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The 2019 WBSC Premier12 was an international baseball championship featuring the 12 highest-ranked national teams in the world, held by the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC). It was the second WBSC Premier12 event. The championship was held from November 2 to 17, 2019, in Mexico, South Korea, Taiwan, and Japan.[1]
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Countries | Japan Mexico South Korea Taiwan |
| Dates | November 2–17 |
| Teams | 12 |
| Final positions | |
| Champions |  Japan (1st title) |
| Runner-up |  South Korea |
| Third place |  Mexico |
| Fourth place |  United States |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Games played | 32 |
| Attendance | 357,525 (11,173 per game) |
| MVP | Seiya Suzuki |
The tournament served as a qualifier for baseball at the 2020 Summer Olympics. Two quota spots were allocated, with Team Mexico as the top finisher from the Americas earning one spot, and Team South Korea as the top-finishing team from the Asia/Oceania region (excluding Team Japan, which already qualified as host) earning the other.[2][3]
Japan defeated South Korea in the championship game, and the bronze medal game was won by Mexico over Team USA.
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| Top 12 Rankings as of December 17, 2018[4] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Team | Points | Confederation |
| 1 | Japan | 5796 | BFA |
| 2 | United States | 5565 | COPABE |
| 3 | South Korea | 4987 | BFA |
| 4 |  Chinese Taipei | 3569 | BFA |
| 5 |  Cuba | 3516 | COPABE |
| 6 | Mexico | 3393 | COPABE |
| 7 |  Australia | 2440 | BCO |
| 8 |  Netherlands | 2421 | CEB |
| 9 |  Venezuela | 2348 | COPABE |
| 10 |  Canada | 2186 | COPABE |
| 11 |  Puerto Rico | 2105 | COPABE |
| 12 |  Dominican Republic | 1920 | COPABE |
The 12 highest-ranked national teams qualified to participate in the 2019 WBSC Premier12, based on the then-most-recent WBSC World Rankings, which were as of December 17, 2018.[5]
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Opening Round
The tournament began with three groups of four teams each playing in the 12-team Opening Round. Each team played three games, in a round robin format against the other three teams in its group.[6]
Super Round
The top two teams from each group then advanced to the six-team Super Round, which was hosted at ZOZO Marine Stadium and the Tokyo Dome in Japan.
In the Super Round, the top two teams that advanced from each of the three groups competed in a round robin format against the top two teams that advanced from the other two groups, for a total of four games played per team.[6]
Finals
Following the conclusion of the Super Round, four teams advanced to the Finals. The four teams were selected based on a combination of the results of the Opening Round game contested between the two teams in the same group that qualified for the Super Round (1 game) and the teams' results in the Super Round (4 games).
The 3rd- and 4th-place teams competed in a Bronze Medal Game, while the 1st- and 2nd-place teams faced each other in the Championship Final at the Tokyo Dome.[7]
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Six stadiums were used during the tournament:
| Group A | Group B | Group B |
|---|---|---|
| Zapopan, Mexico |
 Taichung, Taiwan |
Taoyuan, Taiwan |
| Estadio de Béisbol Charros de Jalisco | Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium | Taoyuan International Baseball Stadium |
| Capacity: 16,000 | Capacity: 20,000 | Capacity: 20,000 |
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| Group C | Super Round | Super Round and Finals |
|---|---|---|
| Seoul, South Korea |
Chiba, Japan |
Tokyo, Japan |
| Gocheok Sky Dome | ZOZO Marine Stadium | Tokyo Dome |
| Capacity: 16,813 | Capacity: 30,000 | Capacity: 46,000 |
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Group A
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | RF | RA | RD | PCT | GB | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mexico (H) |
