Ichiro Suzuki of Japan holds the World Baseball Classic Trophy as he is surrounded by a media throng after Japan defeated Cuba in the Championship Game of the of the 2006 World Baseball Classic at PETCO Park in San Diego, Califrornia March 20, 2006. (Photo by Steve Grayson/WireImage)
Sadaharu Oh, manager of the Team Japan is tossed in the air by his players after defeating Cuba in the Championship Game of the of the 2006 World Baseball Classic at PETCO Park in San Diego, Califrornia March 20, 2006. (Photo by Steve Grayson/WireImage)
18 March 2009: #8 Akinori Iwamura of Japan slides safely at home against #8 Ariel Pestano of Cuba during the 2009 World Baseball Classic Pool 1 game 5 at Petco Park in San Diego, California, USA. Japan wins 5-0 over Cuba. (Photo by Christophe Elise/Icon SMI/Icon Sport Media via Getty Images)
19 March 2009: #51 Ichiro Suzuki of Japan waits in the batter box during the 2009 World Baseball Classic Pool 1 game 6 at Petco Park in San Diego, California, USA. Japan wins 6-2 over Korea. (Photo by Christophe Elise/Icon SMI/Icon Sport Media via Getty Images)
Nobuhiko Matsunaka of Japan celebrates after he scored on an RBI single by Ichiro Suzuki in the Championship Game of the 2006 World Baseball Classic at PETCO Park in San Diego, California March 20, 2006. (Photo by Steve Grayson/WireImage)
