TEAM: USA, Group A #1
WON: Japan, Mexico, Panama, Spain, South Africa, Taiwan
LOST: Italy

LOWDOWN: Top prospects Andy LaRoche .385 (10-for-26) and Evan Longoria .357 (10-for-28) have been as good as advertised but sweet-swinging Delwyn Young’s bat has been a bit sour (4-for-23) for a team with only the fourth best batting mark in Group A. But the best pitching lineup in the tournament – anchored by Jeff Karstens (1-0, 0.00) and Matt Wright (1-0, 1.00) – makes the Americans a dangerous team down the stretch.

OUTLOOK: I still cannot get over the fact that Team USA’s offense has been as inconsistent as the weather in SE Asia this week. While I have no clue as to the intangibles (overconfidence, strike zones, nightlife, scouts, none of the above) involved – this lineup is vulnerable. I don’t think Korea has enough hitting or pitching to win but this is baseball, remember?

TEAM: Korea, Group B #4
WON: Canada, Germany, Thailand, Venezuela
LOST: Australia, Cuba, Netherlands

LOWDOWN: Korea has a pair of good hitters in Ji-Wan Na .462 (12-for-26) and Si-Hyun Son .400 (10-25). The team hit a handsome .307 but has been overmatched against top-caliber pitching. Similar to the Americans, the strength of the Koreans is their pitching staff. Korea is sporting a 2.41 ERA and opened the tourney by blanking Canada and Venezuela. Left-hander Won-Jun Chang (1-0, 0.69) is the ace of the staff with Doo-Sung Hwang (1.80), Seung-Ho Lee (1-1, 2.79), and Jung-Min Lee (1-0, 3.24) all throwing the ball well.

OUTLOOK: This is exactly the wrong type of team that Team USA needs to be facing. If the Americans hit the ball they will waltz to the brink of the title game. But if Korea succeeds in keeping this a low-scoring suspense novel, like their 2-1 loss to the Aussies, ooohh myyy!

PREDICTION: The Hit-or-Bust Americans must be wary of a Korean squad that has not given up many hits or runs in this tourney. Korea should not be able to score many runs – if any at all – against Team USA pitching so half the battle is won. This should be a cake walk but so was Italy and South Africa.

Tags: World Cup