The Hanwha Eagles of professional baseball are making headlines for their crushing defeat against a Japanese amateur baseball team.

Hanwha lost 3-9 to the Okinawa team from Japan at the Kochinda Stadium in Okinawa on 1st. Despite posting 11 on-base appearances, including 9 hits, the offense managed only 3 runs, and the defense faltered with 3 errors, leading to a lackluster loss.

What caught attention most was that the opponent that handed Hanwha the defeat was a Japanese amateur baseball team. While amateur baseball in Korea is known to be a recreational club activity for office workers, in Japan it is an entirely different concept.

In Japan, the Korean-style amateur baseball is referred to as "kusayakyu (草野球)". Japanese amateur baseball consists of elite players who have played professionally since their school days. They are hired as regular employees by corporations, receive salaries, and are devoted solely to baseball, similar to the past industrial baseball in Korea.

Corporations operate amateur baseball teams for publicity and image enhancement. Many players seek stability as they can continue working at their corporations even after retiring from baseball, with job security guaranteed. For example, Eneos, one of the prestigious teams in Japanese amateur baseball, offers an average salary of 11.3 million yen (about 110 million won), providing good treatment.

Considering there are nearly 4,000 high school baseball teams in Japan, the level of amateur baseball cannot be low. Many players who are not drafted use the amateur league as a stepping stone for professional advancement. Players who have experienced being released from professional teams also look to make a comeback here. The level of competition is higher than that of independent leagues, and professional teams consistently draft amateur players as immediate valuable assets.

There are also numerous star players originating from amateur baseball. Legendary players like Hideo Nomo, Itoki Iwase, Hiromitsu Ochiai, and Michihiro Ogasawara played in amateur baseball before entering the pros. At the 2006 Doha Asian Games, Hisayoshi Chono, who hit a walk-off three-run homer off Seung-hwan Oh (Samsung Lions), later joined the Yomiuri Giants as a key hitter. Currently, Soseki Genda, the starting shortstop for the Japanese national team, also came from amateur baseball.

Therefore, it is not shocking that KBO league teams lose to Japanese amateur baseball teams during their camps. While the game content may be disappointing, it should not be seen as a disgrace in terms of level. Prior to Hanwha, the Doosan Bears also lost 1-8 to the amateur baseball team Segasami during their camp in Miyazaki, Japan, on 21st of last month. The team was unable to secure a hit until the 7th inning, showcasing the high level of Japanese amateur pitching.

The unpredictable nature of baseball must also be considered. In baseball, there is a 30% chance that the last-place team can beat the first-place team. KBO league teams caught off guard by amateur baseball sometimes also upset Japanese professional teams. Samsung won 5-3 against Chunichi Dragons on 19th of last month, and the Doosan Bears, who lost to the amateur team, achieved a 5-4 comeback victory against the Seibu Lions the next day on 22nd, and also defeated the Orix Buffaloes 10-4 on 1st.

In fact, Hanwha previously won 4-2 in a practice game against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Major League Baseball five years ago. At that time, MLB players, including pitcher Alex Wood, catcher Austin Barnes, and infielder Gavin Lux, participated in the game. However, that year, Hanwha fell to last place amid the shock of an 18-game losing streak. Preseason practice games where full efforts are not exerted are merely practice, and there is no need to place too much significance on the results.

[OSEN = Reporter Lee Sang-hak]