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On Sunday at 7pm local time the long anticipated Premier 12 gets underway with the official opening matchup between Samurai Japan and the last Olympic Gold Medalist South Korea at the Sapporo Dome. One day later the Netherlands take on Chinese Taipei in the Taiwan opener in Taichung. All games will be broadcasted live around the world. You can watch the games on TV, via live stream on YouTube or follow all the action via GameTracker.
The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) created the Premier12, which will celebrate its inaugural edition from November 8 to 21 in Japan and Taiwan. It’s another top level competition in international baseball besides Major League Baseball’s World Baseball Classic and a successor to the Baseball World Cup. The second edition of the Premier12 in 2019 then could serve as Olympic Qualifier for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
But this is in the future. The current tournament is now. The Premier12 reunites the top 12 teams of the Men’s Baseball World Rankings, including World No. 1 Japan, the last World Baseball Classic winner with the Dominican Republic and the last Baseball World Cup winner with the Netherlands. The participating teams get split into two groups during the first round:
- Group A: Canada, Chinese Taipei, Cuba, Italy, Netherlands, Puerto Rico
- Group B: Dominican Republic, Japan, Mexico, South Korea, USA, Venezuela
The top four of each pool will advance to the single-elimination round of quarterfinals, semifinals and finals. The grand opener between Japan and South Korea (at Sapporo Dome), the semifinals, bronze and gold medal games (all four at Tokyo Dome) will be played in Japan. All other first-round games as well as the quarterfinals are hosted by Taiwan at legendary international baseball stadiums in Taichung, Taipei City, Taoyuan and Dou-Liou. Bracket:
The WBSC is going to award a record number of prize money in the tournament. Overall $3.8 million will be spent with the winner receiving a cool $1 million and every team at least going home with $150.000 apiece. At least 50 percent of the prize money is going to the players. Additionally the most points for the Men’s Baseball World Rankings of any international baseball tournament will be handed out.
Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS), TV Asahi (both Japan) and Videoland (Taiwan) will broadcast the 38 games in the competition. Videoland’s coverage in Taiwan is going to be the largest-ever broadcast production of any major sporting event staged in Taiwan’s history. Up to six games per day of the Premier12 will be covered. See broadcast details from around the world.
The outcome of the competitive Premier12 is wide open. MLB players, which are currently on 40-man rosters of their organizations, are not allowed to participate. Still the tournament doesn’t lack any star power. Japan, Cuba, South Korea and the Netherlands are considered favorites, while Chinese Taipei always is a strong card with home field advantage behind its back. Without relying on its MLB stars the United States, Canada, Dominican Republic and Venezuela still bring talented rosters to Asia, hoping the develop into contenders along the way. Puerto Rico, Mexico and Italy are the underdogs in the field, looking to follow the steps of other Cinderella stories in the past.
Japan (World No. 1)
Even though sporting the second best professional baseball league with Nippon Professional Baseball and being in the top four of each baseball tournament at Olympic Games in the past, Japan didn’t fare well on the senior level in international baseball. At the Baseball World Cup they never finished higher as 3rd place. However Samurai Japan turned the corner at the World Baseball Classic, winning the first two events in 2006 and 2009 and finished in 3rd place in 2013. Thanks to a couple of strong finishes at the youth level, Japan has risen to World No. 1 in the Men’s Baseball Rankings. At the Premier12 they get represented by some of the top players in NPB led by Takahiro Norimoto, Kenta Maeda, Shohei Otani, Sho Nakata, Tetsuto Yamada and Yuki Yanagita. Japan beat a MLB All-Star squad a year ago on home soil and split a two-game exhibition series against Team Europe in March and have high expectations ahead of the tournament. They finished off preparations with a two-game exhibition sweep against Puerto Rico in Fukuoka.
USA (World No. 2)
Team USA has been the reigning World Champion in the U12 and U18 categories and was the team, which ended Cuba’s dominance after nine consecutive titles at the Baseball World Cup in 2007 in Taiwan. At World Baseball Classics the United States have reached only once in three editions. At the Premier12 the biggest name on the roster is manager Willie Randolph, a former MLB All-Star with the New York Yankees. With current Major League stars not participating USA Baseball selected a selection of prospects including Zack Segovia, Tyler Pastornicky, Casey Coleman, Gavin Cecchini, Cody Satterwhite and Jake Barrett, who have participated on the international stage before. An interesting addition to the roster is Dan Black of Korea’s KT Wiz. The United States defeated Canada once and tied twice in a three-game set during training camp in Arizona.
