tie-breaker rules, drawn-out extra-inning, inadequate format, lead off

Japan opposes new extra-inning rules for baseball

4 hours ago TOKYO (AFP) — Japan has blasted the introduction of new tie-breaker rules for the Olympic baseball tournament, saying the teams involved were not consulted, reports said Sunday.

The International Baseball Federation (IBAF) on Friday announced the new format, which calls for placing base runners on first and second with no outs from the 11th inning, in a bid to avoid drawn-out extra-inning games.

Teams will have the option of starting the 11th inning anywhere in the batting order. For example, if the number three hitter leads off, the number one hitter would be put on second base and the number two on first."

It is inadequate to change the rules only two weeks before the Olympics. We are not going to play a friendly game -- we will seriously fight for the number one spot in the world," said Japan coach Senichi Hoshino.

"I also don't understand why the IBAF decided it without consulting anybody," the Nikkan Sports tabloid quoted Hoshino as saying."It may be difficult to change it again, but we are going to strongly protest against the new format."

Japan were expected to formally protest the new rules on Monday after a meeting by amateur baseball associations.IBAF President Harvey W. Schiller defended the rule changes as a way to make the game more viewer-friendly, and possibly see it restored to the Olympic schedule after it was cut from the 2012 London Games."The upcoming Beijing Olympic competition may be our last unless we are successful in adding the sport back to the Olympic programme for the 2016 Games," Schiller said.

"We must demonstrate to the International Olympic Committee that not only does our game belong alongside the other great sports of the world, but our sport is manageable from a television and operational standpoint."Japan's assistant coach Koichi Tabuchi said he was puzzled, noting: "Maybe they want to finish a game quickly."

"I don't think either team will have an advantage or disadvantage, but I just wonder why they didn't change it earlier," said Tabuchi, quoted by the Sports Nippon newspaper.

（法新社東京二十七日電）日本針對國際棒球總會日前宣佈在國際比賽引進新的比賽規則大表反對，今天送出抗議文，表示無法接受在北京奧運開幕兩週前突然改變規則的作法，要求重新加以檢討。國際棒球總會二十五日宣佈引進「突破平手制」，根據這項新規則，兩隊打完九後局若不分勝負則進入延長賽，若照通常方式打完第十局還是平手，第十一局將從無人出局，且一、二壘有人的情況下進行直到分出勝負。日本基於北京奧運可望啟用這項新規則而大表反對，率領日本棒球代表隊，志在本屆奧運奪金的總領隊星野仙一表示強烈抗議指出，奧運開賽兩週前突然改變比賽規則是很奇怪的事。國際棒球總會日本對口單位「全日本業餘棒球聯盟」今天向前者送出抗議文指出，日本無意反對「突破平手制」，但是，無法接受在奧運兩週前改變比賽規則，且總會未對出賽球隊作出任何說明，即決定在奧運採用新規則的作法令人無法信服，要求重新加以檢討。國際棒球總會會長希勒預定本周訪問日本，將和日本職棒最高負責人加藤良三會談，日方擬繼續強烈要求國際棒球總會不要在北京奧運引進「突破平手制」。這種制度已在壘球比賽實施，突然擴大至棒球，令志在奧運奪標的日本未曾料及，而大加反彈...

Definition

format Show phonetics
noun [C or U]
1 a pattern, plan or arrangement:
The meeting will have the usual format - introductory session, group work and then a time for reporting back.

2 SPECIALIZED the way in which information is arranged and stored on a computer

format Show phonetics
verb [T] -tt-
1 to organize or arrange text, especially on a computer, according to a chosen pattern

2 to prepare a computer disk for use with a particular type of computer


inadequate Hide phonetics
adjective
1 not good enough or too low in quality:
This work is woefully (= extremely) inadequate - you'll have to do it again.
Maddie's a real expert on art, so I feel completely inadequate whenever I talk to her about it.

2 too small in amount:
She rejected the $2 million offer as totally inadequate.

inadequately Hide phonetics
adverb
Our scientific research is inadequately funded.

inadequacy Hide phonetics
noun [C or U]
Economic growth is hindered by the inadequacies of the public transport system.
I always suffer from feelings of inadequacy when I'm with him.


tie-breaker rules,

tie (FINISH EQUAL) Show phonetics
verb [I] tying, tied, tied
to finish at the same time or score the same number of points, etc. in a competition as someone or something else:
Jane and I tied (for first place) in the spelling test.
We tied with a team from the south in the championships.

tie Show phonetics
noun [C]
when two or more people finish at the same time or score the same number of points:
It's a tie for first place.
They have changed the scoring system because there have been too many ties.

tie-breaker Show phonetics
noun [C] (UK ALSO tie-break)
extra play at the end of a game when both teams have the same points, to decide who is the winner

drawn-out extra-inning,
inning Show phonetics
noun [C]
one of the nine playing periods in a game of baseball

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draw sth out (LENGTHEN) phrasal verb [M]
to cause something to last longer than is usual or necessary:
The director drew the meeting out for another hour with a series of tedious questions.

drawn-out Show phonetics
adjective
This trouble with the unions has been a long drawn-out affair.

Idioms:

lead off

Begin, start, go first. For example, We have a panel of three speakers, so will you lead off? [c. 1800]