeon and Lim Chang-yong surrendered 4 runs during the last 4 innings. Most of the damage was done by Oh. The KBO saves leader is either hiding an injury or he didn’t pick up a baseball until this WBC thing started. Guess which one of those is true? (Hint – it’s not the 2nd option).

In the field…

The Korean team looked fairly lethargic in the field. To be fair, the wanted to rest some of their middle infielders, so Choi Jeong had to play out of position and cover shortstop. He committed a costly throwing error in the 2nd inning that allowed Japan to get a runner into scoring position. Lee Taek-geun also misplayed two balls in center field and was charged with errors on both.

This was just a miserable game for the Korean side on all fronts. They’ve shown they’ve been able to regroup after bad losses. Here’s hoping they can pull it together against a TOUGH Venezuelan team on Saturday at 8 PM ET. Ryu Hyeon-jin is the likely starter for the Korean team.

Honestly, not much happened here. The Korean team only managed 4 hits, but they drew 7 walks and Japan committed a key error in the first inning to give Korea their first run. Lee Jin-yeong came through with a big hit in the first inning to drive in 2 runs and give the Koreans a 3-0 advantage. Choo Shin-soo continued his WBC struggles with an 0-2 performance.

Kenji Johjima was tossed from the game in the 7th inning. He was called out on a borderline strike. He shook his head and dropped his bad. Home plate umpire, Hunter Wendelstedt, ordered him back to pick it up 3 times. Kenji walked back to the dugout and got himself tossed. He then delivered an excellent “thousand yard stare” at Hunter for the rest of the inning.

On the mound…

Bong Jung-geun has turned into a real leader for this Korean team. The team feeds off his energy. With every fist pump and glove clap the rest of the team gained confidence. Bong tossed 5 1/3 gutsy innings. He allowed 1 run on 3 hits and 3 walks with 1 K. 12 of the 16 outs came via the groundball. The Korean bullpen was excellent. They locked the game down for the final 3 2/3 innings. Yoon Seok-min has been the bridge to the 8th inning that this team needed. He comes in, airs it out for an inning or two and hands the lead over to the closer. Yoon has been a real difference maker for this team. Lim Chang-yong recorded the final two outs to earn the save.

In the field…

The Korean team was flashing some leather. The middle infield played a flawless ballgame. They had Bong’s back all the way through. Coming into the WBC, team defense was a question mark. So far, all the questions have been answered.

Next for Team Korea is the winner of the Cuba/Japan match on Thursday at 8pm ET. It’s essentially a meaningless game that will be played for seeding purposes in the semi-finals. Korea has already qualified and will play in the semi’s.

Korean ace, Ryu Hyeon-jin, had issues with his command. He had trouble throwing strikes, but an overly aggressive Mexican team let him off the hook. It took Ryu 65 pitches to toss 2 2/3 innings. He was mercifully pulled before any real damage could be inflicted. The Korean bullpen was excellent. 5 Korean relievers combined to throw 6 2/3 shutout innings. Jeong Hyun-wook threw 2 2/3 scoreless and Yoon Seok-min tossed 1 1/3 scoreless with 3 K’s. Kim Kwang-hyeon faced 2 batters and recorded 2 outs.

At the plate…

The key word of the day for the Korean team was “solo homer.” They hit three of them. Lee Beom-ho delivered his 2nd WBC homer in the 2nd inning to put Korea on the board. Kim Tae-gyun clubbed another homer(this time he refrained from showboating) in the 4th and Koh Yeong-min added another solo bomb in the 5th. The Korean team jumped all over the Mexican bullpen in the 7th. When the dust finally settled the Korean team held an 8-2 lead and that would be our final. 1st baseman Kim Tae-gyun gets the line of the day by going 2-5 with 2 runs scored and 3 RBI.

In the field…

2nd baseman Jeong Geun-woo left the game in the 4th inning. Lee Beom-ho made a throwing error on after making a nice pick on a sharp grounder to third. His throw took the 2nd baseman off the bag and extended the inning for Team Mexico. A double play ball was also mishandled by Jeong in the 2nd inning. The misplay kept the inning going. Without it, Ryu might have escaped unscathed. Team Korea also flashed some speed during this one. They stole three bases, including a double steal in the 7th inning. The Korean team essentially caught the entire Mexican infield napping.

