Japan bows out gracefully after loss to Puerto Rico in WBC

In a sight rarely seen in sports — while their victorious opponents celebrated their World Baseball Classic 3-1 win on the infield of AT&T Park — the players on Team Japan lined up along the third base line, removed their caps and saluted the fans in the stands along with Team Puerto Rico — the same squad that had just defeated them.

After winning the Classic in 2006 and 2009, Japan found itself outside looking in at the WBC Championship Game for the first time.  Puerto Rico will advance to the Classic final, where it will meet the winner of the undefeated Dominican Republic team and the surprising Netherlands.

Although their trademark, fundamentally-sound play, which gave Team Japan two straight titles, was somewhat missing Sunday, the proud tradition of paying respect to their opponents and bowing out gracefully were not.



A missed signal on a double-steal in the eighth cost Japan — with a team filled with Nippon Baseball League players — a late game rally and killed any real chance at a comeback against the surging P.R. team.

It was a hard way for Japan to exit the Classic, but the humbled team did it battling to the end and with a classy farewell.

"In this case, our opponent was really superior, both in pitching and hitting," said manager Koji Yamamoto.  "And so we were cornered in a sense."

Dominican players salsa their way to WBC win

No, that wasn't Victor Cruz you saw in the Dominican Republic dugout yesterday in Miami.  That was the D.R. players who were spotted doing a salsa dance during their  2-0 win over Puerto Rico, in the World Baseball Classic Saturday.  And, as reward for their victorious dancing with the All-Stars, the unbeaten Dominican team will get a 2009 rematch against the Netherlands Monday night.

The Dutch squad is the team that clog danced their way over the Dominicans in the 2009 WBC.  The Dominicans lost twice to the Netherlands in a stunning first-round upset four years ago.

Dominican manager Tony Pena won't let the Dutch Klomperdansing catch Robinson Cano or his other players by surprise this time.

"We're not thinking of the past: we're thinking of the present," said Pena. "They're going to be tough.  We're going to be tough also."




Puerto Rico gets the opportunity to face Japan — the two-time reigning WBC champions — for the first time.

Could we see a salsa and an Odori in that matchup?