3 | 3 | 0 | 24 | 5 | +19 | 1.000 | — | Advance to Super Round |
| 2 | United States |
3 | 2 | 1 | 21 | 16 | +5 | .667 | 1 | |
| 3 | Dominican Republic |
3 | 1 | 2 | 23 | 20 | +3 | .333 | 2 | |
| 4 | Netherlands |
3 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 33 | −27 | .000 | 3 |
| Date | Local time | Road team | Score | Home team | Inn. | Venue | Game duration | Attendance | Boxscore |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 2 | 12:00 | Netherlands |
0 – 9 | United States |
Estadio Charros de Jalisco | 2:17 | 3,015 | ||
| November 2 | 19:00 | Dominican Republic |
1 – 6 | Mexico |
6 | Estadio Charros de Jalisco | 2:00 | 8,000 | |
| November 3 | 12:00 | Dominican Republic |
14 – 4 | Netherlands |
7 | Estadio Charros de Jalisco | 2:59 | 5,132 | |
| November 3 | 19:00 | Mexico |
8 – 2 | United States |
Estadio Charros de Jalisco | 3:03 | 10,123 | ||
| November 4 | 19:00 | United States |
10 – 8 | Dominican Republic |
Estadio Charros de Jalisco | 3:20 | 3,102 | ||
| November 5 | 19:00 | Netherlands |
2 – 10 | Mexico |
Estadio Charros de Jalisco | 3:17 | 6,895 |
Group B
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | RF | RA | RD | PCT | GB | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Japan |
3 | 3 | 0 | 20 | 5 | +15 | 1.000 | — | Advance to Super Round |
| 2 | Chinese Taipei (H) |
3 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 9 | +1 | .667 | 1 | |
| 3 | Venezuela |
3 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 12 | −1 | .333 | 2 | |
| 4 | Puerto Rico |
3 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 17 | −15 | .000 | 3 |
| Date | Local time | Road team | Score | Home team | Inn. | Venue | Game duration | Attendance | Boxscore |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 5 | 18:00 | Venezuela |
4 – 8 | Japan |
Taoyuan International Stadium | 3:39 | 3,868 | ||
| November 5 | 18:30 | Puerto Rico |
1 – 6 | Chinese Taipei |
Taichung Intercontinental Stadium | 2:58 | 11,852 | ||
| November 6 | 18:00 | Puerto Rico |
0 – 4 | Japan |
Taoyuan International Stadium | 2:35 | 4,209 | ||
| November 6 | 18:30 | Chinese Taipei |
3 – 0 | Venezuela |
Taichung Intercontinental Stadium | 3:56 | 10,983 | ||
| November 7 | 12:00 | Venezuela |
7 – 1 | Puerto Rico |
Taichung Intercontinental Stadium | 2:48 | 618 | ||
| November 7 | 18:30 | Japan |
8 – 1 | Chinese Taipei |
Taichung Intercontinental Stadium | 3:37 | 20,465 |
Group C
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | RF | RA | RD | PCT | GB | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Korea (H) |
3 | 3 | 0 | 15 | 1 | +14 | 1.000 | — | Advance to Super Round |
| 2 | Australia |
3 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 9 | −4 | .333[a] | 2 | |
| 3 | Canada |
3 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 6 | −1 | .333[a] | 2 | |
| 4 | Cuba |
3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 12 | −9 | .333[a] | 2 |
| Date | Local time | Road team | Score | Home team | Inn. | Venue | Game duration | Attendance | Boxscore |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 6 | 12:00 | Canada |
3 – 0 | Cuba |
Gocheok Sky Dome | 3:16 | 250 | ||
| November 6 | 19:00 | Australia |
0 – 5 | South Korea |
Gocheok Sky Dome | 2:50 | 5,899 | ||
| November 7 | 12:00 | Australia |
2 – 3 | Cuba |
10 | Gocheok Sky Dome | 3:15 | 252 | |
| November 7 | 19:00 | South Korea |
3 – 1 | Canada |
Gocheok Sky Dome | 3:15 | 6,000 | ||
| November 8 | 12:00 | Canada |
1 – 3 | Australia |
Gocheok Sky Dome | 2:50 | 200 | ||
| November 8 | 19:00 | Cuba |
0 – 7 | South Korea |
Gocheok Sky Dome | 3:05 | 13,600 |
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| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | RF | RA | RD | PCT | GB | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Japan (H) |
5 | 4 | 1 | 27 | 16 | +11 | .800 | — | Advance to gold medal game |
| 2 | South Korea |
5 | 3 | 2 | 25 | 21 | +4 | .600[a] | 1 | |
| 3 | Mexico |
