Comments on: Hoshino to Head Japan WBC Team

By: David Watkins

David Watkins — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 10:30:52 +0000

If this rumor proves to be true, it will be all shades of stupid.

By: Keith

Keith — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 08:28:46 +0000

For someone hoping that Japan would field a competitive team for the next WBC, I have to say that I’m sorely disappointed. Nevertheless, Hoshino has his merits. He’s always good for a laugh.

By: Willy Badger

Willy Badger — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 01:29:01 +0000

Seems like a a SHOGANAI ( can’t do anything about it) for Hoshino Kantoku.
Nothing gets done in Japan until the GUZEN (coincidence )gods make it happen.

By: simoncurrie

simoncurrie — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 18:15:41 +0000

Furuta’s free, and he’s familiar with the players. Yeah, I know it’s just a pipe dream, but hey..

By: Garrett DeOrio

Garrett DeOrio — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 15:29:14 +0000

I should have made it clear that I’m still reporting rumor as far as I can verify. I had a couple of people swear up and down to me that they saw an official announcement on Yahoo! News this morning (the 16th), but I haven’t yet seen an actual announcement or article.

I can’t say that Oh or Nomura would give me a whole lot more confidence than Hoshino, but I doubt they’d be any worse. I’d like to see someone from the next generation down get a shot. Considering that the players would almost all be on teams getting ready for the next season, I’m not sure if #1 should be the be-all-and-end-all of the matter. And #2? Wouldn’t any pro manager be pretty familiar with most of the players?

Hoshino might not have known the players all that well, but that doesn’t explain the apparent lack of coherent strategy.

By: westbaystars

westbaystars — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 14:26:33 +0000

I was under the impression that he was just the leading candidate, based on the Nikkan Sports articles this morning (October 17). The qualities they are looking for are basically:

1. Someone who is free – not already getting a team ready for the start of the season, and

2. Someone who is already familiar with the players.

I suppose that you could argue that he didn’t know the players well enough in Beijing to manage them properly.

Katoh-commissioner seems to really want Oh to do the job, as does Nomura-kantoku.

I was kind of surprised to see former Carp Nomura Kenjiro on the pannel. At 42 years old, he’s far and away the youngest member on the committee. Kenjiro’s international experience was being a member of the silver medalist Seoul Olympics team while at Komadai.