EVIL~! alkeiper

Ignore Spring Training numbers. Really.

Just follow the instructions on one of the emails, give them your account and such, and I'm sure you will get a lot more.

As an aside, kudos to the Dominicans for starting Placido Polanco over Alfonso Soriano the last few games. Soriano's got pop but the team gets enough of that in the middle of the lineup. Polanco provides a solid leadoff hitter and vastly superior defense.

1-0 Dominicans in the 7th. This looks like a great game.

Remember I'm a Philly fan. Howard's a great young talent, but Teixeira is actually younger.

Because for all I know, A-Rod will be Dominican by then.

I had been thinking of an ideal U.S. WBC roster but instead, what might the US team look like in 2009? Take these picks with a grain of salt. The age in parenthesis is the player's age in 2009. C: Joe Mauer (26) 1B: Mark Teixeira (29) 2B: Chase Utley (30) SS: Jimmy Rollins (30) 3B: Ryan Zimmerman (24) LF: Carl Crawford (27) CF: Grady Sizemore (26) RF: Delmon Young (23) DH: Lance Berkman (33) SP: Jake Peavy (28) SP: Dontrelle Willis (27) SP: Roy Oswalt (31) SP: Mark Buehrle (30) SP: Scott Kazmir (25) CL: Huston Street (25) Third base is an extremely deep position with Alex Rodriguez, David Wright, Zimmerman and possibly Brandon Wood. I think Wood will end up at third, which is why I did not choose him for shortstop. It's iffy if Grady Sizemore will still be a center fielder, but I think he'll last there at least three years.

I think for a tournament that's once every four years, people can take the inconvenience. The fact that they're in Florida or Arizona in March in the first place gives them very little room to complain.

Well, that and there hasn't been a game to talk about since then.

ESPN.com reports that the injury Luis Ayala of the Nationals suffered in the WBC will keep him out for the season. It's worth noting that he already had surgery on the elbow before the injury.

This tournament could still be a positive for the U.S., particularly if MLB imports some of the top Koreans.

Hopefully the U.S. learns to properly construct a roster next time, and gives them a better manager as well. What the hell is the point of pinch-running for A-Rod while leaving Chipper Jones in as the tying run? Why didn't the team have Chone Figgins or Scott Podsednik just for that situation? Why are three of the worst defensive players in baseball starting in an elimination game? Why is a superior fielder to one of those players DHing? Why do you leave a left handed batter in to face a lefty specialist when you have EIGHT position players on your bench?!

At the least, Korea/Japan will be a hell of a game on Saturday. I wouldn't be surprised to see the winner win the whole tournament, as their little ball style should fare well in Petco Park.

Mexico has been eliminated because they scored a run.

Yahoo has a neat pick breakdown on their site. 30.7% of entrants have BC going to the Final Four.

Cash. Money left on the credit card needs to be reported on their taxes at the end of the year. Paper money is off the books.

With that taken care of, here are the scenarios for tomorrow's game. (1)If the U.S. wins, they advance. (2)If Mexico wins 1-0, the U.S. still advances. (3)If Mexico wins a shutout game that goes 13 innings or longer, Mexico advances. (4)If Mexico wins by any other score, Japan advances. (5)If the game ends in a tie, the U.S. advances.

Tamura strikes out. Koreans win 2-1, and earn a spot in the Semifinals.

Arai strikes out. Hitoshi Tamura up, two outs, one runner on. Tamura almost hit the first pitch out.

Japan has a runner on first with Takahiro Arai at the plate. One out, 2-1 Korea.

I have tiebreaker scenarios figured out but I'm waiting for this game to end before announcing them.

Still 2-0 through eight innings.

Korea scores two runs in the top of the eighth, take a 2-0 lead.

Cuba defeats Puerto Rico 4-3 and advances to the semifinal. They will play the Dominicans at 3pm ET on Saturday, at Petco Park.

PR/Cuba is providing some good drama. Puerto Rico trails 4-3, but has two runners on in the 8th.