Oh Boy! Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy. Ok, so this is a little anticlimactic. I have the greatest respect for Japan and Korea's baseball organizations, and applaud their players for their hardwork. But seriously? This game? AGAIN? What are we going to see that we didn't see last game? Or the game before that. Or the three before that. Or the three from the last WBC.

Well, at least we know the teams are fairly matched. The four previous games were split evenly between the two teams, and in 2006, Korea beat Japan twice, before losing to their rival in the semi-finals.

Game Time: 9:00 PM ET

Probable Pitchers: Hisashi Iwakuma and Jung-Keun Bong. Iwakuma pitched very well in the Pool A seeding game against Korea, but took a 1-0 loss, in part because Korea's pitching, with Bong starting, was marginally better. Bong was fantastic again against Japan in their first Round 2 matchup, giving up 1 run on three hits in 5 1/3 innings. Yu Darvish threw fewer than 30 pitches last night, so he is available to enter the game in relief, and I would expect to see him if Iwakuma gets in trouble, or to close out the game like he did against the US. Suk-Min Yoon and Daisuke Matsuzaka, the semifinal starters, are unavailable for this game, and so is Takahiro Mahara - who threw exactly 30 pitches last night (Were the Japanese rule cards ALSO improperly translated? Jesus christ, WBC people. Get with it.)

Other: Although I mocked Jorge Cantu for calling Korea and Japan the same team, it's true that they have very similar strengths - pitching and defense. (Even Shin-Shoo Choo admits it). I'm sure this game will be very slap-hitty and fundamental-y. With Japan missing Shuichi Murata, I think Korea definitely has the advantage in power potential, but whether it'll show up or not against premium pitching (You'll notice that high-score against Venezuela came against Carlos Silva and Enrique Gonzalez on the mound,) is very much up in the air. I think Japan has the more reliable offense, but as we know, I am real crappy at predicting how games are going to turn out. (Baseball IS a little unpredictable...)

I'm still advocating the 'triple whale' play. I think it could revolutionize the game.

It sounds like a vaguely familar matchup, especially when you consider that both teams are competing for the right to invade korea, that is, meet them in the final game.

Game Time: 8:00 PM ET

Probable Pitchers: Daisuke Matsuzaka v. Roy Oswalt.

More after the cut.

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Game time: 9:00 PM ET

Probable Pitchers: Suk-Min Yoon (Korea) and Carlos Silva (Venezuela)

While Korea's pitching has been superb against many of its Classic foes, we've also seen it collapse against Japan in the first round. Venezuela's lineup is far more fearsome that Japan's, and sports an impressive amount of power. I suspect that if things start to go downhill, they'll fall apart quickly for Korea's young starter. Korea's strength's have always been touted as pitching and defense, so I think that if Yoon can keep it in the park, he could keep the score low. On the other side, Carlos Silva has been good in the classic, but against such hard hitting foes as Italy and the Netherlands. No offense to those squads, but I don't think it would take much for the Koreans to eke out a few runs here and there - a single here, a stolen base there.

Realistically though, I doubt small ball will be enough against Venezuela. I think Venezuela'll keep on hitting, and move on to the final game.

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Not a big day for the WBC, today, with only one seeding game, and most Americans focused on some big college sports event for whatever reason.

Today's Game: Korea v. Japan, 9:00 PM

Ok, so this is the fourth game between Korea and Japan this classic. As it's fairly meaningless, does anyone care anymore? The loser has to play the mighty Venezuelans, but the winner gets an easy berth to the final game against the weak US? Maybe not so much. In any case, the Japanese will have Matsuzaka ready for their semi-final game and instead start Tetsuya Utsumi, against Korea's Won-Sam Jang. Utsumi pitches for the Yomiuri Giants, and has been one of the top pitchers in the Central League of NPB for the last three years. Jang was the KBO's ROY runner-up in 2006, and his overall record in the 2008 Olympics was 12 1/3 innings, 0 ER, 11 K - to be fair, most of that was a complete game shut out against the Netherlands. In any case, while pride is on the line, neither team wants to overkill with the finals coming up. Also, evidently the Koreans claimed PETCO's pitchers moung by planting a flag on it. ..so it's theirs now, right?

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The USA and Korea both earned semifinal berths with a win yesterday. Puerto Rico goes home, and Japan is relegated to the loser's bracket to face Cuba today.

via www.newsday.com

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What does Yu Darvish have that Jung-Keun Bong doesn't?

Well, for one thing, his own persian rose perfume.

via www.darvish-gallery.com

More hotness to come.

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