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Next up, Chiba Lotte?


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I would love to see this happen someday. I don't think the talent is the same, but the gap is slowly narrowing. It would definitely be good for baseball, but the logistics would be a nightmare. Talk about home field advantage when the other team has to cross 8 time zones to play you!

Edited by KansasSoxFan
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QUOTE(Nokona @ Oct 27, 2005 -> 06:15 PM)
I'd have no problem watching the Gooch tear up that league once more.

agreed. The Gooch took these kids to school and back again, why do it twice?

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QUOTE(SoxFan101 @ Oct 27, 2005 -> 06:30 PM)
We could play our "scrubs" and still win  :P

no way in hell. Japan has some good baseball players and while they might not be as flashy they play the game they way it is supposed to be played. Im all for this. It would be cool to see. Wait Is there a possibility we might open in Japan next year? I mean think about it: Iguchi is an icon in Japan and the Sox just won the World Series. I think they do it every other year and the last time they did it was in 04.
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More From Bobby V.:

 

NPB/Japan Series: Valentine calls for true World Series

 

10/27/2005

 

The Asahi Shimbun

 

NISHINOMIYA, Hyogo Prefecture--Bobby Valentine is nothing if not ambitious.

 

The 55-year-old manager of the Chiba Lotte Marines issued a challenge Wednesday to the winner of the World Series: "Let's do battle in a real World Series."

 

Valentine, who on Wednesday became the first foreigner to manage a team to a Japan Series title, says the level of play in Japan has risen to that in North America and the time has come for a best-of-seven series between the Japanese champions and the World Series champions.

 

"I'm not talking about an All-Star game, I'm talking about two battle-proven teams who have played a season and know how to play baseball," Valentine said.

 

"If our owner was to put up a pot of money and challenge the owner of the World Series team, it could happen," he said. `"Hey, I bet you $50million (5.5 billion yen), winner takes all.' I'd even bet my salary against the other manager's salary. And I bet I'm making more than they are."

 

The Marines swept the Tigers in four games to claim their first championship in 31 years. Valentine says his club has what it takes to compete against either of this year's World Series combatants, the Chicago White Sox and the Houston Astros.

 

"(Lotte) is as good a team as I've ever managed," Valentine said. "I don't like to rate the teams I've managed, but it compares very favorably to the teams playing in the World Series.

 

"The White Sox have a little more power than us, but so did Softbank and so did Seibu," he added, referring to the two teams the Marines beat in the Pacific League playoffs.

 

"The only reason I am saying this is because I am the only person to have managed in both the World Series and the Japan Series," Valentine said. "I've watched our guys all year and I've watched the two teams in the World Series on TV and the level is equal. The competition would be great, it's time to do battle."

 

Valentine says there are kinks to be worked out in his plan, but nothing insurmountable.

 

"Travel is an obstacle, but it's not an unsolvable problem," he said. "The worst-case scenario would be to play all the games in Hawaii, because it's almost halfway between Japan and the (continental) United States."

 

Another problem would be the players unions, but Valentine said the money to be made from TV revenues would bring them on board. "They'd make a fortune from the TV, it would be the biggest contract ever," he said.

 

Although he didn't specifically mention the World Baseball Classic, a 16-nation World Cup style tournament to be held in March featuring players from major league baseball and Japan professional baseball, Valentine said a true World Series would be more entertaining than any All-Star game.

 

"If the people making all the big decisions in baseball don't know the difference between All-Star exhibition games and a competition between champions, they shouldn't be in the decision-making process to begin with."

 

--Andrew Mitchell(IHT/Asahi: October 27,2005)

 

http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/...0510270121.html

Edited by KansasSoxFan
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Personally, I think Bobby V is talking out his ass about talent level, but I could be wrong. This ain't gonna happen. The logistics are too difficult to overcome in a short period of time. They might be able to set something up for '06 if the so choose.

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QUOTE(YASNY @ Oct 28, 2005 -> 12:28 AM)
Personally, I think Bobby V is talking out his ass about talent level, but I could be wrong.  This ain't gonna happen.  The logistics are too difficult to overcome in a short period of time.  They might be able to set something up for '06 if the so choose.

 

I think it would take away from the World Series a bit to have them face Japan right after. I think the players would have zero interest in doing it. I think plyaing from February until nearly November means they want and deserve a break. I hate the idea of 18 MORE innings on Buehrle's arm too.

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