Junior left-hander Luka Koja is the reigning Far East D-I tournament MVP and best pitcher and returns to headline defending champion Kubasaki's pitching staff. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
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KADENA AIR BASE, Okinawa – Talk to any number of coaches of teams playing in next week’s Far East baseball tournaments and they agree that no one team is head and shoulders above the rest.
“It’s up in the air,” said coach Aaron Fisk of defending D-I champion Kubasaki, who might have been speaking for himself and defending D-II champion Zama as well. “It’s anybody’s to win or lose.”
One thing that remains the same: Every pitcher is limited to 125 pitches over three days of play.
One new aspect introduced this year: The D-I and D-II tournaments are spread over four days. Organizers say Wednesday, on which no games are scheduled in either tournament, serves as a combined day of rest and a possible makeup day if games get rained out Monday or Tuesday.
“Pitchers get to reset” on the Wednesday day off, Fisk said. “You still have only 125 for each pitcher in the tournament, but they each get to rest.”
The extra day could, theoretically, allow a pitcher to throw more pitches on the final day if they throw few enough on the first or second day to remain under the total limit of 125. Rules allow pitchers to gradually throw more pitches on a single day depending on how much rest they’ve had.
Managing pitching is so important that most teams have developed more options besides the player considered the team’s staff ace, coaches say.
“Our record isn’t what it was last year,” said coach Dirk Schmiedel of Zama, which was 18-3 last year, but 10-6 this season. “It’s because I’ve been trying to develop as many pitchers as possible.” Schmiedel has used 10 on the mound this season.
The tournaments mirror each other in terms of format. Each has six teams split into pools of three each, with one day of pool play followed by two days of elimination games. The D-I final is slated for 1 p.m. and the D-II final 3 p.m. Thursday.
If E.J. King senior Colin Schrader is on, "he can be tough to beat," said coach Dirk Schmiedel of defending Far East D-II champion Zama. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Though young, Hiyoshi Oliver and Matthew C. Perry have underclassmen who are not new to baseball and "have improved" much since last year, coach Dirk Schmiedel of defending D-II champion Zama said. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Former Robert D. Edgren Eagle Hajime Reed transferred to Kadena and now bolsters the Panthers' pitching staff. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Lukas Gaines is one of two All-Tournament players returning for defending D-I tournament champion Kubasaki. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Right-hander Josh Low pitches for an Osan team that has not faced any of its D-II opponents from Japan entering the Far East tournaments. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
The lone DODEA opposition this season for left-hander Tim Davidson and Osan was Division I foe Humphreys. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Schmiedel says he agrees with Fisk on how any one team can rise up and capture the banner. “I don’t think any one team stands out,” he said.
Kubasaki (9-7-1) has already faced four of the six teams in the D-I field, losing twice at American School In Japan (12-3) and beating St. Mary’s (7-5). But each was a close game, Fisk said.
“I think there’s definitely balance in the tournament field,” Fisk said, adding that performing well on the first day could spell an easier route to the title on the last. Whichever team wins its pool in either tournament doesn’t play until the semifinal.
“If we take care of business and win the pool, we get a bye,” Fisk said, noting that ASIJ is in the pool opposite of Kubasaki. “If we each hold serve, we should meet in the final.”
Kubasaki brings reigning tournament Most Valuable Player and Best Pitcher Luka Koja back, along with fellow All-Tournament selection Lukas Gaines.
Hajime Reed, formerly of D-II Robert D. Edgren, joins Kadena (7-9), which returns right-hander Drew Eaglin. Humphreys (7-5-1) has right-hander Christian Whiting on staff.
Zama’s brother-sister tandem of Kierstyn and Rhino Aumua help give the Trojans a shot at defending the title, but Schmiedel says other teams have made great strides this season and can’t be taken lightly.
E.J. King senior Colin Schrader is “no question” one of the best hurlers in the tournament; “If he’s on his game, he’s tough to beat,” Schmiedel said. Matthew C. Perry, though young, “has improved since last year,” he said.
Reigning D-II MVP Casey Bumpers is Yokota’s do-it-all option. “He’s solid,” Schmiedel said. “Ayden Oh looks better this year. He’ll give you plenty of innings. And Yokota’s bats are much better.”
Schmiedel says he feels it’s between Yokota, Zama and King “with Osan as the big unknown,” since they haven’t played any of the teams in Japan and since Daegu did not field a team this season.
“I think we have the edge in pitching,” Schmiedel said of his 1-2 tandem of Caleb Schmiedel, his son, and Toro McClendon. “But I don’t think any one team stands out.”
