2013 World Baseball Classic

[Frayed Knot]

SAMBA BASEBALL ll!!!
It is, after all, a beautiful game.

[Ceetar]

Only David Wright from the Mets will play in the Classic. A whole ton eliminated in the qualifying round. And about a billion ex-Mets will be there.

[Frayed Knot]

Pool A: Japan - China - Cuba - Brazil

Pool B: Korea - Netherlands - Taipei - Australia

Pool C: Venezuela - Puerto Rico - Dominican Republic - Spain

Pool D: USA - Mexico - Italy - Canada


USA Roster
Mark Teixeira -- 1B -- Yankees
Brandon Phillips 2B Reds
Jimmy Rollins SS Phillies
David Wright 3B Mets
Joe Mauer C Twins
Ryan Braun LF Brewers
Adam Jones CF Orioles
Giancarlo Stanton RF Marlins
Ben Zobrist INF Rays
Willie Bloomquist INF D-backs
Shane Victorino OF Red Sox
Jonathan Lucroy C Brewers
J.P. Arencibia C Blue Jays
R.A. Dickey SP Blue Jays
Ryan Vogelsong SP Giants
Derek Holland SP Rangers
Kris Medlen SP Braves
Craig Kimbrel RP Braves
Heath Bell RP D-backs
Chris Perez RP Indians
Vinnie Pestano RP Indians
Luke Gregerson RP Padres
Glen Perkins RP Twins
Steve Cishek RP Marlins
Jeremy Affeldt RP Giants
Tim Collins RP Royals
Mitchell Boggs RP Cardinals



And it's good timing for the Yanx that Jeter, ARod & Mariano don't have to fake injuries this year.

[Edgy MD]

Maple Leafers taking the field without Jason Bay.

But they will have Jonathan Malo, so...

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Gregorson, Cishek AND Pestano? Quite the Leachy bullpen crew.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Russell Martin, callow POS? That sounds about right.

For all we know, he spent weeks agonizing over this decision, weighing the pros and cons of giving up his knees for his country, and now he lies awake in the wee hours wondering if he made the right choice. Or maybe not. ''It wasn't that hard of a decision,'' Martin said. ''There's the feeling of I might be letting my teammates down, my Canadian teammates, but that's something that I'm sure I'll get over.''

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

What a ****-nadian.

[Edgy MD]

"Fuck no, I didn't walk out on my team and country. They refused to meet my comically unreasonable terms. My hand was forced!"

[metirish]

What an asshole.......he obviously knew that his request to play SS was going to be turned down.....an easy out, jerk.

Edited February 27, 2013 by Guest

[Chad ochoseis]

metirish wrote: his request to play SS

I thought for sure you were taking the piss. Then I clicked on the link.

[Frayed Knot]

[u:1la8ouvh]WBC Update[/u:1la8ouvh]

Pool B play is in the books (it's been going on over the last couple of days, most of it while we were sleeping) with the Netherlands and Taipei advancing at the expense of South Korea & Australia
Neth, Taipei, & SK all beat up on poor Australia (0-3) and then took turns beating each other and all finished 2-1. Korea, who lost in the final last time around to Japan, was eliminated on the basis of worst run differential.

[Guest The Second Spitter]

Frayed Knot wrote: WBC Update Pool B play is in the books (it's been going on over the last couple of days, most of it while we were sleeping) with the Netherlands and Taipei advancing at the expense of South Korea & Australia Neth, Taipei, & SK all beat up on poor Australia (0-3) and then took turns beating each other and all finished 2-1. Korea, who lost in the final last time around to Japan, was eliminated on the basis of worst run differential.

Sad week for Australia in ball & bat sports.

The plight of the Aussie team is a pretty freaking hilarious in light of an article that appeared in an Oz sports mag two weeks ago incredulously entitled �When did Australia get so good in baseball?� The article�s central thesis revolves around the Aussies shelling Oliver Perez at the 2009 WBC (lets be honest, Lorcan's Little League team would have shelled Ollie P in '09).

Said article then goes from the ridiculous to the insane by suggesting Australia would dominate a hypothetical cricket/baseball hybrid (as the Oz cricket team is currently getting their assess handed to them in India).

It's a shame really because the Australian baseball team isn't infested with douchebags, which is something of a rarity in our national sporting teams. The problem is that the ABL is such a bush league, you would be forgiven for confusing it with a '70's porn actress.

[Fman99]

Mexico @ USA, live from Chase Field in Arizona, currently being aired on the MLB Network. And, if you're at the Fman house, served up with cold Fresca & gin and viewed on a 55" HDTV set.

Yeah, that's right. Baseball, bitches.

[Ceetar]

Fman99 wrote: Mexico @ USA, live from Chase Field in Arizona, currently being aired on the MLB Network. And, if you're at the Fman house, served up with cold Fresca & gin and viewed on a 55" HDTV set. Yeah, that's right. Baseball, bitches.

