2009 World Baseball Classic

[Precious Roy 0]

Less impressive when you consider that Kim Jong-Il once shot a 38 under par and bowled a perfect game. He's probably got a 104 mile per hour heater and a devastating breaking ball, we just don't know about it yet

[Brett Favre 0]

Those are the fake ass Venezuelans booing him. I'd be cheering him after that.

You mean the ones that were actually born in Venezuela and came to Miami because they saw their country going to shit? Yeah, right.

 

No, the ones that are pissed that Chavez stepped on their shoes even though he had to with the enormous inequality.

I think there's more than an argument that can be made to say that Chavez isn't helping the country as much as you think he is, but this isn't meant to be political. All I'm saying is that it's asinine to think that they have no right or reason to be upset with Chavez, never the less a player who supports him.

 

Alright, but it goes both ways then. Magglio has a right to say what he wants without having to face backlash from people who most probably left Venezuela when Carlos Andres Perez was in power. Magglio ain't the only one who supports Chavez on the team either.

[Czech please! 0]

Any other tyrants need praising? We could go for four in a row! Say what you will about the land deals, but George W. Bush did a lot of good by building the Ballpark in Arlington.

[JaMarcus Russell's #1 Caucasian Fan 0]

Fidel Castro is ok in my book. He did more to help end apartheid in Namibia and South Africa than any Western Nation could have have ever done.

[Brett Favre 0]

And Hugo Chavez ain't a tyrant. Not when people keep voting for the changes he's proposing.

[jimmy no nose 0]

I didn't realize until today that tomorrow's Puerto Rico starter Ian Snell is 100% African American and 0% Puerto Rican. He was actually one of the first guys selected to the team after requesting a special exemption to be allowed on since the stepfather who raised him was from Puerto Rico. He also said he's considering changing his last name for the second time in his career. Most guys only get one and he's thinking about going for three.

[Hitler Cubano 0]

And Hugo Chavez ain't a tyrant. Not when people keep voting for the changes he's proposing.

Pretty easy to keep winning elections when you have a gun to your head at the polls.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Any other tyrants need praising? We could go for four in a row! Say what you will about the land deals, but George W. Bush did a lot of good by building the Ballpark in Arlington.

Don't you have some psycho bitches to lobby reinstatement for? Piss off.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Watching Aroldes Chapman today was interesting. He really strikes me as the Cuban version of Lefty Grove. A few similarities.

 

-Both are left handed pitchers.

-Both are tall and lanky, with outstanding fastballs.

-Both struggled with control early in their careers.

-Both flashed immaturity on the mound.

 

The Cubans are the highlight of this tournament. Great talent that we don't see on a daily basis.

[Hitler Cubano 0]

The Japanese can't seem to catch pop flys being hit in the sun. Insert your own racial epithet here, guys.

 

EDIT: I can also see the umpire's enlarged the strike zone by about two-three times what it should be.

[Precious Roy 0]

lol, wow, I've seen better outfielding in babe ruth games

[Brett Favre 0]

And Hugo Chavez ain't a tyrant. Not when people keep voting for the changes he's proposing.

Pretty easy to keep winning elections when you have a gun to your head at the polls.

 

Yes the majority of the country being poor when he came into office needed a gun to their heads to want to change the way things were being run. Makes sense.

 

If there's one thing this administration preaches is a peaceful voting process that was applauded by other countries, including Spain; and we know how the King feels about Chavez.

[Hitler Cubano 0]

And Hugo Chavez ain't a tyrant. Not when people keep voting for the changes he's proposing.

Pretty easy to keep winning elections when you have a gun to your head at the polls.

 

Yes the majority of the country being poor when he came into office needed a gun to their heads to want to change the way things were being run. Makes sense.

 

If there's one thing this administration preaches is a peaceful voting process that was applauded by other countries, including Spain; and we know how the King feels about Chavez.

 

A peaceful voting process which included a coup d'etat in 2002 to attempt to remove him from office, and then re-drafting the constitution to make it so that he would get re-elected? Sorry, but there's no way you can justify Chavez's limiting of freedom of the press and of speech, his redistributing wealth so that EVERYONE in the country is on government assistance instead of just the poor. No coincidence either that since Chavez took over, Caracas' murder rate has tripled (making it the most violent capital in Latin America aside from Haiti) and part of this is because of Chavez's police. Everything is politicized in the country there, and his first time supporters are even among the ones that are claiming his "Fifth Republic" movement is the same shit as the "Fourth Republic".

 

I don't want to drag this seriously dumb and completely off-topic debate in this thread any longer, but I'll be more than happy to split off a topic and move it to CE. This ain't the first time you and I have butted heads over this.

[Czech please! 0]

Any other tyrants need praising? We could go for four in a row! Say what you will about the land deals, but George W. Bush did a lot of good by building the Ballpark in Arlington.

