The World Baseball Classic Thread

[Moose Milligan]

Everyone point and laugh at Jeter!

[Elon Os Fan]

Everyone point and laugh at Jeter!

Haha...That groundball was too much pressure for Mr. NYC.

[PrivateO]

Even Joe Morgan called this an All-Star Game...trying to "get everyone some playing time".

He's been ripping the USA's commitment to the WBC all night.

[NewOrioleWork]

Even Joe Morgan called this an All-Star Game...trying to "get everyone some playing time".

He's been ripping the USA's commitment to the WBC all night.

He's been ripping it mostly by agreeing with it, giving the usual excuses and making it obvious the USA doesn't give a f--k. Minor league pitchers, Joe? Really?

[Moose Milligan]

Damn.

Well, now that USA is out, who are you rooting for tomorrow night?

Personally, I just want to see a good game. I guess South Korea is the underdog though and I guess I'd rather see them win if I had to make a choice.

[NewOrioleWork]

Final. Japan 9-4.

[boog26]

Damn.

Well, now that USA is out, who are you rooting for tomorrow night?

Personally, I just want to see a good game. I guess South Korea is the underdog though and I guess I'd rather see them win if I had to make a choice.

No doubt about it.

Go! Korea!

:clap3:

[RShack]

Korea, no doubt about it.

Nothing against Japan, but Korea is the underdog.

Far fewer Koreans play baseball, much weaker player development, much weaker leagues, etc.

Definitley David vs. Goliath.

[Migrant Redbird]

I don't agree that Korea is the underdog. Anything can happen in a 1-game series, but I think the Koreans are stronger than they're being credited. They also are the most dedicated, unselfish players in the WBC.

And they're incredibly motivated against the Japanese -- think Japanese racism and occupation from 1905 to 1945, not to mention the WW2 "comfort girls", while the Japanese seem to be afraid of the Koreans and motivated more by a fear of embarrassment.

[NewMarketSean]

All I know is it should be an entertaining game to watch tonight.

Maybe the US team will start to take it seriously next time around.... then again... maybe not.

[RShack]

I don't agree that Korea is the underdog.

I don't know enough about these two particular teams to say.

But if you look at the role of baseball in each of Korean and Japanese society, there is no comparison.

[NewMarketSean]

I don't know enough about these two particular teams to say.

But if you look at the role of baseball in each of Korean and Japanese society, there is no comparison.

And how does that make one team the underdog over the other?

[RShack]

And how does that make one team the underdog over the other?

Just talking about the talent pool the team comes from, that's all...

[Migrant Redbird]

I don't know enough about these two particular teams to say.

But if you look at the role of baseball in each of Korean and Japanese society, there is no comparison.

I'm not sure what you mean. Japan is a larger country and has more professional teams, plus a larger population from which to draw their talent, but I'm not sure that makes their national team better. At this point, I think the advantage of intensity goes to the Koreans.

[RShack]

I'm not sure what you mean. Japan is a larger country and has more professional teams, plus a larger population from which to draw their talent, but I'm not sure that makes their national team better. At this point, I think the advantage of intensity goes to the Koreans.

I wasn't talking about "intensity" or "chemistry". I was talking about how Korea and Japan compare in terms of how much baseball is an important part of their culture. Evidently, it's not even close, at least according to this.

As for how much is "intensity" vs. solid preparation, I am curious about whether Korea and/or Japan got a head start on prepping for the WBC, but nobody seems to really know.