Ichiro urges Japan to get serious about WBC

His comment may tantamount to MLB interference with NPB also disrespect to his former NPB senior managers/coaches.

Frankly, Ichiro is right but after "2008 Beijing's Summer humiliation" all Japanese baseball system needs WBC Baseball Championship tournament win. But domestic baseball education system, fans and coaches, maybe not ready for the World Championship class "greatest baseball manager" but are we able to demand and only to offer just a good Japanese baseball manager.

I don't think anyone should get serious about the WBC. It's nothing more than a vehicle for jingoistic nationalism, something the world needs less of these days.

How about a "Real World Series" contesting the champion teams from the US, Japan, Korea, the Dominican, Cuba, Taiwan, etc. from 2008? That would be a lot of fun to watch, and the teams would be real "teams", who've been playing together for a whole season, not groups of all-stars thrown together because they happen to have the same colored passports.

ThonTaddeo-probably because the MLB would not get the money for such an event. Worse yet, if they lost, what would happen to the MLB. Maybe if they rigged it to win the first couple years, then maybe they would play ball.

“We have to start out on the right foot if we want to get revenge for Beijing at the WBC,” said Ichiro.

That's it little man, time for you to put on your big boots again on the WBC stage. Personally I'm looking forward to disappointment continuing from Beijing for you and your unrealistic cohorts. We're only interested in the gold medal. You got nothing. And now nobody wants the next manager job. Can you blame them? Small, small crop of leaders are penning a new book "The Japan that can finish second. Or third or fourth."

“We have to start out on the right foot if we want to get revenge for Beijing at the WBC,”

against who? Hoshino? grow up Ichiro.

Maybe Ichiro should care more about the last placed Mariners.