Cleveland Sports Forum

China Prepares Stateside for World Baseball Classic

By Stuart Wiggin

China's national baseball team goes in search of top class training facilities in the US as they begin preparing for the upcoming World Baseball Classic over the Chinese holiday season.

China isn't exactly the first country you think of when the sport of baseball comes up in conversation. However, Major League Baseball (MLB), the major professional league in the US and Canada and the home of the best baseball teams in the world is attempting to reignite the country's passion for the sport following a somewhat turbulent past which saw it being banned during the Cultural Revolution. With the sport's exit from the Olympic Games in 2012, a decision taken by the International Olympic Committee back in 2005, the importance of the World Baseball Classic tournament, which is set to take place in March this year, has been amplified. The tournament is sanctioned by the International Baseball Federation, supported by the MLB and major leagues from around the world, and features the world's best players competing for their home nations.

Some 27 players will travel from China to begin training in Arizona on January 31 at the Settle Mariners Complex. Thankfully, the opportunity to utilize such facilities exists due to the MLB pre-spring training period; giving Team China ample time to prepare in the States without impinging upon the MLB season.

As for Team China's coaching staff, they will once again be managed by John Mclaren, former coach of the Boston Red Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Tampa Bay Devil Rays and Washington Nationals as well as 3rd base coach of Team America in 2006 WBC, currently scouting for the Washington Nationals. Elsewhere, Team China will benefit from the input of hitting coach Art Howe, who possesses years of experience in the major leagues having previously managed the Houston Astros, the Oakland Athletics and the New York Mets. Meanwhile, Bruce Hurst, who pitched for the Boston Red Sox in the memorable 1986 World Series, is Team China's pitching coach. As Leon Xie, Managing Director of MLB China told CRI, "All these coaches, the great thing about them, they are down to earth and they are willing to get in the trenches and help out these players. Because, for the players, coming from where they are [from] and their local teams, they might not have that same advanced training that say a major league player would have starting out in America."

China is still developing the sport, so there is no such thing as a baseball hot spot yet. However, Beijing, Tianjin and Sichuan province have the strongest following. Tianjin in particular has the most educated and enthusiastic fans.

In November 2003, Major League Baseball and the China Baseball Association (CBA) signed a development agreement to help train the country's national team, coaches and umpires, and to help its school-aged children learn and play the game. A system was also established enabling MLB clubs to scout and sign Chinese players to professional contracts. One year later, MLB, the CBA and sports goods manufacturer Mizuno staged the first national schools baseball tournament in China. It featured more than 160 teams from schools in four cities competing in elementary, junior high, high school and university divisions. The championship games were televised on Chinese television, a first for scholastic baseball in the country. Former big league players Jim Lefebvre and Bruce Hurst have also taught the Chinese the game, and its national team has participated in minor league spring training games against future MLB prospects.

In 2003, a former U.S. basketball promoter and Boston Red Sox fan, Tom McCarthy, launched the Chinese Baseball League (CBL), the country's first professional baseball league, with four teams. Today, six teams play approximately a 30-game season from April through July, with the top two teams advancing to a best-of-five championship. Each team is allowed up to three non-Chinese born players, with two of those playing at the same time. Most games are played in the early morning to avoid the midday heat (and because there are no lights at the ballparks).

Drums, horns and cheering sections make an appearance in the playoffs, including capacity crowds. Outside of that, it's pretty non-atmospheric. Tianjin is the best place to see a game. Former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Peter O'Malley donated money to help build the ballpark in Tianjin.

Since baseball was banned for decades under Mao's rule, the Chinese are still learning the finer intricacies of the game.

Underdog China eager for a test against Cuba

By Jason Coskrey / Special to MLB.com | 3/3/2013 2:50 P.M. ET

FUKUOKA, Japan --

Looking for a way to stun the baseball world and beat Cuba should seem like a monumental task for China manager John McLaren and his team. But compared to their true ambition, Monday's game -- airing live on MLB Network at 4:30 p.m. local time (2:30 a.m. ET) -- is just the first step to something far more substantial.

The Chinese are competing in the World Baseball Classic for the third time, and their goal is to help raise the popularity of baseball back home and lay the seeds for future success in the sport.

"We haven't been playing baseball as long as Japan and Korea," McLaren said on Sunday. "We're going to get better. We're working at it. They're starting to play baseball on a regular basis in China. We just want the fans and the young kids in China to see us playing on TV -- give them inspiration to play the game."

The Chinese understand there will be plenty of bumps along the way, and Monday's showdown with a powerful Cuban team should be a sizable one.

"We're taking it one game at a time," McLaren said. "We know Cuba's an outstanding baseball club. They have a lot of great players. We're looking forward to competing with them."

China opened its run in the 2013 Classic with a 5-2 loss to Japan on Sunday. Starter Xia Luo kept the Japanese off balance, but he got no help from his offense and the bullpen wasn't able to compete with the wave of quality hitters Japan sent to the plate.

Still, McLaren was seeing things on the bright side afterward.

"Baseball's new in China, and this was just another step forward," McLaren said. "I thought the guys played really hard, and we didn't hit much until there at the end, but we're just trying to get better every day. I was proud of the kids."

China will have another opportunity to square off against baseball royalty on Monday, when Xin Li will get the start against mighty Cuba.

Cuban manager Victor Mesa will send Danny Betancourt to the mound with one eye on a looming showdown against Japan that may decide the Pool A winner.

Cuba put itself in the hunt to win Pool A by surviving a strong challenge from Brazil in a 5-2 win on Sunday.

Ismel Jimenez was the star for the Cubans in the victory, throwing 4 2/3 scoreless innings and striking out six.

Jimenez's next start could come in the second round at Tokyo Dome, possibly in the opener against the Pool B winner or runner-up, depending on whether Cuba finishes first or second in Pool A.

"Whenever I have the chance to pitch again, I want to record as many outs as I can," Jimenez said through a translator. "That's my concern -- get outs and get a win."

The main concern for China at the moment is to keep working hard and laying the foundation for success down the road.

"We have a long way to go," McLaren said. "We strike out a lot, and we don't work the count. But like I said, give us time. Give us time."

[Starter Xia Luo who kept the Japanese hitters off balance is only 20 years old; China has a very young team with a few teenagers as well as players in their early 20's. The team is what it is. They don't have farm systems and their league consists of 6 teams. They only play a 30 game season. It's awesome what McLaren and Hurst are doing for China baseball]

Cuba pounds China to advance in Classic

By Jason Coskrey / Special to MLB.com | 3/4/2013 7:14 A.M. ET

FUKUOKA, Japan --

It's San Francisco or bust for Victor Mesa and Cuba, and after their showing against China, the other clubs in the World Baseball Classic may want to think twice about getting in the way.

