Most pundits say yes, especially when they remember the nation's dismal gold medal haul in Atlanta.
Central League officials say no, refusing to release experienced catcher Atsuya Furuta and other big stars. Their decision leaves the Pacific League to fill the void and cut back on its own schedule during the Olympics. It's hard to figure out the fuzzy logic of the Central League bigwigs, especially as Furuta's Swallows have zero chance of winning the pennant this year, trailing the Tokyo Giants by a whopping 13.5 games after Tuesday. Archrival South Korea jumped at the chance to send an all-star squad and has shut down its professional league during the Olympics. In the absence of Furuta and other big guns such as Yomiuri Giants' super slugger Hideki Matsui, the nation's medal hopes fall on the young shoulders of Seibu hurler Daisuke Matsuzaka.