Team Japan's Michihiro Ogasawara (L), Ichiro Suzuki (C) and Seiichi Uchikawa celebrate after their team defeated Team Korea in the World Baseball Classic championship game in Los Angeles, California March 23, 2009. REUTERS/Danny Moloshok (UNITED STATES SPORT BASEBALL) 

Team Japan's Hiroyuki Nakajima (6) is congratulated by his team-mates after scoring a run against Team Korea on a hit by Michihiro Ogasawara (not pictured) during the third inning of the World Baseball Classic championship game in Los Angeles, California March 23, 2009. REUTERS/Mike Blake (UNITED STATES SPORT BASEBALL) 

Team Japan's Hiroyuki Nakajima (6) is congratulated by his team-mates after scoring a run against Team Korea on a hit by Michihiro Ogasawara (not pictured) during the third inning of the World Baseball Classic championship game in Los Angeles, California March 23, 2009. REUTERS/Danny Moloshok (UNITED STATES SPORT BASEBALL) 

Team Japan's Michihiro Ogasawara hits an RBI single against Team Korea during the World Baseball Classic championship game in Los Angeles, California March 23, 2009. REUTERS/Fred Greaves (UNITED STATES SPORT BASEBALL) 

Team Japan's Hiroyuki Nakajima (6) is congratulated by his teammates after scoring a run against Team Korea on a hit by Michihiro Ogasawara (not in picture) during the third inning World Baseball Classic championship game in Los Angeles, California, March 23, 2009. REUTERS/Danny Moloshok (UNITED STATES) 

Team Japan's Hiroyuki Nakajima scores behind Team Korea's catcher Park Kyung-oan (R) on a hit by Michihiro Ogasawara (not pictured) during the third inning of the World Baseball Classic championship game in Los Angeles, California March 23, 2009. REUTERS/Mike Blake (UNITED STATES SPORT BASEBALL) 

Team Japan's Michihiro Ogasawara hits an RBI single against Team Korea in the third inning during the World Baseball Classic championship game in Los Angeles, California March 23, 2009. REUTERS/Mike Blake (UNITED STATES SPORT BASEBALL) 

Team Japan's Hiroyuki Nakajima is congratulated by his teammate Seiichi Uchikawa (R) after scoring a run against Team Korea on a hit by Michihiro Ogasawara during the third inning of the World Baseball Classic championship game in Los Angeles, California March 23, 2009. REUTERS/Danny Moloshok (UNITED STATES SPORT BASEBALL) 

Team Japan's Michihiro Ogasawara hits an RBI single against Team Korea in the third inning during the World Baseball Classic championship game in Los Angeles, California March 23, 2009. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson (UNITED STATES SPORT BASEBALL) 

Team Japan's Hiroyuki Nakajima (6) is congratulated by his teammates after scoring a run against Team Korea on a hit by Michihiro Ogasawara (not pictured) during the third inning World Baseball Classic championship game in Los Angeles, California March 23, 2009. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson (UNITED STATES SPORT BASEBALL) 

Team Japan's Hiroyuki Nakajima (6) is congratulated by his team-mates after scoring a run against Team Korea on a hit by Michihiro Ogasawara (not pictured) during the third inning of the World Baseball Classic championship game in Los Angeles, California March 23, 2009. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson (UNITED STATES SPORT BASEBALL) 

Team Japan's Michihiro Ogasawara hits an RBI single against Team Korea in the third inning during the World Baseball Classic championship game in Los Angeles, California, March 23, 2009. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson (UNITED STATES SPORT BASEBALL) 

Team Japan's Munenori Kawasaki is congratulated by teammates Yoshiyuki Kamei (35) and Michihiro Ogasawara (9) after scoring against Team USA in the eighth inning during the semifinals of the World Baseball Classic in Los Angeles, California, March 22, 2009. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson (UNITED STATES SPORT BASEBALL) 

Team Japan's Michihiro Ogasawara celebrates scoring in the fourth inning against Team USA during the semifinal game at the World Baseball Classic in Los Angeles, California March 22, 2009. REUTERS/Danny Moloshok (UNITED STATES SPORT BASEBALL) 

Team Japan's Michihiro Ogasawara (2nd L) is congratulated at the dugout by team-mates after scoring on a sacrifice fly in the fourth inning during their semifinal of the World Baseball Classic against Team USA in Los Angeles, California March 22, 2009. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson (UNITED STATES SPORT BASEBALL) 

Michihiro Ogasawara (9) of Team Japan celebrates with teammates after scoring a run in the fourth inning during the semifinal game against Team USA at the World Baseball Classic in Los Angeles, California March 22, 2009. REUTERS/Mike Blake (UNITED STATES SPORT BASEBALL) 

Michihiro Ogasawara of Team Japan drops a foul ball in the third inning of the semifinal game against Team USA at the World Baseball Classic in Los Angeles, California March 22, 2009. REUTERS/Mike Blake (UNITED STATES SPORT BASEBALL) 