Alexei Bell hit the first home run in Pool A competition, and Jose Abreu one-upped him with a grand slam, as Cuba took advantage of an inexperienced Chinese team in every facet of the game during a 12-0 rout that was stopped in the seventh inning because of the mercy rule on Monday at Fukuoka's Yafuoku Dome.

"Our lineup is getting loose and our condition is getting better everyday," Mesa, the Cuban manager said through a translator.

The result leaves Cuba and Japan with two wins in Pool A and sends the baseball powers to the second round, which begins Friday at Tokyo Dome. The two teams will meet in the Pool A finale to determine the group winner.

Mesa has reiterated time and time again that his goal is to lead the Cubans into the final round at San Francisco's AT&T Park, and winning Pool A would get the team off to a good start.

"Our aim is to clinch the pool, so we are pleased to win the first two games," Mesa said. "That's the reason we flew from Cuba to Japan."

His team sent balls flying all over the field against China, racking up six extra-base hits after managing just one in their previous game agaisnt Brazil.

Abreu had a huge game, finishing 2-for-4 with a double, a grand slam and five RBIs. Frederich Cepeda joined the hit parade with a double, a triple and an RBI on a 2-for-3 afternoon, while Alfredo Despaigne had a two-run double among his two hits.

Bell finished the game with one hit, but it was a big one, a two-run homer in the fourth.

What's scarier for the rest of the Classic field is that Mesa hinted Cuba could be even better.

"We have some little problems, but overall we won two straight games," he said. "At the same time, I don't feel 100 percent comfortable. I feel we are lacking something."

The Chinese stood no chance against the powerful Cubans, and even the lopsided score didn't accurately reflect the difference in level between the two teams.

"We knew this was going to be a very difficult game for us," China manager John McLaren said. "Cuba's so good, so powerful and we had limited pitching for today. Playing three games in a row, we had to spread our pitching out. We're in good shape for tomorrow night against Brazil."

Cuban starter Danny Betancourt was on top of his game, throwing 4 2/3 scoreless innings while allowing one hit and striking out eight. Betancourt struck out six straight at one point.

China's Xin Li took the loss after allowing five runs -- four earned -- on eight hits in 3 1/3 innings.

The Cubans didn't waste much time getting on the board. Jose Fernandez reached on an error with two outs in the first and came home on Cepeda's RBI triple.

Fernandez singled to start the third, advanced to second on a wild pitch and was driven in by Abreu's double.

Cuba's third and fourth runs were preceded by scene that left many scratching their heads.

Barbaro Arruebarruena bunted to begin the inning and headed for second after a throwing error by Li.

Arruebarruena stepped on first baseman Fujia Chu's foot on his way to second, and the Chinese sought to appeal the play, saying the Cuban missed the bag.

The inexperienced Chinese stumbled through the appeal process until the umpires summoned McLaren and an interpreter out of the dugout to make sure the appeal was executed the correct way.

After getting the proper instruction, Li came to a set position on the rubber, then stepped off and threw to first, while Arruebarruena simultaneously stole third, where he remained as it was ruled he'd touched at least part of the first-base bag during the earlier play.

The next batter, Guillermo Heredia, grounded out, but Bell sent a ball into the seats in left to make the score 4-0. Cuba later tacked on two more runs on a double by Despaigne.

One-out singles by Arruebarruena and Heredia in the fifth set the stage for a two-run single by Fernandez, and Abreu made the score 12-0 with his grand slam later in the inning.

"Our condition is very calm and confident," Mesa said. "Our goal is to go to San Francisco. That's what I'm most concerned about."

Korea takes early lead, blanks Australia

By Debby Wu / Special to MLB.com | 3/4/2013 12:40 P.M. ET

TAICHUNG, Taiwan --

Left fielder Hyunsoo Kim's two-run single in the first inning put Korea on the board, and it eventually blanked Australia, 6-0, on Monday in first-round action at the World Baseball Classic in Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium.

Korea was also aided by strong showings from seasoned hitters Dae Ho Lee (3-for-4, one RBI) and Seung Yuop Lee (3-for-5, one RBI). The win keeps the team's hopes alive for a slot in the second round in Tokyo.

Korean batters led the charge early, scoring three runs in the top of first. Seung Yuop Lee doubled to put runners on second and third, and Dae Ho Lee walked to load the bases. Kim then lined a single to center to plate two runs, and Ahseop Son finished the first-inning scoring with an RBI groundout.

Australian starter Ryan Searle -- a member of the Cubs organization -- continued to have difficulties suppressing Korea's attack in second. He allowed a one-out single to Yongkyu Lee, who scored on a two-out double by Seung Yuop Lee.

Poor pitching by Australian reliever Shane Lindsay led to another run for Korea in the seventh. Keunwoo Jeong reached on a forceout, and moved from first to third on two wild pitches from Lindsay. Jeong then scored on a single to left by Dae Ho Lee.

Korea had a superb opportunity to extend its lead in the eighth when it loaded the bases with two outs, but Jeong flied out. Korea added another run in ninth when Jeong Choi grounded out to score Seung Yuop Lee from third.

The Korean batters delivered 11 hits, while Australia tallied six.

Australia managed to put pressure on Korea's defense in some innings, but failed to drive in any runs. In the first, Mitch Dening reached second following a walk and a balk. However, Justin Huber lined out to right with two outs and left two runners on base. Australia missed another good opportunity to score in fifth. Tim Kennelly opened the inning with a double to left, and that led Korea to replace starter Seung Song with reliever Heesoo Park. Park struck out Allan de San Miguel, then allowed James Beresford to single. Yet Kennelly did not advance, as he appeared to think Beresford's hit was going to be caught. Park then took care of the next two Australian hitters to close the inning without giving up a run.

Song allowed two hits and struck out five over four-plus innings for the win. The loss went to Searle, who allowed four hits and four earned runs in three innings.

Korean manager Joong-Il Ryu said the team's victory came on a balanced performance from both pitchers and hitters.

"Our starter pitched well, and our relievers were strong, too," Ryu said. "Our batters have made a comeback in the game, and Hyunsoo Kim's early two-RBI single certainly helped us."

