WBC, 2026

[Frayed Knot]

And now it's 4-1 Japan with the bases loaded and one out in bottom 8th.

Six Aussie hurlers have allowed just five hits but also 12 walks!!

[Frayed Knot]

So Aussies fight back with two two-out 9th inning solo HRs ... and lose 4-3

Japan wins their group and the second slot will go to the winner of the Australia/Korea game tomorrow.

[Edgy MD]

Six Aussie hurlers have allowed just five hits but also 12 walks!!

 

Australians aren't as walk-averse as others. Down there, they are called waltzing Matildas.

[Frayed Knot]

Former big league catcher Ernie Whitt, though a Michigan native from birth and HS & college, spent the majority of his 15 ML seasons with Toronto.

Since then he has managed Team Canada in each of the six WBC tourneys making Canada the only country to have the same manager since the WBC's inception.

[Centerfield]

I fully understand that a player can get hurt in spring training, or even walking from the parking lot to spring training. Or stepping out of the shower while thinking about spring training. It doesn't make me any less nervous about our potential ace getting hurt.

Everyone can say it's no different to be pitching in a grapefruit league game vs. the WBC. I don't believe that. The intensity displayed in these WBC games is crazy. When you see how much it means to these other players to represent their country, I can't imagine our players view it in the same way they would view some grapefruit league start. And because of that intensity, I feel it's more likely that a competitor like McLean would push himself, maybe more than he should be doing in early March.

Can I prove that? No. And so I'm not saying anyone else should feel that way. But that's where I sit.

And again, maybe it will be different once I watch the games on TV.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Well, certainly no players celebrate a win in a spring training game like Edwin Diaz did in the 2023 WBC. So there's that.

[Centerfield]

So Aussies fight back with two two-out 9th inning solo HRs ... and lose 4-3

Japan wins their group and the second slot will go to the winner of the Australia/Korea game tomorrow.

 

If only it were that simple. Korea beating Australia leads to a three way tie between Korea, Australia and Chinese Taipei. Because of the funky tie breakers, Korea needed to not only win, but to win by 5, while not allowing more than 2 runs.

Korean won by a score of 7-2.

[Centerfield]

Tatis Jr. Grand Slam. DR dominating Israel.

If it had been his father, he would have hit another that same inning.

[Frayed Knot]

Bobby Witt Jr. = Real Good SS

With the Royals in a down period these days I suspect most of us have seen very few KCR games in the past few years. So while we can see the numbers we

rarely see him. Tonight he's got an opposite field double and two stunning play at SS.

Already a 2nd, 4th, and 7th MVP, led the league in hits twice, triples once, and has one batting title in four seasons.

Will turn 26 in mid-season and is signed thru 2037.

[Edgy MD]

Bobby Witt is worth watching day in and day out.

[Frayed Knot]

The good news is that Nolan McLean is pitching for the USA tonight.

The bad is that he surrendered two HRs in the top of the 2nd and it's currently 3-0 Italy.

[Edgy MD]

I kinda think that USA is already guaranteed to advance and McLean is out there zipping in fat ones.

[Centerfield]

I wish that were the case. McLean struggled. Looks like his fastball got hit then he nibbled around with his breaking pitches.

It’s fine. It’s still early.

And now that McLean is out of the game, I’m having trouble mustering interest for this game.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Fortunately, they won't be playing against Italy during the regular season.

[Edgy MD]

Nothing against Will Smith, but I'm kinda wondering where that Cal Raleigh fellow is.

(And with that post, Smith singles, bringing the tying run into the on-deck circle.)

[Edgy MD]

Roman Anthony (who? is he on the right team?) singles! Goldschmidt up as the tying run!!

Bryce Haper pinch-hitting!

[Edgy MD]

And that's it. No chicken McNuggets with the president for you, Team USA.

[metirish]

Are the USA out , or might be if Mexico beats Italy later today?

[Frayed Knot]

If Italy wins then that's two losses for Mexico and it's Italy #1, US #2

If Mexico wins then it's three teams tied at a 4-1 record and it goes to tie-breakers. This is how mlb.com summarizes it:

- The tied teams would be ranked, based on runs allowed divided by defensive outs recorded in the games between the three tied teams.

- If that also results in a tie, the next tiebreaker is earned runs allowed divided by defensive outs recorded in the games between the three tied teams.

- Because Mexico has allowed fewer runs than Italy, there is no scenario in which Mexico could win Wednesday’s game without advancing.

- Assuming a nine-inning game, Team USA would advance if Italy gives up five runs or more and loses. But Italy would advance if it loses but gives up four or fewer runs.

- An extra-inning game would, of course, alter the math.

[duan]

so you're saying to me that Mexico and Italy can play each other and know that as long as Mexico win, by scoring four or fewer wins that they both go through and the "best squad" are knocked out. Could that possibly happen. You're damn right it could

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disgrace_of_Gij%C3%B3n

Since 1982 any competition where this kind of thing could happen has had simultaneous kick offs where practical.

[Edgy MD]

There's been a long history of Team USA managers phoning it in, but Mark DeRosa is looking pretty foolish this morning.

[metirish]

Apparently DeRosa didn't know the situation, that seems impossible, but seems to be the case

[Edgy MD]

Clearly looking back a few posts, I was unawares that they had not yet clinched also.

BUT I WAS JUST FEEDING OFF OF DEROSA'S ATTITUDE!!

[MFS62]

If the us doesn’t win it, will that guy in Washington say they are traitors? They’re depriving him of a photo- op.(whippoorwill is right, every thread eventually mentions him)

Later

[Frayed Knot]

DeRosa said during an interview on MLBN earlier in the day that the team had secured a spot in the next round with their win over Mexico but knew that wasn't the case prior to the game v Italy so it's not like they played under that assumption.

[Edgy MD]

Did he actually say prior to the game that he knew the spot wasn't secure?

Either way, I cannot see the deployment he has used (along with that of prior Team USA managers) and describe it as "managing to win."

[Gwreck]

DeRosa said during an interview on MLBN earlier in the day that the team had secured a spot in the next round with their win over Mexico but knew that wasn't the case prior to the game v Italy so it's not like they played under that assumption.

 

Are we sure that’s the case?

Brittany Ghiroli of The Athletic had an article today saying that DeRosa used the “B” lineup in the game against Italy (Cal Raleigh, Bryce Harper, Alex Bregman, Brice Turang all sat) and even had Clayton Kershaw warming in the pen (instead of Mason Miller) in a key spot. She noted there was social media speculation that maybe DeRosa figured out the issue during the game (and which is why Miller eventually got up and entered the game).

[Edgy MD]

That is akin to how I am seeing it.

[Frayed Knot]

DeRosa said during an interview on MLBN earlier in the day that the team had secured a spot in the next round with their win over Mexico but knew that wasn't the case prior to the game v Italy so it's not like they played under that assumption.

 

Are we sure that’s the case?

 

Sure? No, but I heard so several times.

Two solo HRs by guys with an Italian relative somewhere in their family tree* and it's 2-0 Italy heading to bottom 4 (Mexico is home team here)

* The 30 man roster consists of three players born in Italy (all pitchers fwiw), plus two Venezuelans (and the manager), one Canadian, and 24 Americans

[Edgy MD]

Mark DeRosa also comes from Italian-American stock. New Jersey Italian-American stock.

Highly suspicious!