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Japan manager Hoshino ready for battle against Australia
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FUKUOKA, Nov. 21 (22:04) Kyodo
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Japanese national team manager Senichi Hoshino promised
Wednesday that his team's two exhibition games against Australia will
be a battle, not a tune-up, before the Dec. 1-3 Asian-zone Beijing
Olympic qualifiers.
''I don't think we should call this two-game series a tune-up.
We are definitely in a battle mode. We'll play our baseball and
win,'' said Hoshino prior to a practice at Yahoo Dome, where Japan
plays its final games on Thursday and Friday before leaving for
Taiwan the following day.
Japan lost to Australia 1-0 in the semifinals of the 2004 Athens
Olympic baseball tournament and is 1-3 in their four meetings over
the past three Olympics.
Hoshino said he will start Chunichi Dragons right-hander Kenshin
Kawakami in Game 1. Left-hander Travis Blackley, who went 0-0 with a
7.27 ERA in two starts for the San Francisco Giants this past season,
is scheduled to start for Australia.
''I expect him (Kawakami) to hold the Australians scoreless,''
Hoshino said. ''I'm sure he will live up to whatever role he takes
(in Taiwan) -- even as a middle reliever. We have a group of players
who will do anything for the team.''
Hoshino also said Nippon Ham Fighters right-hander Yu Darvish,
Japan's probable starter against its biggest rival South Korea on
Dec. 2, will start Game 2. In the Asian qualifiers, Japan, which has
a bye into final round, will also take on Taiwan and the
preliminary-round winner.
Kohei Hasebe, a lefty from Aichi Institute of Technology who was
picked by the Rakuten Eagles in the first round of Monday's draft, is
the only amateur player among 31 finalists to represent Japan in the
upcoming tournament.
However, Hoshino appeared confident Hasebe will be ready when
his turn comes to take the mound.
''There are many pro left-handers among the final candidates, so
he has to really compete. He will pitch in this series.''
The Australian team consists mainly of minor league players. |
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