Australia manger Jon Deeble attributed his club's loss to strong pitching by Korea.

"The Korea team pitched extremely well, and we struggled to get a big hit with runners in scoring position," Deeble said. "It's always tough when you give up three [runs] in the first inning. ... We played falling behind the whole time. Yeah, that was tough."

While Australia is lagging behind at the bottom of Pool B with two losses, it still stands a slight chance to advance to the second round, should it beat the Netherlands and Chinese Taipei defeat Korea on Tuesday. Chinese Taipei is leading the group with two wins, while the Netherlands and Korea have one win each. The top two teams move on to the next round.

Chinese Taipei faces Korea, seeking pool sweep

By Debby Wu / Special to MLB.com | 3/4/2013 12:40 P.M. ET

TAICHUNG, Taiwan --

Chinese Taipei, with its imposing offense, is looking to have another strong showing against Korea when the two Asian powerhouses face each other Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. local time (6:30 a.m. ET) in a game that can be watched live on MLB Network and ESPN Deportes.

After its 8-3 victory on Sunday against the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which had blanked Korea, 5-0, the day before, Chinese Taipei has emerged as the Pool B favorite. It has notched two consecutive wins thanks in large part to an overpowering lineup. The Netherlands and Korea are trailing with one win each.

The two teams with the most wins will go to the next round, but it remains unclear which two teams in Pool B will advance. If at the end of play in the first round, two or more teams within a pool are tied with an identical winning percentage, the tie will be broken based on head-to-head records or by ranking each team's Team Quality Balance (TQB).

TQB is the sum of runs scored divided by the number of innings played on offense, minus the number of runs allowed, divided by the number of innings played on defense. For purposes of determining TQB, only the scores from the games between the tied teams are to be used in the calculation.

While Dai-Kang Yang of Japan's Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters is leading Chinese Taipei with three RBIs, domestic power hitters Cheng-Min Peng and Hung-Yu Lin have also knocked in two runs apiece.

On Saturday, Chinese Taipei secured a comfortable 4-1 win against Australia, with former New York Yankees All-Star Chien-Ming Wang tossing six shutout innings. Wang's teammates allowed only one hit against the Netherlands.

Taiwanese manager Chang-Heng Hsieh is hoping his team will continue its strong play against Korea.

"We have won two games now," Hsieh said. "Although this is not a guarantee yet that we can go to Tokyo [for the next round], we now stand a good chance. I want to be at our best to play against Korea and get three wins in the first round."

Korea, which finished in second place at the 2009 World Baseball Classic, suffered a stunning loss Saturday against the Kingdom of the Netherlands after struggling at the plate, on the mound and in the field.

In the 5-0 loss, Korea allowed 10 hits and made four errors, and catcher Min-Ho Kang was forced to leave the game after suffering an injury on a play at the plate.

Korean manager Joong-Il Ryu apologized to his team's fans after the game.

"I have to say sorry to Korean fans, as we played an awful game," Ryu said. "This is one of the worst games we have ever played. Our pitchers were in terrible [situations], and that affected our defense indirectly, too."

Ryu's team rebounded against Australia, with its hitters delivering to secure a 6-0 win. Hyun-Soo Kim of Korea's Doosan Bears drove in two runs in the first to put the team ahead. The pitchers and defense stabilized, too, leaving Australia scoreless.

After the game, Ryu said that his squad will try its best against Chinese Taipei.

"Whether we can advance or not also depends on how the Netherlands fare against Australia tomorrow," Ryu said. "Meanwhile, we will try to score as many runs as possible against Chinese Taipei."

With no current Minor League or Major League players on its roster, Korea is relying heavily on 30-year-old infielder Dae-Ho Lee and 36-year-old first baseman Seung-Yuop Lee. Both players contributed significantly to Korea winning the gold medal in the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

While Dae-Ho Lee went hitless in three at-bats against the Netherlands, Seung-Yuop Lee popped out in his one at-bat as a pinch-hitter Saturday. The Korean batters delivered only four total hits during the game.

Both Lees recovered against Australia, delivering three hits and one RBI each.

Votto to play for Team Canada in Classic

By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com | 3/4/2013 3:35 P.M. ET

GOODYEAR, Ariz. --

Reds first baseman Joey Votto tested his surgically repaired left knee throughout the early weeks of Spring Training. The results have been satisfying enough to make Votto comfortable about participating in the World Baseball Classic for Team Canada.

Votto announced that he would play for his country on Monday after making the decision Sunday night.

"I look forward to playing for the team," Votto said. "I look forward to being a part of the tournament. I had a great time the last time. I'm very grateful I'm on the team. It's not very often you get to represent your country in a big tournament like this. I never got to play in the Olympics, this is the next best thing."

Team Canada began its workouts at Goodyear Ballpark on Monday and will be joined by Votto on Thursday for a final workout at Chase Field before the first-round game on Friday vs. Italy at Salt River Fields in Scottsdale. Also in the same round-robin pool are teams from the United States and Mexico.

Votto said he would not play in the Wednesday exhibition between the Reds and Canada.

The choice to play for Canada came after considerable deliberation on Votto's part. He missed six weeks of last season when he twice needed arthroscopic surgery to repair torn cartilage in his left knee. The 30-year-old returned in September to finish the regular season and take part in the playoffs, but was far below 100 percent healthy.

After a winter of rehabilitation, Votto has hit safely in five of his eight spring games while batting .375 (6-for-16) with two doubles, one home run and five RBIs. He has shown no signs of favoring the knee and has avoided any setbacks, but he's yet to play a full game in the early going.

Votto waited as long as he could before informing Canada of his decision.

"I needed the games. I wanted to make sure my knee was headed in the right direction, was healthy," Votto said. "I feel confident. I feel as though I can comfortably play and not be concerned about it. I've never been hurt before. I just wanted a little more of a grace period before the tournament to make sure I'm ready for the Reds and my primary commitment prepare to be part of a championship team in 2013."

It remained unclear whether Votto would play first base or serve as the designated hitter for Canada.

"I imagine I will probably share time with another former Most Valuable Player," Votto said, referring to Twins first baseman and British Columbia native Justin Morneau.

Canada did not include Votto on its provisional roster released in January but placed him on the final roster at the deadline last month. The country was given no assurances that Votto would in fact play, however.

"I'm sorry to any of the fans if this affected their plans in any way," Votto told assembled reporters, which included several members of the Canadian media. "I had some former coaches of mine that I'm very close with still that canceled their trips because of the uncertainty. If anybody canceled their trip [to Arizona], I am sorry."