Don't you have some psycho bitches to lobby reinstatement for? Piss off.

Of all the things I could've said. Jesus.

[BUTT 0]

Any other tyrants need praising? We could go for four in a row! Say what you will about the land deals, but George W. Bush did a lot of good by building the Ballpark in Arlington.

Don't you have some psycho bitches to lobby reinstatement for? Piss off.

OH SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTT

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

I was going to challenge Czech to a duel, but I can't find an appropriate jpg of Homer holding a glove to alleviate the tension.

[Brett Favre 0]

And Hugo Chavez ain't a tyrant. Not when people keep voting for the changes he's proposing.

Pretty easy to keep winning elections when you have a gun to your head at the polls.

 

Yes the majority of the country being poor when he came into office needed a gun to their heads to want to change the way things were being run. Makes sense.

 

If there's one thing this administration preaches is a peaceful voting process that was applauded by other countries, including Spain; and we know how the King feels about Chavez.

 

A peaceful voting process which included a coup d'etat in 2002 to attempt to remove him from office, and then re-drafting the constitution to make it so that he would get re-elected? Sorry, but there's no way you can justify Chavez's limiting of freedom of the press and of speech, his redistributing wealth so that EVERYONE in the country is on government assistance instead of just the poor. No coincidence either that since Chavez took over, Caracas' murder rate has tripled (making it the most violent capital in Latin America aside from Haiti) and part of this is because of Chavez's police. Everything is politicized in the country there, and his first time supporters are even among the ones that are claiming his "Fifth Republic" movement is the same shit as the "Fourth Republic".

 

I don't want to drag this seriously dumb and completely off-topic debate in this thread any longer, but I'll be more than happy to split off a topic and move it to CE. This ain't the first time you and I have butted heads over this.

 

Yes, the coup d'etat was against him. Like I said, his administration hasn't attacked anyone. As far as limiting speech, most of the media outlets are controlled by the opposition. I don't see a problem with changing the constitution in 1999 which has strengthened citizen participation, and human rights. Right now Venezuela is the top democratic nation in Latin America. So things have changed from hearing the voice of a few to the voice of many, and that ruffles a few feathers. And since 1998, the Chavez has had 10 consecutive fair electoral victories. If the people want to see him get re-elected again, what's the big deal? No one gives a shit that Canada has no term limits. Now suddenly because Venezuela wants to do something similar, OMG DICTATOR? Come on. No to mention that you have old geezers in the Senate.

 

I'll stop here, you don't need to split this because we're obviously going to maintain with our stances. I know you dislike Chavez because you don't like what Castro did in Cuba and feel something similar will happen (in terms of free speech), but I disagree.

 

Time for some baseball.

[Hitler Cubano 0]

Agreed to disagree.

 

In other news, Cuba's pitching staff is really struggling here.. or rather, their main strength (their hitting) has been totally neutralized in Petco Park, and they just can't seem to push runners in. They've been overly aggressive and that'll probably cost them the win here, unless something changes in a big way.

[Precious Roy 0]

The Cuban pitchers throw a lot of balls and the Japanese hitters are very patient and methodical. Put that together with Dice-K being on his game and you've got a 5-0 stifling by Japan.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Vanden Hurk is essentially pitching at home.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Solid performance from the Americans thus far.

[bob_barron 0]

Any other tyrants need praising? We could go for four in a row! Say what you will about the land deals, but George W. Bush did a lot of good by building the Ballpark in Arlington.

Don't you have some psycho bitches to lobby reinstatement for? Piss off.

 

Really al, don't even try.

 

It's a pointless baseball tournament, when did this whole farce turn into political controversy?

[JaMarcus Russell's #1 Caucasian Fan 0]

There is nothing like talkin' WBC and Latin American despots!

[bob_barron 0]

We're talking baseball

and Chavez and Castro

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Nice groundout by Jeter. Luckily the Americans have a winner like Jimmy Rollins to bail them out.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Note to Rick Sutcliffe. It was not Utley's "presence" that caused the Phillies to win the World Series. It was his offense and defense.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Upcoming Schedule, Times Eastern.

 

MONDAY

Venezuela vs. Puerto Rico 8pm, ESPN

Cuba vs. Mexico 11pm, ESPN2

 

TUESDAY

United States vs. Venezuela/PR Loser 7pm, MLBN

Japan vs. Cuba/Mexico Winner 11pm, MLBN

 

That next US game is probably the most important game of the tournament, and having it air on MLB Network is something they really need to work on next time around.

[Dobbs 3K 0]

Sounds like Braun left the game early yesterday due to soreness in his right side. Probably nothing too serious, but it sounds like he could be done playing for the USA.

[Big Ol' Smitty 0]

Just a note that VX is right in this thread and Brooklyn Zoo is wrong.

[Brett Favre 0]

Nothing I said was wrong.