Kyuji Fujikawa (L), Michihiro Ogasawara (C) and Yasuyuki Kataoka of Team Japan celebrate after beating Team Korea during Round 2 of the World Baseball Classic in San Diego, California March 19, 2009. REUTERS/Mike Blake (UNITED STATES SPORT BASEBALL) 

Atsunori Inaba (41) of Team Japan greets team-mate Michihiro Ogasawara (9) at the homeplate after they scored two runs in the eighth inning against Team Korea during Round 2 of the World Baseball Classic in San Diego, California March 19, 2009. REUTERS/Danny Moloshok (UNITED STATES SPORT BASEBALL) 

Team Japan's Atsunori Inaba (R) greets team-mate Michihiro Ogasawara (9) at the homeplate after they scored two runs in the eighth inning against Team Korea during Round 2 of the World Baseball Classic in San Diego, California March 19, 2009. REUTERS/Danny Moloshok (UNITED STATES SPORT BASEBALL) 

Atsunori Inaba (41) and teammate Michihiro Ogasawara of Team Japan celebrate after they scored two runs in the eighth inning against Team Korea during Round 2 of the World Baseball Classic in San Diego, California March 19, 2009. REUTERS/Mike Blake (UNITED STATES SPORT BASEBALL) 

Michihiro Ogasawara of Team Japan hits a RBI single in the eighth inning against Team Korea during Round 2 of the World Baseball Classic in San Diego, California March 19, 2009. REUTERS/Danny Moloshok (UNITED STATES SPORT BASEBALL) 

First baseman Michihiro Ogasawara of Team Japan tosses the ball to the pitcher in the fifth inning of their game against Team Cuba during Round 2 of the World Baseball Classic in San Diego, California March 18, 2009. REUTERS/Mike Blake (UNITED STATES SPORT BASEBALL) 

Yoennis Cespedes of Team Cuba commits a two run error in the fourth inning on a fly ball hit by Team Japan's Michihiro Ogasawara during Round 2 of the World Baseball Classic in San Diego, California March 18, 2009. REUTERS/Mike Blake (UNITED STATES SPORT BASEBALL) 

Michihiro Ogasawara of Team Japan watches his fly ball that scored two runs after an error by Cuban centerfielder Yoennis Cespedes during Round 2 of the World Baseball Classic in San Diego, California March 18, 2009. REUTERS/Danny Moloshok (UNITED STATES SPORT BASEBALL) 

Team Japan's Michihiro Ogasawara strikes out in the eighth inning against Team Korea during Round 2 of the World Baseball Classic in San Diego, California, March 17, 2009. REUTERS/Mike Blake (UNITED STATES SPORT BASEBALL) 

Team Japan's Munenori Kawasaki (R) is congratulated by Michihiro Ogasawara after scoring on a base hit by Shuichi Murata in the ninth inning against Team Cuba during Round 2 of the World Baseball Classic in San Diego, California March 15, 2009. REUTERS/Danny Moloshok (UNITED STATES SPORT BASEBALL) 

Team Cuba first baseman Leslie Anderson (56) reacts after tagging out Team Japan runner Michihiro Ogasawara on a pickoff in the second inning during Round 2 of the World Baseball Classic in San Diego, California March 15, 2009. REUTERS/Danny Moloshok (UNITED STATES SPORT BASEBALL) 

Japan's Michihiro Ogasawara doubles during the fourth inning of the spring training baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in Mesa, Arizona March 12, 2009. REUTERS/Rick Scuteri (UNITED STATES SPORT BASEBALL) 

Team Japan's Michihiro Ogasawara singles against the San Francisco Giants in the fifth inning during a spring training baseball game in Scottsdale, Arizona March 11, 2009. REUTERS/Rick Scuteri (UNITED STATES SPORT BASEBALL) 

Japan's Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters' Michihiro Ogasawara (2nd R) celebrates with Michael Nakamura (3rd R) and other team mates after defeating Taiwan's La New Bears to win the Baseball Asia Series 2006 in Tokyo November 12, 2006 REUTERS/Toru Hanai (JAPAN) 

Japan's Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters' Michihiro Ogasawara runs after hitting a two-run double in the ninth inning of their game against South Korea's Samsung Lions at the Baseball Asia Series 2006 in Tokyo November 9, 2006. REUTERS/Toru Hanai (JAPAN) 

South Korea's Samsung Lions' starting pitcher Lim Dong-gyu (top) throws the ball against Japan's Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters' Michihiro Ogasawara in the first inning of their game at the Baseball Asia Series 2006 in Tokyo November 9, 2006. REUTERS/Toru Hanai (JAPAN) 

Team Cuba celebrates a two run home run by Cuban batter Frederich Cepeda (front) as Cepeda runs past Japan's first baseman Michihiro Ogasawara during the eighth inning of their final game in the World Baseball Classic in San Diego, March 20, 2006. REUTERS/Fred Greaves 

