We interviewed Steve Janssen, manager of the All Euro team that is playing in the "Hikari TV 4K GLOBAL BASEBALL MATCH 2015: Samurai Japan vs. All Euro" on his enthusiasm for this competition and on European baseball.
――Welcome to Japan. How do you like the weather in Japan in March?
Good morning. The weather isn't all that different from Belgium or the Netherlands. It rained on our first day here, but it's been sunny all day today. I like blue skies better (laughs)
――So you came to Japan leading the All Euro team, correct?
Japan is first place in the IBAF (International Baseball Federation) world rankings. It is a great honor to play such a "baseball superpower". When we came here representing the Netherlands for the WBC, we really sensed the passion of the Japanese fans, and we are very happy to play baseball in Japan again.
――What kind of image do you have of Japanese baseball and Samurai Japan?
Samurai Japan is a very wonderful team. Each individual player has a high skill level, and they are undoubtedly strong, as we saw in their plays during the All-Star Series last November. We have been approaching Japanese baseball since 15 years ago, but the approach to baseball of the nation as a whole is wonderful. We saw a lot of players in the past WBC, and we are becoming familiar with Japanese baseball.
――This All Euro team is composed of multiple nationalities, including the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, and Germany. Did you have any points for selection?
Our points for selection were to choose from a broad range of countries, but naturally, there are differences in levels between country to country in Europe. Therefore, we selected players around the axis of countries that have entered international competitions. There are a lot of Dutch players, but this time we want to play as "Team Europe", a single team where nationality does not matter.
――How do you feel about the recent improvement in the level of European baseball?
European baseball has been steadily growing for the past ten or fifteen years. This includes our results in international competitions, but we have had more players signed to the MLB, including the Minor League, and the individual level of our players has been increasing incredibly. Countries such as the Netherlands, Italy, and Spain are sure to be pulling European baseball along. On the other hand, there are still differences in levels within Europe. We have a major duty of spreading baseball to countries other than the ones I just mentioned, and expanding our base even further. This "All Euro vs. Samurai Japan" game will be broadcast live on TV in Europe, and the games will be viewable over the Internet. I think this is a wonderful chance for us in the sense of expanding our base.
――There will be a new competition in November of this year called the "Premier 12". Do you think it will be an important competition for spreading baseball not just throughout Europe, but the whole world?
First, I think it is meaningful that it is being held in Asia (Japan, Taiwan). Their level in baseball itself aside, with the passion of the fans, the remarkable stadiums, and business aspects, we have a lot to learn from Asian baseball, and this is incredibly meaningful for the future of baseball. And it is a great pleasure that European countries (Netherlands, Italy) will be able to take part in this competition.
――Once again, could you tell us what kind of game you want the Japanese fans to see these two games?
Of course, this is a competition, so we're playing to win. But we know the strength of Samurai Japan, so we know that victory will not be easy. At any rate, we will play with all our might, and have our team claim victory if we can.
