Unbelieveable WBC game on RIGHT NOW...

[zff4]

If the Netherlands were to beat the US with Sidney on the mound, that could be his ticket back to the big leagues.

hahah I'm full of love right now thanks to Honkbal but not even my oranje elation can bring me to thinking Ponson has any gas left in that little tank of his

[GnatsFan]

Insane! Great game!

[The Rick]

This Australia/Cuba matchup is turning out to be equally as amazing! It's Australia 4-2 over Cuba in the bottom of the 6th inning. This has been a great game so far.

[GnatsFan]

This Australia/Cuba matchup is turning out to be equally as amazing! It's Australia 4-2 over Cuba in the bottom of the 6th inning. This has been a great game so far.

I fell asleep right after Australia went up 4-2

But, just ?|saw how Cuba came back though with 4 outs left... almost another stunner. I was definitely routing for Australia.

(Wonder what we gotta do to convince some of those Cuban cats to defect? :scratchchinhmm: Grab a few of those and they could lead us to the playoffs right now. So much talent offensively and pitching. A lefty starter [Albertin Chapman] throwing 100 MPH with a nice slider/curve that could have one saying, "Strasburg, who?" Yummy )

[glenn__davis]

The WBC has to be considered one of the high points of Selig's tenure. I loved the first one, and I'm loving this one. Imagine how great it will be if it can get some of these other nations like South Africa and Italy really interested in baseball.

For the Netherlands to beat the DR twice is, in my mind, a bigger upset than the US vs. the USSR hockey game. Obviously it wasn't on as big a stage, and it doesn't mean nearly as much, but that's just a stunning result. And as glad as I am for the Dutch, I feel bad for the Dominican fans.

[DrungoHazewood]

That was an amazing game. A bunch of kids and minor leaguers and Honkbal Hoofdklasse players beat a Major League All Star team twice! Just goes to show that almost any baseball team can beat any other team given the right combination of luck, pitchers, energy, and divine intervention. It's meaningless in trying to figure out what team is best over the long haul (I'd bet over 162 games the DR would go like 130-32 against the Dutch), but like the MLB playoffs it's a crazy lot of fun.

How cool is it that the world now knows about players like Sydney De Jong and Rob Cordemans? How great is it that Sir Eugene Kingsale, washed out Oriole prospect and guy who's spent the last six years bouncing around leagues nobody ever heard of is now a hero, minutes after putting on goat horns?

This really could be baseball's own version of March madness, with teams like the Dutch and the Australians playing Cinderella. Valparasio and Gonzaga and George Mason are great, but give me the Netherlands!

[GnatsFan]

How cool is it that the world now knows about players like Sydney De Jong and Rob Cordemans?

Who? LOL.

[jdouble777]

That was an amazing game. A bunch of kids and minor leaguers and Honkbal Hoofdklasse players beat a Major League All Star team twice! Just goes to show that almost any baseball team can beat any other team given the right combination of luck, pitchers, energy, and divine intervention. It's meaningless in trying to figure out what team is best over the long haul (I'd bet over 162 games the DR would go like 130-32 against the Dutch), but like the MLB playoffs it's a crazy lot of fun.

How cool is it that the world now knows about players like Sydney De Jong and Rob Cordemans? How great is it that Sir Eugene Kingsale, washed out Oriole prospect and guy who's spent the last six years bouncing around leagues nobody ever heard of is now a hero, minutes after putting on goat horns?

This really could be baseball's own version of March madness, with teams like the Dutch and the Australians playing Cinderella. Valparasio and Gonzaga and George Mason are great, but give me the Netherlands!

Wow, great piece.

[HeatherC12]

Wow, I can't believe the Netherlands beat the DR again! :eektf: That's insane. I wasn't able to watch the game but I've been checking results since last night and I still can't believe it. That's awesome for the Netherlands but that poor DR team must be devastated right now. There's a part of me that feels really bad for them but another part of me that's actually relieved because it means the Reds get their young pitchers back before spring training ends which is really good for my team. The Reds are getting Joey Votto, Edinson Volquez, and Johnny Cueto all back within a three day span of time due to their teams being eliminated early from the WBC. I did NOT see that coming at all. Wow. :eektf:

[jdouble777]

Wow!!!!!! What a game. A great win for the Dutch and a real tough loss for the Dominicans. I guess one misplay begets another. Thanks for the heads up JD.

No problem, glad you enjoyed it, I was suckered in by the 10 Ks in the first four innings, had no idea that would happen. I seriously doubt Marmol or Aybar slept last night Good year to be an American I suppose... I wonder if this limelight that some of these dutch players are getting will result in any minor league signings etc.

[NewMarketSean]

Awesome game. It was like in that old NES game Baseball Stars, the Lovely Ladies against the American Dreams and the Ladies won... not once... but twice!!! I was sure this was going to be a DR blowout this time around, but the Netherlands pitching cannot be ignored. Is Blyleven a pitching coach in the majors? He should be.

Now I wish I had stayed up to watch the Cuba/Australia game... looks like that was pretty exciting too. I love the WBC!!!

[Bosibus]

hahah I'm full of love right now thanks to Honkbal but not even my oranje elation can bring me to thinking Ponson has any gas left in that little tank of his

Watch out, Mary1966 absolutely loves Ponson.

[Bosibus]

I am guessing Boom Boom Dixon is still sulking?

[Moose Milligan]

This was pretty awesome. I'm liking the WBC more than I thought I would.

Wonder where this ranks on the all time upset list in sports history? Its definitely not USA:4 USSR:3 in terms of importance...but in terms of talent disparity, how does it compare?

[DrungoHazewood]

This was pretty awesome. I'm liking the WBC more than I thought I would.

Wonder where this ranks on the all time upset list in sports history? Its definitely not USA:4 USSR:3 in terms of importance...but in terms of talent disparity, how does it compare?

It has to be up there in baseball history (ok, not counting stuff like high school or little league), because the organization of high level baseball is such that there hasn't been a significant spread in talent in over a century. If you put all of the WBC teams in a league and had them play a season the Americans and the Dominicans and the Cubans would win 100+ games, and the Dutch and the South Africans would be lucky to get into the 30s or 40s. Last time you had pro baseball teams in the US with matchups like that was in the 1880s and 1890s.

The Dominican team might be a favorite to win any of the current MLB divisions. The Dutch team would be right at home in the Atlantic League, or probably a pretty good Carolina League squad.

In other sports, notably college, this kind of thing happens pretty frequently. Maybe on the level of a 15-2 seed in the basketball tourney. Or Appy State over Michigan.