Right-Handed Pitchers vs. Left-Handed Pitchers — The Ultimate Side-by-Side Comparison

📊 One-Look Starter Comparison Table

Batting Order	vs RHP Starters	vs LHP Starters
1	DH Shohei Ohtani	DH Shohei Ohtani
2	CF Lars Nootbaar	RF Seiya Suzuki
3	RF Seiya Suzuki	LF Kensuke Kondoh
4	3B Munetaka Murakami	3B Munetaka Murakami
5	1B Kazuma Okamoto	1B Kazuma Okamoto
6	LF Teruaki Sato	CF Shota Morishita
7	2B Shugo Maki	2B Shugo Maki
8	SS Kaito Kozono	SS Kaito Kozono
9	C Seishiro Sakamoto	C Seishiro Sakamoto
SP	Yoshinobu Yamamoto	Roki Sasaki

🔍 Key Differences (Ultra-Condensed)

✔ Outfield Shuffle

• vs RHP: Nootbaar (CF) – Suzuki (RF) – Sato (LF)
• vs LHP: Morishita (CF) – Suzuki (RF) – Kondoh (LF)

✔ Top-of-the-Order Logic

• vs RHP: Ohtani → Nootbaar → Suzuki
• vs LHP: Ohtani → Suzuki → Kondoh

✔ Who Gets Benched vs LHP?

• Teruaki Sato — OUT
• Lars Nootbaar — OUT

🥇 In One Sentence…

• vs RHP: Balanced blend of speed + power
• vs LHP: Right-handed firepower pushed forward for maximum damage

This is the most optimized version of Samurai Japan’s dual-lineup strategy.

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🔥 SPECIAL FEATURE

The Ultimate Samurai Japan Lineup for the WBC Semifinal vs Team USA

— Built for One Purpose: Winning That Game —

ここからは通常の「右／左」オーダーではありません。
アメリカ打線の火力、MLBレベルの剛腕、短期決戦の緊張感——
すべてを数値化して導き出した “Semifinal-Only Elite Lineup” です。

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🧩 What Makes Team USA Pitching Unique

• Heavy reliance on power right-handers (97–99 mph)
• Lots of vertical sliders and split-change variations
• Bottom-of-the-order hitters get carved up by swing-and-miss stuff
  ➡ Therefore: you must stack the top of the lineup with players who grind ABs, draw walks, and elevate pitch count.
  But you also need game-changing power in key spots.

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🏆 Samurai Japan — Fully Optimized Semifinal Lineup vs RHP (Team USA)

Batting Order	Pos	Player	Reason
1	DH	Shohei Ohtani	He must get the most plate appearances. Immediate pressure on the U.S. starter.
2	RF	Seiya Suzuki	Excellent vs velocity; elite plate discipline; perfect protection behind Ohtani.
3	CF	Lars Nootbaar	Grinds ABs, draws walks, ideal vs U.S. power arms.
4	3B	Munetaka Murakami	The ultimate game-breaker. Must bat with runners on.
5	1B	Kazuma Okamoto	Right-handed slugger behind Murakami creates nightmare matchups.
6	2B	Shugo Maki	Clutch vs RHP; extends rallies.
7	LF	Kensuke Kondoh	Walk machine; becomes deadly vs fatigued U.S. relievers.
8	SS	Kaito Kozono	Defense is non-negotiable. Errors lose games vs USA.
9	C	Seishiro Sakamoto	Pitch calling > offense. Stabilizes the staff.
SP	—	Roki Sasaki	U.S. hitters feast on fastballs — but not 102 mph fastballs with a death-fork. Best K weapon Japan has.

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🔥 Why This Lineup Works Specifically Against Team USA

① Ohtani Leading Off — a USA-Exclusive Tactic

American starters come out throwing 100 mph.
So Japan counters by:

• Putting their best hitter up immediately
• Forcing high stress in the 1st inning
• Maximizing Ohtani’s plate appearances
  In short tournaments, this is optimal.

② No.2–3: Elite Pitch Recognition Cluster

USA pitchers rely on fastball + vertical slider.
So Japan stacks:

• Hitters who don’t chase
• Hitters who foul off tough pitches
• Hitters who draw walks
  ➡ Suzuki + Nootbaar is the best combo Japan can deploy.

③ Nos.4–6 = Pure Damage Mode

Murakami → Okamoto → Maki
This right/left/right structure prevents USA pitchers from dictating vertical-location sequences.
It forces them into uncomfortable patterns.

④ Kondoh at 7th: The Hidden USA Countermeasure

Kondoh normally bats top-3.
But here? He becomes:

• A nightmare for hard-throwing relievers
• A momentum restarter in middle innings
  This is an MLB-grade strategic adjustment.

⑤ Sasaki as the Semifinal Starter

Not Yamamoto. Not Ohtani.
Only Sasaki possesses the pitch profile USA hitters legitimately struggle with:

• Triple-digit fastball with late life
• Splitter they cannot read
• High K-rate → avoids traffic on bases

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🧠 What if Team USA Starts a Lefty?

Extremely unlikely, but if it happens:

• 3rd: Kondoh → Morishita
• 7th: Nootbaar → Kondoh
  (other spots remain largely the same)

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🎯 Final Verdict: The Lineup That Maximizes Japan’s Chances vs USA

1 Ohtani
2 Suzuki
3 Nootbaar
4 Murakami
5 Okamoto
6 Maki
7 Kondoh
8 Kozono
9 Sakamoto
SP: Roki Sasaki

Built to withstand the American power attack (Judge, Witt Jr., Harper, De La Cruz)
and give Japan the highest possible win probability.

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