Team Japan pitcher Shunsuke Watanabe (C) makes a fielding error as teammate Michihiro Ogasawara runs towards the ball on a hit by Cuban batter Eduardo Paret in the seventh inning of their final game in the World Baseball Classic in San Diego, March 20, 2006. REUTERS/Mike Blake 

Team Japan's Nobuhiko Matsunaka (R) and Toshiaki Imae celebrate after Matsunaka scored on a sacrifice fly by teammate Michihiro Ogasawara in the fifth inning of their final game against team Cuba in the World Baseball Classic in San Diego March 20, 2006. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson 

Japan's Michihiro Ogasawara loses his helmet as he swings at a strike in the first inning of their World Baseball Classic final against Cuba in San Diego March 20, 2006. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson 

South Korean outfielder Jin Young Lee leaps to catch a hit by Japan's Michihiro Ogasawara in the second inning of the World Baseball Classic in San Diego, March 18, 2006. REUTERS/Mike Blake 

Japanese pitcher Shunsuke Watanabe tosses the ball to first baseman Michihiro Ogasawara to out South Korea's Jin Young Lee in the second inning at the World Baseball Classic in Anaheim, California March 15, 2006. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson 

Japan's Michihiro Ogasawara (R) hits a 2RBI single to score Nobuhiko Matsunaka and Akinori Iwamura against Mexico in the fourth inning at the 2006 World Baseball Classic in Anaheim, California March 14, 2006. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson 

Japan's Nobuhiko Matsunaka (R) congratulates teammate Akinori Iwamura (L) after he scored on a two-run single by Japan's Michihiro Ogasawara (not in picture) during the fourth inning against Mexico at the 2006 World Baseball Classic in Anaheim, California March 14, 2006. REUTERS/Chris Pizzello 

Japan's Tomoya Satozaki (R) celebrates with Michihiro Ogasawara after hitting a two-run home run to score them both against Mexico in the fourth inning at the World Baseball Classic in Anaheim, California, March 14, 2006. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson 

Japan's Tomoya Satozaki (R) celebrates with Michihiro Ogasawara (L) after hitting a two-run home run against Mexico in the fourth inning at the 2006 World Baseball Classic in Anaheim, California March 14, 2006. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson 

Japan's Michihiro Ogasawara hits a two-run single during the fourth inning against Mexico at the 2006 World Baseball Classic in Anaheim, California March 14, 2006. REUTERS/Chris Pizzello 

Batter Michihiro Ogasawara (2) of Japan is congratulated after his second inning home run by teammate Tomoya Satozak (22) during play against the Milwaukee Brewers at Maryvale Baseball Park in Phoenix, Arizona, March 10, 2006. REUTERS/Ross D. Franklin 

Japan's Michihiro Ogasawara (R) slides into second base as Canada's Richard Clapp throws to first base to complete the double play, during their bronze medal baseball game at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games August 25, 2004. REUTERS/Arko Datta SN 

Australia's Rodney van Buizen (L) and Brett Tamburrino collide as they field a pop fly hit by Japan's Michihiro Ogasawara during the seventh inning of their semi-final baseball game against Japan at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, August 24, 2004. The ball fell for a double. REUTERS/Ray Stubblebine SN 

Japan's Yoshitomo Tani (L) is forced out at second base as Australia's shortstop Rodney van Buizen throws to first base to complete the double play on a ball hit into the infeld by Japan's Michihiro Ogasawara to end the second inning in their semi-final baseball game at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games August 24, 2004 REUTERS/Ray Stubblebine BPS/DL 

Japan players (L-R) Masahide Kobayashi, Michihiro Ogasawara and Yoshinobu Takahashi celebrate their 6-1 victory over Greece in a preliminary baseball game at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, August 22, 2004. REUTERS/Max Rossi SN/DL 

Japan's Michihiro Ogasawara drives in the game-winning run, on a short fly ball, to beat Taiwan 4-3 in their preliminary baseball game at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, August 21, 2004. Taiwan catcher Yeh Chun-Chang is at left. REUTERS/Tami Chappell BPS/SN/SV 

Japan's Yoshinobu Takahashi (L) and team mate Kazuhiro Wada celebrate after Takahashi scored the game-winning run to beat Taiwan 4-3 in their preliminary baseball game at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, August 21, 2004. Takahashi scored from third base on a sacrifice fly ball hit by Japan's Michihiro Ogasawara. REUTERS/Ray Stubblebine BPS/SV 

Japan's Yoshinobu Takahashi (R) and team mate Kazuhiro Wada celebrate after Takahashi scored the game-winning run to beat Tiawan 4-3 in their preliminary baseball game at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, August 21, 2004. Takahashi scored from third base on a sacrifice fly hit by Japan's Michihiro Ogasawara. REUTERS/Tami Chappell BPS/SN/SV 

Japan's Michihiro Ogasawara hits the game-winning run to beat Taiwan 4-3 in their preliminary baseball game at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, August 21, 2004. The sacrifice fly ball scored the winning run from third base. REUTERS/Ray Stubblebine BPS/SN/SV