2013 World Baseball Classic Thread

[DrungoHazewood]

I hope this is a harbinger of what we can expect out of Dickey. If he craters he could singlehandedly set Toronto back years.

Ok, he pitched like four so-so innings. Yea... that means his career is over.

It is because baseball isnt a good sport for this kind of tournament. Soccer or tennis yeah. But baseball that goes seven games for a World Series? This is just really an exhibition type game.

And why dont better players want to go?

This just sucks.

Remember how it's so great that expanded playoffs and wildcards mean that the Yanks won't win the Series every year and create a situation where nobody watches anymore? Well... guess who's the Yankees in this tournament.

[Orioles4Life21]

Cuba has responded to their loss by slaughtering Chinese Taipei 14-0. They hit four homers. It's a shame that we will probably never see most of these guys play in the majors because they are talented enough.

[Lester Freamon]

This performance by the U.S. is just not acceptable. Barring a comeback they'll be 0-1 while Italy is 2-0!

To advance the US will not only have to beat Italy today and Canada tomorrow but they will also need to win by pretty good margins and hope to have 2 wins and good win differential.

Canada coming up big and beating Mexico today would also help A LOT. However, if Canada cannot beat Mexico it would help if they were simply able to keep the game close.

Far from impossible, but you just don't know how it'll play out.

[isestrex]

To advance the US will not only have to beat Italy today and Canada tomorrow but they will also need to win by pretty good margins and hope to have 2 wins and good win differential.

Canada coming up big and beating Mexico today would also help A LOT. However, if Canada cannot beat Mexico it would help if they were simply able to keep the game close.

Far from impossible, but you just don't know how it'll play out.

Yeah basically the US team has to go on a complete rampage to stay alive in this thing.

We get Holland vs Jameson Taillon on Sunday and I have no idea who the Italians are sending out there today. On paper, this shouldn't be hard.

[Can_of_corn]

Yeah basically the US team has to go on a complete rampage to stay alive in this thing.

We get Holland vs Jameson Taillon on Sunday and I have no idea who the Italians are sending out there today. On paper, this shouldn't be hard.

On paper they should mercy rule Italy.

[NewOrioleWork]

Another half-ass US effort in the WBC. [That's the entire US side, not just the team].

Sigh.

I'm really starting to come to the opinion that for international play to be taken more seriously in the US, both among the players and fans, you would need to A) model the US national team after the US basketball team, where a group of elite althetes commit to 4 years of regular training and international games together, and B) shorten the MLB season to about 140 games so that its easier for players to commit time and energy to their national teams, and so you could do yearly events like a "Asia Cup" or "Latin America Cup" in their host regions more easily (and of course winning a regional cup would provide "points" or whatever toward the nation qualifying for the WBC). I just think now we're asking A LOT of the players by saying, "You should do 162 games + playoffs + international exhibition games + what is supposed to be a major international tournament."

Basically I think this (the WBC) is the kind of event where MLB needs to fully commit to a different mindset and they just can't/aren't ready to do that yet. In the meantime I suspect we'll keep getting visuals of half-empty stadiums, an American press that refuses to get on board, and a US team that can't get its best players together and the players it DOES have in-shape in time.

[Lester Freamon]

Another half-ass US effort in the WBC. [That's the entire US side, not just the team].

Sigh.

I'm really starting to come to the opinion that for international play to be taken more seriously in the US, both among the players and fans, you would need to A) model the US national team after the US basketball team, where a group of elite althetes commit to 4 years of regular training and international games together, and B) shorten the MLB season to about 140 games so that its easier for players to commit time and energy to their national teams, and so you could do yearly events like a "Asia Cup" or "Latin America Cup" in their host regions more easily (and of course winning a regional cup would provide "points" or whatever toward the nation qualifying for the WBC).

Basically I think this (the WBC) is the kind of event where MLB needs to fully commit to a different mindset and they just can't/aren't ready to do that yet. In the meantime I suspect we'll keep getting visuals of half-empty stadiums, an American press that refuses to get on board, and a US team that can't get its best players together and the players it DOES have in-shape in time.

I don't know, I don't think the effort was half-assed. I thought the players played hard and I do believe the guys there WANT to be there. Mexico was running out some quality Major League pitchers, for the most part, last night and they pitched very well. It happens in baseball, where, in a one game scenario, superior talent won't always win out. That being said, the talent of the Mexican pitchers run out there last night was very good.

You may be right about having to drastically change the way the US goes about preparing for the WBC in order to make a better showing. I do believe the timing of the event does put ML players at a disadvantage, particularly with pitching. However, it was mostly ML players pitching for Mexico last night so I don't know how much of an excuse that is for last night. Also keep in mind that Team Mexico just very recently won the Caribbean World Series. They are no slouches.

And also I thought they had a crowd over over 40,000 last night. That's pretty good. The US isn't dead in this tourney yet...

[Can_of_corn]

Ok, he pitched like four so-so innings. Yea... that means his career is over.

Remember how it's so great that expanded playoffs and wildcards mean that the Yanks won't win the Series every year and create a situation where nobody watches anymore? Well... guess who's the Yankees in this tournament.

Japan?

If the US does badly enough in this round they will have to qualify next time around.

[NewOrioleWork]

Japan?

If the US does badly enough in this round they will have to qualify next time around.

Maybe that could be a wake-up call?

[Orioles4Life21]

Japan?

If the US does badly enough in this round they will have to qualify next time around.

They have to go 0-3 I believe. That would be a disaster. They should be able to win at least one.

[Can_of_corn]

Maybe that could be a wake-up call?

If you can't get the ML players you want during spring training what are the odds of them showing up for the qualifying round?

[notyourbuddy]

FIGHT! Our neighbors to the North and South just got it on!

[crissfan172]

I leave because the game's over, and I miss the fight. Go figure.

[Gurgi]

Wonderful fight between Canada and Mexico. That was actually fun.

[Lester Freamon]

I leave because the game's over, and I miss the fight. Go figure.

Just got back home and turned on the TV as the fight was winding down. I didn't see any of the game prior so I don't know if there were any beanings earlier in the game but from the best that I can tell....

Top of the 9th Canada up 9-3. Orioles catcher Chris Robinson leads off the inning by laying down a very nice bunt single for Canada. The Mexican pitcher, apparently, took offense and beaned the next Canadian squarely in the mid to upper back.

Of course, since run differential could end up playing a role in whether or not any of these teams advance (and remember Canada was "mercy ruled" by Italy yesterday) Robinson's actions were in no way out of order. There is no such thing as running up the score in the WBC first round. I guess the pitcher from Mexico forgot about that.

So if the US can manage to straight up beat Italy and Canada they will advance. If Italy pulls off the upset, and in turn goes 3-0 in the first round, USA will still not be out of it. But, they'd have to beat Canada and probably by a certain amount of runs of which we don't yet know at this time. If the US beats Italy tonight, it'll be USA/Canada tomorrow with the winner advancing.