World Baseball Classic

[Guest StylesMark]

Hopefully, A-Rod sends my boys back home to Tampa.

[Boon 0]

Watch as A-Rod hits into a double play.

[Guest Smues]

Watch as A-Rod hits into a double play.

That's what I think will happen, but I'm still hoping for the best.

[Guest Smues]

Alex walks and now it's up to Wells.

[Guest Smues]

Damon pinch running for a-rod. Damn I wish I had access to a TV and wasn't just getting results through Gameday.

[mike546 0]

Wow.

 

Chokers.

[Guest Smues]

Fuck game over on the first pitch.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

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.

[naiwf 0]

VIVA MEXICO!

 

Japan got the spot they should have had since they jobbed to the umps against the USA in this pool. The "mighty Americans" should have gone 2-4 in this tourney. Awesome.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

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?!

[Vern Gagne 0]

Was Martinez playing to win, or wanting to get every guy the proper amount of playing time?

[Shooting Star 0]

I'm glad Japan is going. They are such a good team.

[the pinjockey 0]

Leaving Wells in to face the righty when you had Chase Utley on the bench is absurd. I don't know if it is incompetence or arrogance that they didn't think they needed to play the platoon advantage, but either way it was terrible. Yes I am an Utley fanboy, but the point still stands.

 

Disclaimer: disregard the above if he had been inserted into the game, but I did not see that happen (flipping to the tourney) and he is not in the box score so I am assuming he was still available.

[Bored 0]

So four teams left and only one of them is made up of mostly Major Leaguers. I think it does indicate that this probably isn't the best time to hold such a tournament.

[Red Baron 0]

LET THE WHOLE CONTROVERSY BEGIN ON ESPN ON WHAT AMERICA NEEDS TO DO WITH BASEBALL. AMERICA CAN'T FALL TO OTHER INFERIOR NATIONS ON THEIR PAST TIME SPORT!!!!ARGH1!!!!!!

 

 

So I bet this would get more coverage than NCAA in some ways, but you know what, it'll be good for the sport and this tournament itself.

[Guest Princess Leena]

Ugh... why did the US have lose when I'm focused on the NCAA tournament? Fuckers.

[jwpeer 0]

I'm looking forward to Korea v. Japan 3

[The Robfather 0]

Why is it everytime there was a controversial play, the calls went in favor of the USA? I'm glad they lost and I’m happy for Japan.

[sfaJack 0]

Despite MLB's nightmare happening with the US's elimination, can we call the WBC a success so far? There's been some good baseball played--certainly more interesting than your average spring training game.

[Guest Princess Leena]

For countries south of the US, it was a success, like expected.

 

But, the US losing is going to start the bitching that the WBC is played at the worst time possible. But, then if you put it at the end of season... the US roster will still have a lot of no-shows and half-assed players, while every other country plays their heart out. because that's just how the US is in competitions like this.

 

Plus, it would probably be much better if most of the games were in foreign countries. And even more good luck getting any Americans to play then.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

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

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

Yeah the WBC would still be a great success for US. They are kinda the ones who organized it after all.

[Guest Vitamin X]

Despite MLB's nightmare happening with the US's elimination, can we call the WBC a success so far? There's been some good baseball played--certainly more interesting than your average spring training game.

 

This personally interested me a lot more than the regular season, actually.

 

Like an ACTUAL World Series.

[Mik 0]

I love it. How can anyone complain about good meaningful baseball in March?

 

You would have to be a total crybaby, ungrateful, or both.

[Guest Princess Leena]

People who can complain: Anyone who paid for spring training tickets before knowing about WBC. A lot of these teams are nothing but scrubs. And any team owners.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

And you, of course.

[Gert T 0]

Were these people living under a rock before they ordered their WBC tickets?

 

I would say on a scale of 1-10 on a level of interest before the event was about a 5 or a 6, now its about an 8. The games were meaningful. It's just too bad the semis are going against the NCAA tournament first weekend.

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

People who can complain: Anyone who paid for spring training tickets before knowing about WBC. A lot of these teams are nothing but scrubs. And any team owners.

 

I've attended lots of Grapefruit League games, and they are mostly scrubs anyways. That's something you have to expect for a pre-season game. Same with any sport. You don't buy tickets to the first NFL pre-season game and then bitch that Peyton Manning only played one drive.

[Guest Princess Leena]

I meant Spring Training games. With MLB teams. The rosters on some of the teams like the Yankees are a bunch of nobodies all with numbers in the 70's and 80's. There's actually been a fair bit of complaining about that here.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

Grapefruit=spring training.