World Baseball Classic: Legionnaires pitcher Jan Tomek puts in a strong performance against hosts Japan.
There he is on the mound. In the middle of the huge and completely sold out Tokyo Dome. Tens of thousands of euphoric Japanese fans in the stands. At his back is Shohei Ohtani, Japan’s unicorn and one of the biggest stars in international baseball. Jan Tomek, Czech pitcher of the Guggenberger Legionnaires, will certainly never forget these moments.
“A dream come true for us”
Tomek couldn’t have wished for a better game for his commitment to the national team. Czech head coach Pavel Chadim summarized the evening aptly: “The game against Japan is a dream come true for us. It’s probably the best moment in my players’ careers,” Chadim said of this very special match at World Baseball Classic 2023.
For Jan Tomek also a game in which he showed a strong performance. Midway through the fourth inning, Tomek came on for Lukas Hlouch. MLB megastar Ohtani had just hit a double including an RBI and immediately placed himself on third base with a steal.
A sacrifice fly gave Jan Tomek his first exit at the World Baseball Classic, but it also caused Ohtani to run. After another flyout, the inning was over. But Tomek went on. He got his strike out at the start of the fifth inning. After a walk, Tomek booked the next exit with a pop-up. A hard ground ball earned Japan a point. Immediately afterwards, inning 5 ended with a flyout and with it Jan Tomek’s use.
Respect for fan favorite Czech Republic
As expected, the Czech team didn’t have a real chance against Japan, losing 2:10 in the end. But that only plays a subordinate role. The Czech Republic lives its baseball fairy tale and has since become a fan favorite at the World Baseball Classic.
At the same time, Jan Tomek and his colleagues have earned the respect of the baseball world. In the first game, the underdog from Europe even managed to win 8:5 against China. That left an impression, as did the performance against Japan. The Czech Republic thus deserved a very special mention. Shohei Ohtani posted a photo of the Czech team on his personal Instagram account with almost 3 million followers. There is only one word to read next to the Czech flag: Respect.