Next up for the Koreans is a re-match with Japan on Tuesday at 8pm San Diego time or 12pm Tuesday afternoon Korean time.

The two teams combined for 10 hits with Japan getting 6 of them. All but one, a double from Korea’s Kim Tae-gyun, were singles. Kim Tae-gyun also drove in the only run of the game on a RBI single in the 4th inning.

Korea was painfully sloppy and overagressive on the basepaths. Far too many mental errors, but Japan couldn’t get anything going on offense.

On the mound…

Korea’s Bong Jung-geun pitched his guts out. He threw 5 1/3 innings of 3-hit, shutout baseball. He managed two K’s, but it seemed like everything was a ground ball at someone or a lazy fly ball. Lim Chang-yong tossed 1 1/3 innings of relief to earn the save. His stuff was absolutely electric.

Japanese starter, Hisashi Iwakuma, deserved better. The NPB ace tossed 5 1/3 innings of 2-hit, 1-run baseball, but the Japanese offense couldn’t give him any help. He walked 3 and struck out 5. Yu Darvish tossed 1 inning of relief. He allowed 1 hit and 1 walk, but he struck out 3 batters.

In the field…

Both teams were throwing some leather last night. Lee Jong-wook, the Korean center fielder, made a few really spectacular catches to help get Bong out of trouble.

Kenji Johjima was the star behind the plate for Japan. He played a big part in a 6-2-5 double play and picked a runner off 1st. No errors were committed.

Korea and Japan have to wait and see who comes out of Group B. Korea will probably open the 2nd round with Ryu Hyeon-jin. Game 2 should go to Kim Kwang-hyeon, but I don’t think he’ll be getting another start in a high profile game.

The Korean team took advantage of a wild, overworked Chinese pitching staff. Team China allowed 7 walks and 3 hit batsmen. Korea only needed 10 hits to score 14 runs last night. It seemed like everyone got in on the action. KBO batting champ Kim Hyeon-su started the scoring in the 1st inning with an RBI single. The game was pretty much over after that. 3rd baseman Lee Beom-ho clubbed a 2-run homer in the 4th inning. Choo Shin-soo was hit by a pitch for the 2nd consecutive game. I’d be surprised if he played tonight.

On the mound…

Yoon Seok-min was excellent and provided exactly what the Korean team needed. Yoon work 6 shutout innings. He allowed only 2 hits and struck out 4.

In the field…

The Chinese team committed 2 errors, but it could have been as many as 5. The official scorer must have had some sympathy for the Chinese club. The Korean team looked solid in the field. Lee Beom-ho replaced Lee Dae-ho at 3rd base. It probably wouldn’t have made a difference if Dae-ho had started.

The only excitement for the Korean team was first baseman Kim Tae-gyun’s 2-run bomb in the first inning. The Korean team only had 5 base runners after the 1st inning. Moving on…

On the mound…KBO MVP Kim Kwang-hyeon was awful. This is easily the worst outing of his career. He struggled with command during his 1 1/3 innings of work. He did manage three strikeouts, but he spent most of his evening up in the zone. The Japanese team made him pay for every mistake. Samsung Lions reliever Jeong Hyeon-wook tossed 1 1/3 innings of relief. He looked competent. Jang Won-sam tossed 2 1/3 innings of ugly baseball. He allowed 7 base runners and 3 runs(2 earned) during his stint. Lee Jae-woo tossed the last two innings and surrendered runs in both of them. The game was called after 7 innings due to the WBC’s slaughter rule.

In the field…Lee Dae-ho committed an error. A ball skipped off the turf and went over his glove. I thought it was a questionable error, but the Korean team wasn’t exactly razor sharp tonight. Every grounder seemed to find a hole and every line drive found a gap.

The less said about this game the better.

Next up for the Korean team is Team China. The game is on Sunday at 6:30 PM local time. Yoon Seok-min(14-5, 2.33 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 119 K’s in 154 2/3 innings) will probably start for the Korean team against the Chinese. I have no idea who’s starting for China. The loser of the game gets sent home.

