TOKYO, March 8 (Xinhua) — China supervisor Dean Treanor mentioned right here on Wednesday that because the underdog of the World Baseball Classic (WBC), China shouldn’t be written off earlier than their opener in opposition to host Japan.
“In no way ever, would I ever say that Team China is not ready to take on anybody,” the 75-year-old American mentioned. “We are ready to play. We have been playing very well. We like the challenge at the WBC, not only from Japan but also from South Korea, Australia and the Czech Republic.”
Japan, led by MLB famous person Shohei Ohtani, has been a baseball powerhouse because the early Nineties and gained gold at residence when the game returned to the Olympic Games after being dropped from the Olympic program on the 2012 and 2016 Games.
“This team has practiced and played for two and half months,” Dean mentioned. “They deserve to be here. I am anxious for China to play Japan and other teams. We believe we can win. I believe in this team. I would never ever hold up the white flag and say we have no chance against anybody. I stand by my team, and I stand by my players.”
Treanor mentioned that China will develop as a baseball nation regardless of that taking part in baseball has not been a practice on the earth’s most populous nation.
“We are trying to grow a culture, and I think the players have embraced it. They have embraced me and I’ve said this before, and you know, people look at me like I’m crazy but this team has made me feel Chinese, and I believe I’m Chinese right now, being part of team China.”
China has competed in each WBC because the inaugural match in 2006 however they managed solely two wins in 12 matches. They scored only a single run when the WBC was held in 2017.