Votto finished the 2012 season batting .337 in 111 games with 14 home runs, 56 RBIs, a league-leading 94 walks and a 1.074 OPS.

Because he did not end the year on the disabled list, the Reds could not have stood in Votto's way if he wanted to play in the Classic. The club was supportive of his choice.

"If he's OK, I am for his decision," Reds manager Dusty Baker said. "He says he's OK. If he's not OK, he's not going to say he's OK. The way I look at it is, Joey is kind of the top man in Canada, as far as baseball is concerned. He's like a national treasure."

Votto also received the thumbs-up from Reds CEO Bob Castellini and general manager Walt Jocketty.

"[Castellini] made it pretty clear he wanted me to play for Canada," Votto said. "Dusty was very supportive. Walt was very supportive. All they wanted to know was whether or not I was healthy and I could handle the load. I have proven that through the games. I intend on doing the best I can to prepare for the season coupled with playing in the tournament."

During the 2009 World Baseball Classic, Votto took part as Canada was eliminated in the first round in games played at Rogers Centre in his hometown of Toronto.

"I would imagine the Canadian baseball people were pretty embarrassed by it," Votto said. "I know I was pretty disappointed. We're playing good competition. We'll do the best you can and if you lose, you turn the page. We only had two games and we were knocked out. I don't care about the past tournament -- it's not going to ignite me one way or the other. I will play hard, try and play well and help the team win."

Dickey to start USA's opener against Mexico

Vogelsong slated to take mound Saturday, followed by Holland on Sunday

By Barry M. Bloom / MLB.com | 3/4/2013 3:16 P.M. ET

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. --

Team USA gathered on Monday at Salt River Fields for its first practice in anticipation of the World Baseball Classic opener on Friday.

And manager Joe Torre said his starting pitching is aligned for the three Pool D games at Chase Field, with Blue Jays knuckleballer R.A. Dickey tabbed to face rival Mexico on Friday at Chase Field (9 p.m. ET, MLB Network and ESPN Deportes). It's the third edition of the Classic, and the U.S. is trying to win it for the first time. Japan was the victor in 2006 and '09.

Later, after the media conference, Torre acknowledged that Giants right-hander Ryan Vogelsong is slated to start Saturday night against Italy, with Rangers left-hander Derek Holland on the mound Sunday vs. Canada and its bevy of left-hander hitters. Nationals lefty Ross Detwiler is also available to face the Canadians. Torre said Gio Gonzalez, another Nationals left-hander, will be not be available this weekend.

"We just told him to stay home," Torre said about Gonzalez, who along with Detwiler and reliever David Hernandez were late adds to the 28-man roster. Gonzalez remained with the Nationals at their camp in Florida while the rest of Team USA put on the red, white and blue uniforms here.

If the U.S. goes on to Miami's Marlins Park next week, Gonzalez will almost certainly pitch early in the second round.

Torre also said that Blue Jays catcher J.P. Arencibia will start on Friday night to handle Dickey. The pair has been working together all winter in Nashville, Tenn., after the Mets traded the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner to Toronto. Joe Mauer of the Twins will be the designated hitter.

By Classic rules, starters can only throw 65 pitches in the first round, 80 in the second round and 95 in the semifinals (March 17-18) or final (March 19) at AT&T Park in San Francisco.

Torre said he was waiting to see how Vogelsong fared in his appearance for the Giants on Monday in Cactus League action against the White Sox before making his start against Italy official. Torre added that Holland would start in an exhibition game on Tuesday against the White Sox at Camelback Ranch, with a bevy of relievers slated to go Wednesday night vs. the Rockies at Salt River Fields.

"Holland will pitch tomorrow in the exhibition game, so you can count on your fingers when he'll be pitching next," Torre said. "We're going to mix and match on Wednesday so people can be ready to throw in the games they're supposed to pitch."

The remainder of the seven starting position players will go as planned, although Torre didn't release a batting order. Around the horn, it's Mark Teixeira of the Yankees at first, Brandon Phillips of the Reds at second, Jimmy Rollins of the Phillies at short, David Wright of the Mets at third, Ryan Braun of the Brewers in left, Adam Jones of the Orioles in center and Giancarlo Stanton of the Marlins in right.

Wright said he's more than ready to play nine innings in each of the tournament games.

"I can't speak for everybody else, but I got down to Spring Training early," said Wright, who along with Braun, Rollins, right fielder Shane Victorino of the Red Sox and reliever Heath Bell of the D-backs, played for the 2009 U.S. team that lost to Japan in the semifinals. "The games I've played, I've tried to play into the sixth or seventh inning each time to kind of speed up [the conditioning] process."

In addition to his starting position players, Torre has an extra catcher in Jonathan Lucroy of the Brewers, Victorino in the outfield, and Willie Bloomquist of the D-backs and Ben Zobrist of the Rays, who can back up at most of the infield and outfield positions. Behind the four starters here, Torre has a deep 10-man bullpen headed by Braves All-Star closer Craig Kimbrel.

Jones said the motivation to leave his team and play in the tournament was simple and illustrated to the players when they had their first meeting on Sunday night.

"This is our homeland," he said. "We're all excited to be here. This is not just an All-Star tournament when we're all going through the motions. For me, part of the meeting last night is that we can be the first USA team to win it. All 28 guys are motivated to do whatever they need to do to win."

To that end, Torre said he has relinquished the day-to-day duties of his regular job as Major League Baseball's executive vice president of baseball operations so he can concentrate on managing the team. Torre retired after 29 years of managing when he left the Dodgers in 2010.

"I made my last phone call today. Tony La Russa's running around town, so he'll [help out] a little bit," Torre said. "My attention is going to be total, 100 percent to the WBC and my new team, which is exciting to me."

Dutch, Aussies clash, eye second-round berth

By Debby Wu / Special to MLB.com | 3/4/2013 3:15 P.M. ET

TAICHUNG, Taiwan --

The Kingdom of the Netherlands will need its sluggers re-energized Tuesday if it wants to overpower Australia in both teams' final game of the first round of the 2013 World Baseball Classic.
In a game that can be seen live on MLB Network and ESPN Deportes on Tuesday at 12:30 p.m. local time (11:30 p.m. ET on Monday night), the Dutch would advance to the second round with a victory and a Korean loss, while Australia could keep its hopes of advancing alive with a win.