Cuba (World No. 3)
National teams from Cuba have been traditionally the top favorite in all international baseball competitions. Between 1950 and 2005 Cuba won the Baseball World Cup 21 times out of 26 tournaments. Since then however Cuba hasn’t been able to dominate the stage as before. Loads of their players have left the island to play in the United States and then are no longer available for their national team due to political reasons. In 2014 Cuba won the U15 Baseball World Cup in Sinaloa, Mexico, their first world title since the 2005 Baseball World Cup. Cuba is bringing its top team to the Premier 12, headed by Yulieski Gourriel, Yosvani Torres and Alfredo Despaigne. Manager is Victor Mesa. Prior to the tournament Cuba split a two-game set against South Korea in Seoul’s new sky dome.
Chinese Taipei (World No. 4)
Playing all first-round and the quarterfinals on home soil in Taiwan, Chinese Taipei could be the dark horse in the race for the first Premier12 title. Playing at home Team CT is always a strong bet to compete for the top positions in the final standings. While they lack a top result on the senior stage since their silver medal at the Baseball World Cup in 1984, Chinese Taipei is a power house on the youth stage. They won the inaugural U12 Baseball World Cup in 2011, finished in third at the U15 Baseball World Cup in 2012, claimed Gold at the U18 Baseball World Cup in 2010 and won the first edition of the U21 Baseball World Cup in 2014. Their players are not well known, but they are all professional baseball players of the Chinese Professional Baseball League and Nippon Professional Baseball. Their biggest stars are probably outfielder Yoh Dai-Kang of the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters and new CPBL single season home run leader Kuo-Hui Kao.
Photo by KNBSB
Netherlands (World No. 5)
Netherlands manager Hensley Meulens emphasized the new comfort level of the Dutch during its recent training camp in Curacao, when he told the press that they won’t just participate in the Premier12, but they enter the tournament to win it. It’s a new step for a European team, which were always considered as underdog. However this has changed since the epic run in 2011, which ended with the Netherlands defeating Cuba in the Baseball World Cup final in Panama City. They confirmed that new standings with a semifinal participation at the 2013 World Baseball Classic. Meulens and his Belgian Bench Coach Steve Janssen selected a mix of Dutch Hoofdklasse players, former Major Leaguers and prospects from the Caribbean Islands of the Netherlands Kingdom. Besides Meulens, who is the current hitting coach of the San Francisco Giants, former MLB All-Star Andruw Jones is the most known name on the roster. Also Wladimir Balentien, who set the NPB single season home run record a couple of years ago, Jair Jurrjens and Shairon Martis have Major League experience on the roster. Additionally Europe’s best pitcher of the past decade, Rob Cordemans, 2011 Baseball World Cup MVP Curt Smith and last year’s best pitcher at the European Championship, Mike Bolsenbroek, headline the team. However the Dutch also have a big-name drop-out, as Rick van den Hurk, who just won the Nippon Series with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks is not playing.
Dominican Republic (World No. 6)
While a lot of Dominican players dominate the headlines day in and day out in Major League Baseball, their national team hasn’t been a top competitor on the international stage. Even with Major League players they didn’t fulfill their expectations at the 2006 and 2009 World Baseball Classic, highlighted by two losses to a young inspiring Dutch team at the 2009 event. However the Dominican Republic got rehabilitated in 2013, when they won the World Baseball Classic and catapulted into the top ten of the Men’s Baseball World Ranking. They won’t have their MLB stars at the Premier12 and therefore mostly rely on Minor League players and former big leaguers. Once again, if they play as a team and reach their potential, they are a tough hurdle for each contender. But if they don’t they could have difficulties of reaching the quarterfinals.
Canada (World No. 7)
While Canada is also missing its top players like Joey Votto or Russell Martin due to their status as MLB player, the Maple Leafs are possessing a tight team spirit. The number seven in the world, have won the past two Pan American Games. Internationally their biggest successes were the bronze medals at the 2009 and 2011 Baseball World Cups and the silver medal at the U18 Baseball World Cup in 2012. Players like Andrew Albers, Philippe Aumont, Scott Richmond or Rene Tosoni have plenty of experience in the unique atmosphere of international baseball. The coaching staff of longtime manager Ernie Whitt features former top players Larry Walker and Paul Quantrill. In training camp in Arizona, Canada lost one and tied two games against the United States.