5 | 3 | 2 | 17 | 12 | +5 | .600[a] | 1 | Advance to bronze medal game |
| 4 | United States |
5 | 2 | 3 | 11 | 20 | −9 | .400[b] | 2 | |
| 5 | Chinese Taipei |
5 | 2 | 3 | 15 | 14 | +1 | .400[b] | 2 | |
| 6 | Australia |
5 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 17 | −12 | .200 | 3 |
| Date | Local time | Road team | Score | Home team | Inn. | Venue | Game duration | Attendance | Boxscore |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 11 | 12:00 | Chinese Taipei |
0 – 2 | Mexico |
Zozo Marine Stadium | 2:49 | 2,803 | ||
| November 11 | 19:00 | Australia |
2 – 3 | Japan |
Zozo Marine Stadium | 2:39 | 17,819 | ||
| November 11 | 19:00 | United States |
1 – 5 | South Korea |
Tokyo Dome | 3:21 | 3,012 | ||
| November 12 | 12:00 | Australia |
0 – 3 | Mexico |
Tokyo Dome | 2:36 | 2,089 | ||
| November 12 | 19:00 | Chinese Taipei |
7 – 0 | South Korea |
Zozo Marine Stadium | 3:32 | 4,056 | ||
| November 12 | 19:00 | United States |
4 – 3 | Japan |
Tokyo Dome | 3:27 | 27,827 | ||
| November 13 | 12:00 | Australia |
2 – 1 | United States |
Tokyo Dome | 2:45 | 2,149 | ||
| November 13 | 19:00 | Mexico |
1 – 3 | Japan |
Tokyo Dome | 3:01 | 31,776 | ||
| November 15 | 12:00 | Chinese Taipei |
2 – 3 | United States |
Tokyo Dome | 2:37 | 4,967 | ||
| November 15 | 19:00 | Mexico |
3 – 7 | South Korea |
Tokyo Dome | 3:34 | 5,121 | ||
| November 16 | 12:00 | Australia |
1 – 5 | Chinese Taipei |
Tokyo Dome | 2:57 | 7,299 | ||
| November 16 | 19:00 | South Korea |
8 – 10 | Japan |
Tokyo Dome | 3:40 | 44,224 |
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Bronze medal game
| Date | Local time | Road team | Score | Home team | Inn. | Venue | Game duration | Attendance | Boxscore |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 17 | 12:00 | United States |
2 – 3 | Mexico |
10 | Tokyo Dome | 3:15 | 44,960 |
Championship final
| Date | Local time | Road team | Score | Home team | Inn. | Venue | Game duration | Attendance | Boxscore |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 17 | 19:00 | South Korea |
3 – 5 | Japan |
Tokyo Dome | 3:00 | 44,960 |
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Following the conclusion of the tournament, the WBSC announced the Premier12 All-World Team and individual awards winners.[8]
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The WBSC gave $5.2 million in prize money to participants, distributed as follows, with a minimum of half of a team's prize money to be distributed equally among its players:[9][10]
- Winner: US$1,500,000 (Japan)
- 2nd Place: US$750,000 (South Korea)
- 3rd Place: US$500,000 (Mexico)
- 4th Place: US$350,000 (United States)
- 5th Place: US$300,000 (Chinese Taipei)
- 6th Place: US$250,000 (Australia)
- 7–12th Place: US$180,000 each
- Each win in Opening Round: US$10,000
- Each win in Super Round: US$20,000
- 1st Place in Opening Round: US$20,000
In the Super Round game between South Korea and the United States on November 11, which South Korea won 5–1, a potential blown call by umpire Tetsuya Shibata against South Korea became a topic of debate. In the third inning, baserunner Kim Ha-seong slid back to home plate as catcher Eric Kratz attempted to tag him out. Tetsuya ruled Kim out. Team Korea's coach, Kim Kyung-moon immediately requested a VAR check but was refused.[11] After reviewing slow motion replays online, some criticized the call, claiming it was wrong and that South Korea lost a run. The Korea Baseball Organization met after the game with the tournament's technical directors and filed an appeal,[12] additionally stating that Kratz physically obstructed Kim's path to home plate, in violation of WBSC playing regulations. WBSC responded by saying that it respected Team Korea's perspective and would seek to make improvements in the future.[13] Korean media reports claimed that the Japanese media kept this incident quiet and many ridiculed the controversy in Japan, due to anti-Korean sentiment in the country.[14]
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