Chinese Taipei has emerged as the Pool B favorite after securing two consecutive wins with its overpowering lineup in the first round. The Netherlands and Korea are both trailing behind with one win each.

The two teams with the most wins will go to the next round, but it remains unclear which two teams in Pool B will advance. If at the end of play in the first round, two or more teams within a pool are tied with an identical winning percentage, the tie will be broken based on head-to-head records or by ranking each team's Team Quality Balance (TQB).

TQB is the sum of runs scored divided by the number of innings played on offense, minus the number of runs allowed, divided by the number of innings played on defense. For purposes of determining TQB, only the scores from the games between the tied teams are to be used in the calculation.

The Kingdom of the Netherlands lost, 8-3, to Chinese Taipei on Sunday. The Dutch squad was unable to hold on after taking an early three-run lead, thanks in part to a two-run double by Dashenko Ricardo of the San Francisco Giants organization.

However, Ricardo's double was the only hit by the Netherlands -- a sharp contrast to its productive offense in a 5-0 upset win a day earlier over group favorite Korea.

Nationals outfielder Roger Bernadina stood out against Korea, contributing two RBIs.

The Dutch squad's loaded lineup -- which also includes Braves shortstop Andrelton Simmons, former All-Star outfielder Andruw Jones and Tokyo Yakult Swallows slugger Wladimir Balentien -- could rebound against relatively inexperienced Australian pitchers.

Dutch manager Hensley Meulens said the upcoming game against Australia would not be easy.

"They are going to give us a battle. We have to play a good game again," he said. "They have some good arms in the bullpen, pitching wise. They have some guys [who] hit balls for power. We are going to have to pitch well again like we did [against Korea], and score runs."

Meanwhile, Australia faces tough challenges against experienced Dutch sluggers. The Aussies lost, 4-1, in Saturday's game against Chinese Taipei. Tigers farmhand Chris Oxspring started and was mainly responsible for the loss, giving up five hits and three runs in 2 2/3 innings. Pirates Minor Leaguer Stefan Welch clubbed a solo homer in the seventh for Australia's lone tally.

The Australian squad suffered a 6-0 defeat against Korea on Monday. Starter Ryan Searle of the Cubs organization was unable to suppress Korea's lineup.

The Koreans led early, scoring three runs in the first, highlighted by a two-run single from Hyun-Soo Kim of Korea's Doosan Bears. Ah-Seop Son added an RBI in the inning on a groundout. Searle gave up another earned run in second.

Australian skipper Jon Deeble said despite two consecutive losses, his team will strive to win the game against the Netherlands.

"We've got to score a lot of runs and not let the opposition have any. It's simple as that," Deeble said.

The Aussies, who unexpectedly snatched the silver medal in the 2004 Athens Olympics under Deeble's guidance, are reckoned as the underdogs in the pool as they are the lowest ranked among the four teams. Australia was eliminated in the first round of the two previous Classic tournaments.

Schoop, Netherlands aim high

O's prospect hopes team can repeat World Cup success

By Jonathan Raymond / Special to MLB.com03/04/2013 10:35 AM ET

Jonathan Schoop, born and raised on the Dutch island of Curacao, has a lot of family in Holland, but before last year, he'd never been to Europe to visit them.

The impetus for his journey was a result of probably the most important victory in Dutch baseball history, the one that ushered in the Kingdom of the Netherlands as a player in international baseball, one that gives them credibility as a sleeper in this year's World Baseball Classic.

Schoop was a part of the gold medal-winning 2011 Baseball World Cup squad in Panama. The tournament, run by the International Baseball Federation (IBAF), can sometimes be a mixed bag -- the U.S. team, for instance, was without any Major League stars.

Still, the Netherlands went 11-1 overall during the tournament, beating the likes of Venezuela, Panama and, yes, the United States.

The most impressive victory, however, came in the final, a 2-1 nailbiter against Cuba, an international powerhouse that brings it's A-team to nearly every international tournament. Schoop figured rather importantly in that game, driving in the second run of a two-run fourth that proved to be the decisive tally.

In the process, he earned his first trip to Europe. "I went to Europe twice last year," Schoop said. "It's cold out there, but it's nice. I have a big family that lives there, in Rotterdam. It was the first time I had ever been there because they asked us to come for the ceremony, because we won it all in Panama."

If the Baseball World Cup was the first step toward international legitimacy for the Kingdom of the Netherlands, than surely a strong showing in the World Baseball Classic would consolidate those gains. Schoop admitted that his team is viewing this year's tournament as a big chance to take the development and exposure of the Dutch game to another level, four years after the Netherlands twice defeated the Dominican Republic in the 2009 World Baseball Classic before falling in the second group stage.

"For me right now, it's big. We look forward to this cause every time we play in this tournament we do a pretty good job," he said. "And then the scouts go to Curacao and Aruba and see those guys and see if we can't get more guys in the USA to play baseball."

The World Cup team even drew some fans to Panama, a development that wowed Schoop.

"Those fans are great. In Panama, we didn't know where they came from, but a lot of Netherlands fans were out there cheering for us. It was real nice."
For about a generation now, baseball has been the sport of choice in the Dutch Antilles. The ABC islands -- Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao -- situated off the coast of Venezuela have been the hotbed of Dutch growth in the sport.

"Everyone wants to play baseball in Curacao -- they look up to Andruw Jones," said Schoop. "Every kid wants to go to the Little League World Series, every kid wants to be a pro one day and make it to the big leagues.

"The thing I can remember back then [playing as a kid] was that it was a lot of fun. You go to the field, practice, play, stay out there for a game after practice, just stay all day at the field. It was just baseball, the best thing to remember."

The current generation of potential Dutch stars, including the likes of Schoop, the Braves' Andrelton Simmons and the Red Sox's Xander Bogaerts have followed the trail that Andruw Jones -- practically a national hero -- blazed.

"You play with Wladimir Balentein, Andruw Jones -- you've seen them play since you were a kid and now you're playing with them. It's awesome. Like a guy you've seen since you were a kid and look up to, now playing as a teammate -- I can't explain it."

Schoop, the Orioles' fourth-ranked prospect by MLB.com, is one of the key players for the Netherlands. He's manned second base and hit in the two-hole in each of the first two Pool A games for the Dutch, a 5-0 win over Korea and an 8-3 loss to Chinese Taipei.

The 21-year-old from Willemstad has been a quick advancer in the Baltimore system, moving from the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League in 2010 to Double-A Bowie, where he played 124 games with the Baysox last season.