South Korea (World No. 8)
South Korea is the reigning Olympic Champion, having won the 2008 Beijing Olympics against Cuba. The Korea Baseball Organisation (KBO) is the third highest attended professional baseball league after the MLB and NPB. For the Premier12 they have formed a national team, based solely of professional players active in KBO and NPB. The team is led by two-time KBO MVP Byungho Park, who set a new league record for RBI this year. Rhee Daeeun and Lee Dae Ho, who was named MVP of the recent Nippon Series, are joining the team after a successful season in Japan. Former Major Leaguer Chan Ho Park recently was named special ambassador for the Premier 12. Prior to the tournament the team will open a new dome with a pair of exhibitions against Cuba. South Korea is always a tough draw internationally. Besides winning the Olympics in 2008, they won the Baseball World Cup in 1982 and collected four silver medals between 1986 and 2005. South Korea inaugurated its brandnew dome in Seoul with a split against Cuba.
Puerto Rico (World No. 9)
After a couple of unsuccessful attempts at the international level, Puerto Rico stormed into the finals of the 2013 World Baseball Classic, only losing to the Dominican Republic. It was their biggest triumph since silver medals at the 1973 and 1976 Baseball World Cups. Some of the best players in the history of the game are from Puerto Rico, including Roberto Clemente, Orlando Cepeda or Roberto Alomar. Its current stars like Yadier Molina are not available for the Premier 12. Therefore Puerto Rico’s roster consists mostly of not well-known players from the Minor Leagues and the Island’s professional baseball league. Competing in a tough group, it’s going to be difficult to move past the first round. They lost two close exhibition games against Japan prior to the Premier12
Venezuela (World No. 10)
Venezuela is a country rich of talented baseball players. During the early days of the Baseball World Cup they were a dominant force, collecting three titles and nine medals overall between 1941 and 1969. But since then they didn’t reach the semifinals except for the 2009 World Baseball Classic. Venezuela fared better on the youth level, winning the U15 Baseball World Cup in 2012 and capturing bronze medals at the U12 Baseball World Cup in 2011 and the U15 Baseball World Cup in 2014. Alike all the other teams from the Americas they won’t have their superstars on the team for the Premier 12, but former Major Leaguers Freddy Garcia, Ray Olmedo and Juan Rivera still provide plenty of capability on the team. The team is led by former New York Yankees star Luis Sojo, who is trying to form a tight bond en route to a strong result.
Photo by FIBS
Italy (World No. 11)
Italy, who won the 2010 and 2012 European Championships, and reached the second round of the 2013 World Baseball Classic for a seventh-place finish, are surely an underdog in the competition. Manager Marco Mazzieri had to scramble a little to find a team, as some of the players have work obligations or engagements in the Caribbean Winter Leagues like Alex Liddi, Tiago Da Silva or Giuseppe Mazzanti. Still, the Squadra Azzurri could be an exciting team in the tournament, as up-and-coming players like Alberto Mineo, Alessandro Vaglio, Alex Sambucci or Federico Celli look to get into the headlines. Also on the team is NPB’s Alessandro Maestri and veteran slugger Mario Chiarini. The pitching staff got reinforcements with Regensburg’s Gianny Fracchiolla and St. Louis Cardinals prospect Trey Nielsen.
Mexico (World No. 12)
Mexico was the last team to qualify for the Premier12, beating out Panama for the final spot in the last second at the tournament in late fall of 2014. There were rumors that Mexico isn’t participating until the last second. But in the end all 12 qualified teams are in the tournament. Mexico has been a constant on the international baseball level, organizing lots of events at the youth level. However it hasn’t translated yet in top results in recent years besides a fourth place at the 2011 U16 Baseball World Cup. Similar to Venezuela they had their biggest success between 1941 and 1965 with four silver and a bronze medal at Baseball World Cups. After ranking sixth and eighth at the first two World Baseball Classics, they didn’t reach the second round in 2013 and have to re-qualify against Germany, Czech Republic and Nicaragua next March at the WBC Qualifier in Mexicali.
Video, Graphics courtesy of WBSC, www.wbsc.org