It's begun, and it's awesome.
Venezuela is stacked as fudge and the USA actually put out a decent team this time around.
Baseball, glorious baseball, in truly international form!
It's begun, and it's awesome.
Venezuela is stacked as fudge and the USA actually put out a decent team this time around.
Baseball, glorious baseball, in truly international form!
Brazil led Japan into the 8th inning. Too bad they couldn't hang on, that would've been epic.
Mexico got burned by bad defense. That was pretty sad to watch.
I went and watched Spain play Baltimore the other day; they lost to the Orioles 19-7.
They have decent hitting and defense, but their pitching is just terrible.
The pitching has been poor overall, I'd say, for most of the teams. It makes the offense look even more tremendous. I mean freaking Italy ran over Canada today!
So, uh, benches-clearing brawl between Mexico and Canada.
Feels like the USA should be right in the middle of it.
So, uh, benches-clearing brawl between Mexico and Canada.
Feels like the USA should be right in the middle of it.
You have a fine wit, good sir.
Why thank you!
USA survives. Man, it would make a lot of things better if Eric Hosmer has a solid season this year.
Glad to see Jones contributing some this time. His stats have all gone slowly up each season so I have faith he'll continue to produce an all-star level.
After a surprise advance from the First Round by beating Mexico and Canada, Italy was knocked out of the Classic by Puerto Rico, which isn't half as surprising as the Netherlands beating Cuba twice to advance to the Semi-Finals.
Whoever loses the US-DR game today will play Puerto Rico in an elimination game tomorrow. The winners of those games will advance to the next Round but will play a game on Saturday to determine seeding in the next round. The winner of the Saturday game will play the Netherlands while the loser will have to play Japan.
There's gonna be so much hatred posted all over if Japan takes the trophy for third consecutive time.
I was reading the other day that the WBC was getting higher ratings than the Olympics in Japan.
It's somewhere between ignored and derided here in the States, which is a damned shame. Last night's game was one of the more intense you'll find 'til about September in the MLB.
The reason it's not such a big deal in the US is that our very best players have no interest in participating, or the clubs that they belong to want no part of risking injury or wearing them down by letting them play. As a result, it's not exciting to watch players of lesser quality that, although talented, can't really compete with the best. Part of it is a lack of pride, though, so that goes against us. Oh, and Joe Torre is a walking managerial disaster at times.
I won't hate it if Japan wins again, but I won't like hearing it from coworkers and people who don't even follow baseball, so I'm going with the remaining half of my bloodline and rooting for Cuba. Cigars and rum for everyone! Oh wait, we're out.
@Steven:
The reason it's not such a big deal in the US is that our very best players have no interest in participating, or the clubs that they belong to want no part of risking injury or wearing them down by letting them play. As a result, it's not exciting to watch players of lesser quality that, although talented, can't really compete with the best. Part of it is a lack of pride, though, so that goes against us. Oh, and Joe Torre is a walking managerial disaster at times.
ut.
If the US really feels that way, then don't bother fielding a team and stop wasting everyone else's time. The other countries in the WBC didn't seem to have a problem showing up and feeling some sense of joy in playing.
If it were up to me, I'd give the USA's spot to Brazil or China for the next WBC. At least they gave a damn when they were there.
@Steven:
I won't hate it if Japan wins again, but I won't like hearing it from coworkers and people who don't even follow baseball, so I'm going with the remaining half of my bloodline and rooting for Cuba. Cigars and rum for everyone! Oh wait, we're out.
But but but Steven!
The Olympics, World Cup, and WBC are the only times when an average non-sports watching Japanese can pretend they give a shit!
I'm rooting for the Netherlands. Just because.
I have several problems with the typical American perspective on the WBC.
First, the guys who do participate are really damned committed to it. Most of the ones coming back right now have been vocal about it being one of the most important sports experiences of their lives, and many seem willing to commit to it in future events. Brandon Phillips, Jimmy Rollins, and R.A. Dickey–among others--have been real ambassadors for the game, and I wish they could get more respect for that.
Second, the more dismissive/derisive attitude towards the WBC from American fans is incredibly annoying to me. The WBC comes at an inopportune time for the MLB, sure, but that doesn't make it a failure. Hell, it might have been Selig's most successful endeavor. The MLB is so good in some measure because it is easily the most diverse of the major sports in the United States, and this event caters to that. It's offensive to dismiss it just because it throws a few Spring Training routines out of whack.
That said, there are some legitimate complaints in the States. The decision to show most games only on the MLB Network--which isn't even available on all cable/satellite packages--and the lack of live streaming even for online subscribers have been devastating for the development of even a casual interest over here.
On the bright side, Bryce Harper is completely on fire with the idea of playing in the WBC, and if he really does turn into one of the great superstars of the league in the next few years, I suspect he'll drag enough talent with him to make it a much more compelling US Team.
One problem with having the Classic in March is how it conflicts with college basketball; specifically the conference tournaments, which the various networks have already spent a lot of money acquiring the rights to and are loathe to bump. They really ought to start it a few weeks earlier to avoid that.
And down goes Japan.
Wow.
My kids are screaming and crying in the hallway.
"Ehhh they're just patriotic. That's a good thing!"- Random Teacher
Thank god it's over.
Wow.
I think I prefer that to the collective nothing that happened over here when the US lost.
According to MLB's Twitter, 74% of television viewers in Puerto Rico watched the ending of the PR/Japan game.
I stand by my belief that this has been Selig's most successful venture.
What were they airing it on in Puerto Rico?