Despite his youth, Schoop managed to hold his own in the Eastern League, hitting .245/.324/.386 with 14 homers, 24 doubles and 56 RBIs. The year before, split between Class A Delmarva and Class A Advanced Frederick, he hit .290/.349/.432 as a 19-year-old.

Perhaps one of his most impressive showings came following the 2012 season, when he batted .270/.446/.429 in 21 games with the Mesa Solar Sox in the Arizona Fall League.

The Kingdom of the Netherlands will play its final Pool A game Monday night at 11:30 p.m. ET, against Australia, and a victory will likely send them to the second round of the tournament in Tokyo. The mission, according to Schoop, is to advance at least as far as the World Baseball Classic Semifinals.

"We have a good team, and I think we can get pretty, pretty far. The team is coming along good. We've played since we were kids, and now we're together here. It's been good -- we're playing the game the right way.

"It's a business still. We're serious. We've got good veterans, good young guys, it's a good mix. The goal is for us to go to San Francisco. We'll see what happens."

Whitt sets Canada's rotation for pool play

By Scott Bair / Special to MLB.com | 03/04/2013 6:45 PM ET

Canada thrilled Votto is playing in Classic

Pirates prospect Taillon gets start against US

GOODYEAR, Ariz. --

Team Canada's Ernie Whitt concedes that he must manage more than games in the World Baseball Classic. He must manage pitch count, too.

The opening round has a strict pitch count of 65, but rules also state a player must have four days' rest if he throws 50 or more pitches

With that in mind and an eye on the second round, Whitt is hoping to cap his long-range pitchers at 45.

He's set two "starters" for each pool game before he turns it over to the bullpen. He also tried to put experience in the early games and unknown commodities in the pool play finale against the United States.

Former Major Leaguer Shawn Hill will start Friday's game vs. Italy, with veteran Japanese league pitcher Scott Mathieson to follow. Pittsburgh Pirates righty Chris Leroux will start Saturday against Mexico and be followed by Minnesota Minor Leaguer Andrew Albers. Jameson Taillon, drafted No. 2 overall in 2010, will start Sunday against the United States and be followed by Padres Minor League prospect Mark Hardy.

"We have a good staff set up," Whitt said. "Each can throw 45 without issue, and hopefully that gets us to the late innings where the bullpen can finish the job.
Pirates prospect Taillon gets start against US

GOODYEAR, Ariz. --

Jameson Taillon was born and raised in the United States. He's played for U.S. junior national teams and was drafted No. 2 overall by Pittsburgh out of Woodland Hills High (Texas) in 2010.

On Sunday, he'll start against the team he's always played for.

Taillon has dual citizenship in the U.S. and Canada, where his entire family is from and his father now lives. That's what allows him to hurl 100-mph fastballs at the Americans in the World Baseball Classic.

Taillon has strong Canadian ties, and he was excited at the opportunity to pitch on such a big stage.

Never having pitched above Double-A, Taillon hopes that mystery will play to his advantage against some of the world's best hitters.

"It definitely can't hurt," he said. "I'm a younger guy; I haven't made my Major League debut yet. That's how I'm approaching it -- nothing to lose, I know if I make my pitches, I've got the stuff that I feel can get anyone in the world out."

Netherlands tops Australia to advance in Classic

By Debby Wu / Special to MLB.com | 3/5/2013 10:38 A.M. ET

TAICHUNG, Taiwan --

Baltimore Orioles prospect Jonathan Schoop clubbed a two-run homer Tuesday to lead the Kingdom of the Netherlands past Australia with a 4-1 victory to earn a spot in the second round of the 2013 World Baseball Classic in Tokyo.

Chinese Taipei, who won the tiebreaker with Korea despite a loss on Tuesday, will join the Dutch as Pool B representatives in the next round. Cuba and Japan will also play in Tokyo.

The Netherlands scored early in the game but also missed several opportunities to score more runs, including in the bottom of first, when Andrelton Simmons doubled to left, and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Schoop. Washington Nationals outfielder Roger Bernadina then singled to right on a breaking ball from Australian starter Dushan Ruzic. Former Atlanta Braves All-Star outfielder Andruw Jones' single to right put runners on first and third after two out, but the Netherlands were unable to add more runs when Red Sox prospect Xander Bogaerts grounded out.

Already leading 1-0, The Netherlands extended its lead in the bottom of second when Curt Smith led off with a single to center, followed by a single from Dashenko Ricardo. They advanced to second and third on a throwing error, and Smith scored after Simmons grounded out. Then Schoop launched a two-run homer to left.

Ruzic was replaced by Chris Oxspring in the bottom of third, and he pitched out of a jam, getting Ricardo to ground into an inning-ending double play with the bases loaded.

Oxspring tossed five innings of shutout ball and gave up just one hit in relief, before Andrew Russell took over in the eighth. Russell tossed a scoreless inning. Left fielder Randolph Oduber helped back the Dutch pitchers with stellar defensive play, including a diving catch on a ball hit by Luke Hughes in the sixth.

Dutch starter Robbie Cordesmans had three 1-2-3 innings in five frames, and only two hits while striking out three.

The Aussies got on the board in the top of seventh when Brad Harman's single drove in Stefan Welch, who had doubled. Australia didn't gain any more ground, as Dutch reliever Leon Boyd struck out Chris Snelling, leaving runners on first and second to end the inning.

The Dutch started to look vulnerable in top of ninth after Mike Walker and Corey Adamson singled and a sharp fly ball to left from Harman made it seem that Aussies might have the opportunity to tie the game. But Oduber caught the ball to end Australia's hopes.

The win went to Cordesmans, while Ruzic was tagged with the loss.

The Dutch squad began the first round with a 5-0 upset over group favorite Korea, but the team underwhelmed in its 8-3 loss against Chinese Taipei producing only a single hit.

Among the Dutch hitters, Jones led his teammates by batting .429 in three games, while Bernadina contributed the most RBIs with three.

Dutch manager Hensley Meulens attributed the win significantly to strong pitching.

"Robbie pitched a great game. Five innings and no runs. That was the key to our win today," Meulens said. "The guys scored early to give him a bit of breathing room. The rest of the bullpen did a good job [too]."

[The Netherlands have an awesome defense featuring top prospects Xander Bogaerts (3B Red Sox), Andrelton Simmons (SS Braves) and Jonathan Schoop (2B Orioles). If you haven't seen these guys play yet, i would highly recommend watching them. The are very good. Nice win today as Team Netherlands advances.]

