Tale of the tape: The stats behind Japan's successful WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup title defence

0 0

04:26

Japan finished the Opening Round of the WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup 2024 with four wins and the awareness of a solid pitching staff. Their earned run average (ERA) was 1.97, less than undefeated Nicaragua (1.00). Still, it was pretty solid, considering Japan had allowed six runs in the first game against Puerto Rico. Japanese hitters had underperformed with a .237 batting average.

What happened in the second round is that Japan's pitching remained consistent with the four games they won in the Opening Round: ERA 1.00, only 10 hits allowed over 21 innings, and above all, only two walks. Their hitting grew to a .260 batting average and a .426 on-base percentage.

Manager Tomoyasu Kawaguchi said after the World Championship Final that he credited a change in the "mental approach" to games.

Samurai Japan competed in the World Championship Final against Puerto Rico. The Boricua were by far the best hitting team in the Opening Round, with a .293 batting average, but they fell to .221 in the Super Round. Thanks to their pitching staff, they advanced to the final. Puerto Rico didn't allow an earned run in the three Super Round games.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kuqXRRvRzQ

"I'm very proud of my players," said manager Juan Gonzalez. The former MLB All-Star believes his players "represented our island and our jersey in the best way possible."

Puerto Rico had their best result in a WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup.

As did third-place Nicaragua. "Our tournament was a rollercoaster," commented Nicaragua manager Anibal Vega.

Nicaragua was indeed excellent in the Opening Round. Their pitchers allowed a 1.00 ERA, and their team batting average was .276. In the Super Round, the Nicaraguan pitchers allowed a 4.33 ERA, and their batting average fell to .169.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbR1Jfg5XD4

Hosts China, participating in the WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup for the first time, finished fourth, which exceeded everybody's expectations. After posting a 2.80 ERA and a .228 batting average in the Opening Round, China fell to a 4.20 ERA in the Super Round. Their hitting remained consistent (.237). China became more aggressive (five stolen bases in three games) and their on-base percentage improved to .333.

Puerto Rico and Japan were also the best defensive teams. They committed three errors through the tournament, while third-place Nicaragua had 10 and fourth-placed China had nine. Puerto Rico's more significant regret will probably be that two of these three errors happened in the World Championship Final's first inning.

Tale of the tape: The stats behind Japan's successful WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup title defence

Read also

Comments

More news:

Read on Sportsweek.org:

Other sports