A relaxed. professional Korean team took advantage of a wild young starter. 1st baseman, Kim Tae-gyun, delivered a 2-RBI single to get the party started right. The Korean team loaded the bases with one out and right fielder Lee Jin-yeong delivered a grand slam to give the Koreans a comfortable 6 run lead. 3rd baseman Lee Dae-ho added an RBI single in the 5th inning. 2nd baseman, Jeong Geun-woo clubbed a 2-run bomb in the 6th to give us our final, 9-0.

Cleveland Indians outfielder, Choo Shin-soo finished the night 1-3 with a walk and a run scored. He looked like a guy who hadn’t picked up a bat in a week.

The key to this victory was the 1-3 hitters in the Korean lineup. Lee Jeong-wook, Jeong Geun-woo and Kim Hyeon-su did a great job of getting on base for the middle of the order. The homers also helped out.

The Chinese Taipei centerfielder, Lin Che-hsuan, was the only Taiwanese hitter to record more than one 1 hit. The Red Sox farmhand finished the game 2-3 with a walk.

On the mound…

Chinese Taipei starter, Chen Lee, didn’t make it out of the first inning. Of the 27 pitches thrown by Lee, only 11 were strikes and two were hit really hard.

Hanhwa ace, Ryu Hyeon-jin, tossed 3 solid innings for the Korean team. He allowed 1 hit and 2 walks while striking out 3. Bong Jung-geun tossed 3 innings in relief. He allowed only 2 hits. Reliever Im Tae-hoon was the only Korean pitcher to get into anything close to a jam. He had runners on 1st and 2nd with none out in the 9th inning. He managed to get a groundball for a double play and ended the game with a strikeout.

In the field…

The Korean team turned 5 double plays. Anytime Chinese Taipei would get someone on base, a groundball would follow. The Korean team looked sharp in the field tonight. There were a few groundballs that snuck through the infield, but I can’t find a reason to complain when they deliver a 9-0 victory.

Next up is the Korea/Japan matchup tomorrow at 7pm local time. KBO MVP Kim Kwang-hyeon should pitch for the Koreans, while Iwakuma Hishashi is expected to start for Japan.

I like the fact that they’ve got a veteran(Park Kyung-won) and a “kid”(Kang Min-ho, he’s only 24, but he has 4 full seasons as a starter under his belt). I think the Korean team will miss national team mainstay Jin Kab-yong initially, but they’re better off handing the starting duties over to Kang. Last year Kang posted an .850 OPS in 122 games. He drew 56 walks and only struck out 77 times. Park is entering his 19th(!) KBO season and is unlikely to see the field very often. He can fill in capably against the Chinese team or in case of injury.

Infield…

I’m not sure what to make of this Korean infield. In 2006, the Korean infield defense was a large part of the Korean team going deep into the tournament. This team probably won’t be as good as the ’06 team in that regard. Lee Seung-yeop also carried the ’06 team at the plate. His absence from this team has been beaten into the ground. The Korean team will likely go with Hanhwa slugger Kim Tae-kyeun at first, Koh Yeong-min at second, Park Ki-hyuk at shortstop and either Lee Dae-ho or Choi Jeong at 3rd base. The third base situation is precarious because of Choo Shin-soo’s situation in the outfield. Allow me to explain. Choo can only play once in the field during the opening round and twice in the final round. If he plays in all the games, he will have to DH most of them. So, on the days when he’s DHing, Lee will probably handle the hot corner. On the days that Choo is in the field, Lee will probably DH and Choi will likely play 3rd.

Kim Tae-kyun can’t be Lee Seung-yeop, but he is a capable 1st baseman and a very talented hitter. The Hanhwa slugger posted a 1.039 OPS in 410 AB’s last year. He lead the KBO in homers with 31 and came in 4th in RBI’s with 92. He walked 69 times and struck out 67.

Koh Yeong-min is a competent 2nd baseman. He fields well enough and he can run, but he strikes out a TON(109 K’s in 427 AB’s last season. He actually got worse last year. He only struck out 105 times in 444 AB’s in ’07). He is very capable on the basepaths. He has a success rate over 75% for his career.

