A "Silver" Lining?

For those who were paying attention as it was happening, watching in real time the USA play Japan in the gold medal game in softball, and watch the innings pass by and the score remain the same, its hard to imagine anyone really fearing that the USA could loose that game.

They might have been playing poorly, but it was more than rational to believe that team USA could score anywhere from 5 to 10 runs in one half-inning. And it was also not inconceivable to think that Japan's stellar defense through the first 5 innings would eventually break down, like most of the competition that team USA faces. No offense to Japan or any other of the softball playing countries, but when ever team USA steps on the field there is absolutely no doubt that they have the most talent on the field; and when other countries try to defend team USA's remarkable offense, their weaknesses in defense tend to stick out. Softball has been dominated by team USA in every conceivable fashion. The US usually plays to blowouts and shutouts; it is typical to see the US “mercy rule” any given team on any given day. When the Olympics come around, it is assumed that team USA will win gold and only a question of who will capture the silver.

But not this time. Not in Beijing.

Japan took advantage of team USA's errors and mistakes, and when the US was ripe for a huge inning - bases loaded in the bottom of the 6th inning with only one out - they got out of it by inducing two pop outs to the infield. It had to have been one of the biggest upsets of ALL TIME in Olympic competition in ANY sport. The US had already beaten Japan twice before in these same Olympics en route to their perfect record entering the gold medal match.

There are a few questions about the stunning outcome in that game: Why did the US pitch Monica Abbott? Team USA has the best group of pitchers in the world - Abbott included - but wouldn't it make sense for the US to start Jennie Finch or Cat Osterman? Abbott pitched in these teams' previous two outings and preformed very well, leading team USA to 7-0 and 4-1 victories, respectively. But after seeing Abbott twice already, one could assume that Japan had a pretty good scouting report on Abbott and could prepare for what she was bringing.

The biggest question, however, is not about strategy or even this one game. Rather, it is about the uncertain future of the sport of softball:

Could team USA’s losing the gold medal be good for the game of softball?

With both baseball and softball out of the 2012 Olympic game in London and with proponents of the two sports vying hard to have them reinstated for 2016, this could be a valuable arguing point for those who want softball back in the Olympics.

One of the perceived reasons for softball and baseball being eliminated from the Olympics is that there is a lack of competition. Baseball does not have a problem with American dominance; there are many Latin American and Asian countries that have comparable – and perhaps even greater – success in baseball than the US. Softball is an entirely different story; entering the gold medal match, team USA had won every single game it has ever played in, and usually by a wide margin. As mentioned earlier, there was never a question of who was the best, only of who would come in second. With Japan's victory, however, it proves that the US is not alone at the top anymore. And with the development of softball in other countries, with at least 8 years before the next possible Olympic softball competition, there could be more countries to close the gap on team USA.

Whether softball is back for the 2016 games is still a mystery and wont be determined until next year when baseball and softball representatives get to argue their case for reinstatement. The prospects of that happening, however, are greater now that Japan possesses the gold medal then they would be if team USA swept through the games in their typical dominating, undefeated fashion.