I've been watching competitive baseball all day. this is fun.

[Gwreck]

Dickey not doing so well in the first.

Spotted our old friend Willie R. in the dugout.

[Fman99]

Sugarpants with the 6-4-3 GIDP.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Dickey not doing so well in the third, either-- Gonzalez crushed that one, and even the outs were loud.

[Gwreck]

...and Uncle Sam is on the board, courtesy Sugarpants.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Nice 2-out, 2-strike oppo-field single on a nasty down-and-in fastball.

Seriously, though... Hosmer? Over Ike, or Ryan Howard, or Paul Konerko?

[Guest The Second Spitter]

In before:
"Better than Olerud for Person".

[Edgy MD]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Nice 2-out, 2-strike oppo-field single on a nasty down-and-in fastball. Seriously, though... Hosmer? Over Ike, or Ryan Howard, or Paul Konerko?

Yeah, if that doesn't explode this, how about Torre's explanation that Hosner was already in Arizona?

You wait for this opportunity for three years, commit all this money and resources trying to convince fans that it's meaningful, and you let three extra hours on a plane stop you? Meanwhile, Howard is having a torrid spring, with a 1.116 OpS.

[ashie62]

This is almost as bad as stopping the NHL for the Olympics...

It will not catch on in the US...ever...

[Guest vtmet]

anyone see the brawl in the Mexico vs Canada game?

Apparently, Mexico threw at a Canadian batter...the ump issued a warning, and then the Mexican pitcher drilled the batter in the back...also, a fan drilled the Canadian pitching coach with a bottle...I included the youtube video of the brawl, but the actual link shows what led up to the brawl...

It wasn�t quite an international incident, but a benches-clearing brawl broke out between Mexico and Canada during Saturday�s World Baseball Classic. In a chippy game that had previously involved a late takeout slide and a collision at home plate, Canadian Chris Robinson bunted to lead off the ninth inning with Canada holding a 9-3 lead. Mexico pitcher Arnold Leon responded by throwing at Rene Tosoni and missing as both teams were warned by the umpire. Then, Leon hit Tosoni on the next pitch and the benches emptied. Red Sox pitcher Alfredo Aceves was heavily involved in the fray, seen wrestling with Tyson Gillies and appearing to suffer a blow to the head. The right-hander was ejected from the game and could face further discipline. Aceves� Red Sox teammates were reported to have cheered at the sight of their pitcher fighting. The brawl also spilled into the stands, and Canada pitching coach Denis Boucher was struck in the face with a bottle of some sort thrown from the crowd. Check out a fan�s view of the mayhem in the video below. Read more at: http://nesn.com/2013/03/alfredo-aceves-in-middle-of-massive-brawl-during-canada-mexico-world-baseball-classic-game/

tV2kJQl4FNs

Mexico Manager Rick Renteria Blames Misunderstanding of Rules for Bench-Clearing Brawl at World Baseball Classic by Dan Duquette Jr. With one team bunting in the ninth inning of a game it led by six runs, it might ordinarily be understandable for their opponent to get steamed. However, due to tiebreaker rules in the World Baseball Classic that hinge on run differential, it appears that Team Canada meant no offense by bunting against Team Mexico � although offense was clearly taken. Mexico manager Rick Renteria blamed a misunderstanding of those tiebreaker rules for his players� actions on Saturday, pointing out that in the �heat of the moment,� they didn�t realize what Canada was trying to do. After a bunt by Chris Robinson to lead off the ninth inning for Canada, Mexico third baseman Luis Cruz was seen motioning at his pitcher to hit the next batter. That�s exactly what Arnold Leon did, plunking Rene Tosoni on his third try and sparking the brawl. Seven players were ejected after the fight, including Red Sox pitcher Alfredo Aceves. Canadian pitching coach Denis Boucher also was hit in the face by a projectile thrown from the stands. Read more at: http://nesn.com/2013/03/mexico-manager-rick-renteria-blames-misunderstanding-of-rules-for-bench-clearing-brawl-at-world-baseball-classic/

[Edgy MD]

Yeah, the run-differential-based tiebreakers have led to a lot of nonsense. During one of the qualifying games, a team scored a run to go ahead with two out in the eighth, and then realized they put themselves at a disadvantage, because they needed to win by six or something to advance, so they needed the bottom of the ninth.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

what an embarrassment.

[Frayed Knot]

NAFTA NEIGHBORS gettin' NASTY


Meanwhile, Wright goes deep on some Eye-Talian hurler (probably one born in Ohio) and it's 6-2 USA in the 5th

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Nice shot, Shug.

[Guest The Second Spitter]

Baseball is BACK!!!!!!

WOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

[Guest Mets � Willets Point]

Perhaps that will get the Mexi-Canadian Overpass torn down.

[G-Fafif]

Now starring David Wright.