Jeong Geun-woo will see action in the middle infield. He played a capable shortstop with the two time defending KBO champions, SK Wyverns, but he could also see action at 2nd. He posted a .793 OPS with 40 stolen bases last year.

I’m not sure where Lee Beom-ho figures on this roster. I would have thought that 2 full time third baseman were enough, but I’m just a lowly blogger. Lee has some speed(12 SB’s last year), some pop(19 homers) and a good eye(70 walks in 434 AB’s). He could be an important cog in the Korean bench, but I don’t see him getting more than a few at bats.

The outfield roles on this team are much more clearly defined than the infield roles. Doosan speedster, Lee Jeong-wook will handle center field and likely lead off. 2008 KBO batting champ and Korean Series goat, Kim Hyeon-su, will handle left field and bat second. Cleveland Indians outfielder, Choo Shin-soo, will handle right field for a few of the games. When Choo is unable to play in the field, Hanhwa’s Kim Taek-geun will play right.

Coming off the bench are Lee Yong-gyu and Lee Jin-yeong. KIA’s Lee Yong-gyu will provide some speed off the bench. Lee Jin-yeong will provide veteran leadership, a capable glove anda capable bat to the team. In his 10 year career with the SK Wyverns, Lee has maintained a .301 batting average.

The first two spots in the rotation appear set. Hanhwa ace Ryu Hyeon-jin will face the Taiwanese team and KBO MVP Kim Kwang-hyeon gets the Japanese team. LG ace, Bong Jung-geun will likely make the start against the Chinese. The second round and semis will likely be an “All Hands On Deck” approach that’s so popular in Asia during the playoffs.

The bullpen roles are up in the air right now. Yakult Swallows closer, Lim Chang-yong was hit in the elbow with a line drive during the weekend. He was lucky to come away with only a bruise, but his status for the tournament is now in doubt. He’ll likely be held out of the first round.

Samsung Lions closer, Oh Seung-hwan, is the odds on favorite to assume 9th inning duties, but its unclear how manager Kim In-sik is going to bridge the gap between his starter and his closer. Oh Seung-hwan is probably my favorite player in the KBO. He’s earned the nickname “Iron Mask” for his on field demeanor. I’ve only seen him smile once. It was after the Lions won the championship in ’06. I guarantee that Oh will provide at least one awesome moment during the WBC.

The Korean team has four other relievers on the roster, Woori Heroes, Hwang Doo-seong, SK’s Jeong Dae-hyeon, SK lefty Lee Seung-ho and Samsung’s Jeong Hyeon-wook. None of them really have any closing experience and I’m not sure I’d consider any to be really that reliable.

There are 3 other pitchers on the roster, Jeong Won-sam, Yoon Seok-min and Son Min-han. Jeong is a lefty starter for the Woori Heroes. He had a fantastic year for a rotten team. He finished 12-8 with a 2.85 ERA, a 1.21 WHIP and 126 K’s in 167 1/3 innings. His left arm could be the key to the Korean bullpen. He could be a large part of the bridge from the starter to the closer. Yoon Seok-min also had a successful season with a mediocre ball club. In 2008, Yoon went 14-5 with a 2.33 ERA and a league leading 1.05 WHIP. He struck out 119 batters in 154 innings. He was used as a reliever in 2005 and 2006. During the ’06 season he picked up 19 saves, so he could close should Oh become unavailable. Son has been a national team fixture for a long time. He was the ace of the ’06 staff, but his role this time around isn’t nearly as defined. He tossed 179 innings last year. That total was good enough for 2nd in the league, but he only struck out 80 batters while posting a 2.97 ERA with a 1.25 WHIP and a 12-4 record.

Barring disaster, the Korean team should advance to the 2nd round. I think they can beat the young Taiwanese team. I think they could also surprised an overrated Japanese team. This team should clobber an inexperienced and undermanned Chinese team. As for the 2nd round, they’ll be in the same bracket as Japan, Cuba and Mexico. That’s a tall order. A really tall order. I could see this team matching the 3rd place finish in ’06, but I’m not sure I can see them advancing farther than the ’06 team. The pitching is improved, but they lack a bat that can carry them for the tournament and the defense isn’t as rock solid as it was.