Over here in Japan there’s been a lot of debate and talk and waffling about who will coach the Japanese team at the World Baseball Classic this year.
In reference to the WBC coaching controversy in Japan, Ichiro was quoted as saying that it doesn’t even seem like Japan is serious about fielding their strongest team.
He was also quoted saying that if Japan tries to make the WBC into a chance for “revenge for the Olympics” then we won’t all be on the same page. (Probably referring to the fact that the members of the WBC team and the Olympic team won’t all be the same… including a different coach.)
Japan won the first WBC in 2006 with Sadaharu Oh as the manager. He indicated that he felt Senichi Hoshino, current senior director of the Hanshin Tigers should succeed him.
Hoshino, who coached the Japanese team at the Beijing Olympics, has refused thus far to officially accept or reject the position causing the current state of limbo to which Ichiro refers above. Most insiders think that he is leaning strongly toward refusing the appointment.