Thiago Vieira's WBC Comeback: A Mix of Nostalgia and Concern for Japanese Giants Fans
In the World Baseball Classic (WBC) match between the USA and Brazil, former Yomiuri Giants fireballer Thiago Vieira took the mound for the Brazilian national team, drawing significant attention on social media. While the USA defeated Brazil 7-1, Japanese fans flooded social media with comments like “Vieira being Vieira” and “You haven't changed a bit” as they watched him pitch, with many posts expressing nostalgia for his old pitching style. Vieira entered the game as Brazil's fourth pitcher but unfortunately couldn't display his signature strengths. Online, harsh criticisms such as “Bad Vieira showed up” and “Reliably two walks” were seen, specifically pointing to control issues reminiscent of his early days in Japan. Furthermore, his once blazing fastball, which famously clocked 166 km/h, only reached a maximum of 151 km/h this day. This led to concerns about his recovery from Tommy John surgery, with comments like “Sad his fastball is slower” and “Is his rehab not compl...