Chang helps China stun Brazil, earn '17 berth

By Jason Coskrey / Special to MLB.com | 3/5/2013 8:17 A.M. ET

FUKUOKA, Japan --

If baseball ever evolves into a major sport in China, the nation's future ballplayers won't ever stop telling stories about Ray Chang.

Chang was the hero of China's first World Baseball Classic win back in 2009, and he delivered an encore performance in China's final game in the 2013 Classic with a go-ahead, two-run single in the bottom of the eighth inning that propelled the Chinese to a 5-2 win over Brazil on Tuesday at Fukuoka's Yafuoku Dome.

"Everybody on our team deserved to be up here," Chang said during the postgame news conference. "Everybody has a role in this game, and everybody did their job. Starting pitcher Bu Tao did one heck of a job, and [so did] all of the relievers."

The victory gives China an automatic berth in the 2017 Classic. Brazil will be forced to go through the qualifying process, the same route it took to the Classic this year.

"It's just a great feeling," China manager John McLaren said. "I've worked with these kids since September in 2011, and just how far we've come is incredible. [Past China managers] Jim Lefebvre and Terry Collins started this, with the help of Bruce Hurst, Art Howe and our Chinese coaches. It's been a nice ride. I congratulated the team, and I told them to go home and tell everybody in China what a great feeling it is to play baseball and spread the word."

Brazil couldn't hang on to an eighth-inning lead in a loss to Japan in its first game, and the eighth haunted the Brazilians again in their final game.

"That eighth inning, we had a two-run lead," Brazil manager Barry Larkin said. "Should've been much more than a two-run lead. We obviously are disappointed in the result of the game. I think we could've done a better job of execution today. But certainly in the eighth inning we completely fell apart."

Brazil jumped out to an early lead on a second-inning RBI single off the bat of Juan Carlos Ruiz, and went ahead 2-0 on an RBI groundout by Diego Franca in the seventh.

China's Weiqiang Meng singled to begin the eighth, with his team trailing 2-0. The next batter, Yangyong Yang, struck out, but Xiao Cui and Xu An drew walks to load the bases.

Lei Li drew a bases loaded walk which made the score 2-1, then Chang hit a single that scored two and gave China a 3-2 lead.

"No doubt, that was the biggest hit of my life," Chang said. "I've played seven or eight years of professional baseball. I've had some clutch hits in my career, but nothing like this. This is not just for a Single-A, Double-A team. This is for an entire country."

Brazil finally got another out when Fujiya Chu hit into a fielder's choice. The bases were loaded again when Wei Wang was hit with a pitch, and Zhenhong Lu and Meng drew consecutive walks to make the score 5-2.

"We were a different baseball team in the eighth inning," McLaren said. "I've never seen enthusiasm in the dugout like that. There was cheerleading, there were chants going on, and the guys, they stepped up. They did things that we really don't do that well, and they did them well."

Brazil, on the other hand, couldn't do anything right in the eighth, walking five and hitting a batter.

"Pitching just fell apart, and that happens," Larkin said. "But earlier in the ballgame, we had opportunities to lessen to load on our pitchers and get a more substantial lead, but we just didn't do that."

Chang was at the center of a Chinese celebration for the second straight Classic. He fueled China's first-ever Classic victory, a 4-1 win over Chinese Taipei in 2009, by homering and driving in two runs.

Chang, wasn't ready to say which win was bigger, but made sure to mention they were "team wins."

"They both were big games for the country," Chang said. You can't really say one was bigger than the other. This was just now. It seems a lot bigger now, just because it's in the moment."

Jiangang Lu allowed a hit and struck out two in 2 2/3 scoreless innings to earn the win in relief.

McLaren said prior to the game he'd worked throughout the tournament to line his pitching for the game against Brazil. His efforts were rewarded with solid outings by starter Bu, Lu and Qingyuan Meng.

"I think it's always extra special when you have a game plan and the game plan actually works its way through all the way," McLaren said.

Bu kept China in the game early with five innings of one-run ball, striking out two and allowing a pair of hits.

"He did a marvelous job for us," McLaren said. "To be honest, he wasn't the original starter. He was originally going to start against Japan. We made some adjustments. We thought he was better suited to handle this game, and he did.

Murilo Gouvea was charged with the loss after allowing three earned runs in 3 1/3 innings on the mound.

The win means China moves forward with its spot in the 2017 Classic assured and Chang is hoping to be apart of another win a few years down the line.

"I hope they ask me back," he said. "I would be honored and blessed to play for team China once again."

He probably doesn't have anything to worry about.

"Ray, I'm sure you're going to be on the team, you've won the last two," McLaren joked. "I don't know about me, but I'm pretty sure you're a lock."

[ Huge upset!!! One day after getting slaughtered by the Cubans, the Chinese team showed their nads and came out a winner. With teenagers and a bunch of players under 25, this team rewarded McLaren with a win for all the hard work he's put into this country's baseball program. You just have to admire what John McLaren and Bruce Hurst have done for the Chinese baseball program. It doesn't get much better than this. ]

Hamels off his game against Dominican squad

By Todd Zolecki / MLB.com | 3/5/2013 4:05 P.M. ET

CLEARWATER, Fla. --

This Dominican Republic team looks like it can hit.

It pounced on Cole Hamels in Tuesday's 15-2 victory over the Phillies in a warmup for the World Baseball Classic at Bright House Field. The Dominicans picked up 12 hits and scored eight runs in 2 2/3 innings against Hamels, and they collected 28 hits in all.

"Thank goodness it doesn't count now," Hamels said.

The damage started in the second, when Hamels allowed four runs to hand the Dominican Republic a 4-0 lead. Hamels allowed a leadoff double to Hanley Ramirez before Miguel Tejada, Carlos Santana and Ricardo Nanita hit consecutive singles. Hamels retired Alejandro De Aza and Jose Reyes for two outs, but Robinson Cano and Edwin Encarnacion hit back-to-back singles to plate a couple of more runs.

Hamels finally struck out Nelson Cruz to end the inning, but not before everybody in the lineup had batted. Hamels allowed four more runs before being pulled in the third.

Phillies designated hitter Laynce Nix hit a solo home run to right field in the second.

Phillies up next: Right-hander Roy Halladay will pitch against the Nationals at 1:05 p.m. ET on Wednesday at Bright House Field in a game that will air on MLB.TV. Halladay is making his third Grapefruit League start as he attempts to fine-tune a few things and rebound from a disappointing 2012 season.

