WBC Here, If you like it.

[Can_of_corn]

Japan is looking very solid on offense.  Cuba's infield defense is lacking, bunch of poor throws.

[bobmc]

21 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

Luckily for him, Cuba's best won't be playing.

Mammoth hr for Japan, they are up 6-1.

Hadn't heard that - if so my rough translation was inaccurate.  John said he was confident that he could win - that is all.  His "presentation" is still good.  Hoping for a China/China Taipei final, if possible but not sure that is possible with current matchups. 

[Can_of_corn]

2 minutes ago, bobmc said:

Hadn't heard that - if so my rough translation was inaccurate.  John said he was confident that he could win - that is all.  His "presentation" is still good.

What I meant is that Cuba has lost a lot of talent to MLB in the last decade.  Their bullpen looks to be a dumpster fire for instance.

[nevadaO]

Netherlands shuts out Korea, 5-0. Very talented infield on that team.

[Can_of_corn]

15 minutes ago, nevadaO said:

Netherlands shuts out Korea, 5-0. Very talented infield on that team.

Korea needs a lot of help to avoid getting kicked in the first round despite having home field advantage.

[LarryHarlow]

Great performance tonight by former Oriole Bruce Chen, coming out of retirement to pitch for the home country of his grandparents.  He shut out Cuba for 3 innings and stayed under the 50 pitch limit to allow him to come back in their third game.  

It's stories like this that make me love the WBC. And it's just fun watching these guys play for their home countries.  There are some really good players and exciting games, and it's a shame that it doesn't get much play here in the US.  Sports radio here in Boston in particular denigrates it as boring and damaging to players, but I think they're underappreciating a great sporting competition .

[Spy Fox]

22 hours ago, Can_of_corn said:

Korea needs a lot of help to avoid getting kicked in the first round despite having home field advantage.

Israel and Netherlands have officially advanced from the group now that they each have two wins. Just looked it up, and that's the second time in a row Korea's been knocked off in the first round. Disappointing for them after winning Bronze and Silver in the first two WBCs. 

[Can_of_corn]

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/why-team-israel-isnt-a-surprise/

Nice piece on how good the average AA and AAA player really is.

[MachoMachadoMan]

Hadn't heard Wladimir Balentein's name since he was one of the top prospects in the Mariners' system when we traded for AJ, Tillman, Flat Breezy and the rest. I remember hoping we got Balentein, too, because of his big power potential. 

Now he's 32 years old and batting clean up for the Netherlands. Looked up his numbers in Japan and he has mashed. Surprised no MLB squad took a flyer on him after he swatted 60 bombs in 2013. 

[Can_of_corn]

Israel vs Netherlands is on.  Netherlands infield is so stacked they have Simmons at dh.

[Can_of_corn]

Would have been runners at second and third for Schoop but Profar got caught taking too big a turn around third.

 

Fuld is catching everything but his arm obviously isn't right.

[Can_of_corn]

Two in with a runner on third for Israel in the first.

[Can_of_corn]

Three in.

Netherlands has a 42 year old slop thrower going since this game doesn't mean much.

[ChipTait]

Schoop looking rough...  he could use a solid hit.

[ChipTait]

Reaches on error, but drives in his brother...