Team Venezuela mourns President Chavez's death

By Matthew Leach / MLB.com | 3/5/2013 9:59 P.M. ET

JUPITER, Fla. --

About three hours prior to the Venezuelan national team's exhibition game against the Miami Marlins, some much bigger news than baseball emerged from its home country. Hugo Chavez, president of the South American nation, died on Tuesday afternoon at 58.

The pregame warmups and game went on as scheduled. The Venezuelan flag flying beyond the left-field wall at Roger Dean Stadium was briefly at half-staff during batting practice.

Chavez, who had ruled Venezuela since 1999, had long battled cancer.

"He was a man of baseball," said Venezuela manager Luis Sojo before the game. "He was always aware of the team and who was on it. He was the first call I got in the morning during the [World Baseball Classic] tournaments in 2006 and 2009. He lived for baseball.

"It's always sad when someone dies. He was a human being, a president, a man who battled a lot for his life. He asked his family for peace. We're in a tough situation in our country right now. God has [Chavez] now."

Hector Rodriguez, the minister of sports in Venezuela, passed along a message for the team before it faced the Marlins. Rodriguez requested that Venezuelan players "concentrate on sports and leave the political stuff out," according to a representative of the team.

Venezuela begins Pool C play on Thursday against the Dominican Republic in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Korea wins game, but Chinese Taipei advances

By Debby Wu / Special to MLB.com | 3/5/2013 2:54 P.M. ET

TAICHUNG, Taiwan --

Korea defeated Chinese Taipei, 3-2, in a hotly contested first-round game, but its journey in the 2013 World Baseball Classic ended after it lost a tiebreaker. Chinese Taipei and the Kingdom of the Netherlands will now go on to play in the second round in Tokyo.

Chinese Taipei, the Netherlands and Korea were tied with two wins each after Tuesday's games in Pool B in Taichung. According to the official rule, the tie is broken based on head-to-head records or by ranking each team's Team Quality Balance (TQB). Based on TQB, Chinese Taipei emerged as the group leader, with the Netherlands taking second place.

TQB is the sum of runs scored divided by the number of innings played on offense, minus the number of runs allowed, divided by the number of innings played on defense. For purposes of determining TQB, only the scores from the games between the tied teams are to be used in the calculation.

It was a surprise that Korea, which reached the semifinal in the first Classic in 2006 and claimed second place in the 2009 event, did not qualify for the second round.

Chinese Taipei scored one run in both the third and fourth innings, then the game remained 2-0 in Taipei's favor until the eighth, when Korea overturned the game with three runs, including a two-run homer.

In the bottom of the eighth, former Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Hung-Chih Kuo took over on the mound for Chinese Taipei. Kuo allowed a ground-rule double to Seung Yuop Lee.

Kuo seemed to have the situation under control after striking out Hyun-Soo Kim and inducing a lineout by Jun-Woo Jeon, but Jung-Ho Kang clubbed a two-run homer to put Korea up for good.

Korea needed to win by five runs or more against Chinese Taipei to advance, but was unable to do so. Since it was ahead, it forfeited its turn at bat in the ninth inning.

For Chinese Taipei, its two runs came about on superior baserunning and hitting by Dai-Kang Yang of Japan's Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters.

Yang led off the third inning with a single. Two outs later, Chih-Sheng Lin singled on a line drive to center. Jeon fumbled the ball, allowing the speedy Yang to score from first.

Yang was also the driving force behind Chinese Taipei's run in the fourth inning. Yen-Wen Kuo hit a two-out double to right field, then Yang singled him home.

In this tight contest, both sides missed some good opportunities to score.

In the top of the second, Korean starter Woo-Jun Chang walked Chinese Taipei's Szu-Chi Chou to open the inning. After a flyout, Chien-Ming Chang singled on a line drive to third, pushing Chou to second. However, Korea induced a flyout and a groundout to leave the game scoreless.

In the bottom of the third, Korea was unable to exploit shaky pitching by Taiwanese starter Yao-Hsun Yang. After two outs, Yang hit Yong-Kyu Lee with a pitch and walked Keun-Woo Jeong. After sustaining a minor finger injury, Yang then was replaced by Ching-Ming Wang, who got Seung-Yuop Lee to pop out to end the inning.

Korea similarly missed a chance in the fourth inning. After one out, Kim and Jeon hit consecutive singles. After a groundout, Min-Ho Kang walked to load the bases with two outs. But pinch-hitter Tae-Kyun Kim flied out to end the frame.

The strong defense of Taiwanese catcher Kao helped prevent Korea from scoring in the fifth. Jeong reached first on a fielding error, then attempted to score on a two-out single to center from Dae-Ho Lee. Center fielder Che-Hsuan Lin got the ball to second baseman Yen-Wen Kuo, who relayed it home, and Kao blocked the plate successfully.

The victory went to Korean reliever Won-Sam Jang, while Hung-Chih Kuo took the loss in front of a sellout crowd of 23,431.

Chinese Taipei began the first round by topping Australia, 4-1, and then conquered the Netherlands, 8-3, while allowing just a single hit.

Dai-Kang Yang was named Most Valuable Player of the first round. In addition to his outstanding performance against Korea, he scored the first run for Chinese Taipei against Australia and ripped a two-run homer against the Netherlands.

Chinese Taipei manager Chang-Heng Hsieh showed appreciation for his team moving on, but he acknowledged imperfections in the loss against Korea.

"Our players have worked hard to give their best in the three games in the first round," Hsieh said. "I would like to thank my team and hope that we will continue to perform well next."

"However, there are some regrets after tonight's game," he added. "Korea is a tough opponent … we have not done well against them in recent years. We will continue to improve ourselves, and hopefully one day we can surpass other strong teams in international competitions."

On the other hand, Korea tripped in the first game of the tournament, when it was blanked, 5-0, by the Dutch squad. It recovered somewhat when it toppled Australia, 6-0, but its power hitters began to get going too late against Taipei.

Korean manager Joong-Il Ryu apologized to fans for the team's failure.

"I am very disappointed by the outcome," Ryu said. "We reached the semifinal in the first Classic and final in the second, yet this time, we could not make it through the first round. I would like to say sorry to the Korean fans for the poor result."

Earlier Tuesday, the Netherlands secured a spot in the second round with a 4-1 win over Australia.

Chinese Taipei and the Netherlands will play in a group against Japan and Cuba in Tokyo, with games beginning on Friday.