WBC 2017- Final Four

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Beltran's beard: still weird.

Dutch: weirdly aggressive on the basepaths, making two costly outs there in the first before a Wlad Balentien 2-run longball.

All even after 1, 2-2.

[MFS62]

Balentien has serious power. The announcer said he hit 60 home runs in Japan last year. The one he hit tonight went half way up the left field bleachers (of course, in LA they call it a pavilion).

Later

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

TJ Rivera (!) puts the P'uer in "Puerto Rico" with a solo shot. Ricans, 3-2 in the third.

[Frayed Knot]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Dutch: weirdly aggressive on the basepaths, making two costly outs there in the first before a Wlad Balentien 2-run longball.

That was such a ridiculous top of the 1st.
The Nets got a single, a HBP, another single, then a HR in consecutive ABs and yet only wound up with 2 runs on account of twice getting their asses picked of bases by Yadier throwing behind runners.

[Edgy MD]

Well, let's spend 20 minutes reviewing this play, and then make up for it with an automatic no-pitch walk next week.

[Edgy MD]

I really don't know what the call should be.

[Frayed Knot]

Edgy MD wrote: I really don't know what the call should be.

Which means it shouldn't be changed.

Well, let's spend 20 minutes reviewing this play, and then make up for it with an automatic no-pitch walk next week.

I like how Smoltz & Vasgerian mentioned the mound conversations, ten for the two teams combined while still in just the 4th inning (and it's a large part of why they're just in top 5th two hours into the game).
Loved it also how Vasgerian mentioned how last week's PR/DR game had more mound meetings than any game "since Jorge Posada was still playing".


And, as I'm typing, Molina goes out to the mound again.

[Edgy MD]

The offense of this Dutch team all seems to come from the Dutch colonies in the Caribbean. The pitching staff seems half and half.

I wonder if Tim Tebow would play for the Philippines National Team.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Nice two-out rally from the Wightin' Balentiens.

Nicer relay throw from Pagan to Lindor to Yadi F. to get Jonathan Schoop at home and keep the game knotted.

[Frayed Knot]

Which will this game see more of tonight?
- replay reviews
- mound meetings
- Dutch runners thrown out on the basepaths

[Edgy MD]

It's the night of bullshit slides.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

I mean, they're really good bullshit slides, to be fair.

More unsettling, for my money, is the Dodger organist playing "Get Right Back" during the last mound visit. THASS HOCKEY MOOZAK, YA PHILISTINE

[Edgy MD]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: I mean, they're really good bullshit slides, to be fair.

Yeah, creative, and athletic, and aggressive, but strangely failing in the fundamental of acquiring and maintaining contact with the base.

I don't really think anything was wrong with Pagan's takeout slide.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

PR squanders a leadoff runner and a spate of Nederlander ow-ies in the 8th. Doesn't help that Yadi F. gets sac bunts down about as well as he makes tattoo-placement choices.

[Fman99]

I stayed awake for about 3 innings. Fuck the left coast start times on a weeknight.

[Frayed Knot]

I stayed awake for about 3 innings. Fuck the left coast start times on a weeknight.

What are you complaining about? It was over (slightly) before 2:00 AM!
Although if it wasn't for the 'runners on' rule starting in the 11th inning, who knows when (or even if) it would have actually ended.


I bailed after six.

Edited March 21, 2017 by Guest

[Frayed Knot]

Frayed Knot wrote: Which will this game see more of tonight? - replay reviews - mound meetings - Dutch runners thrown out on the basepaths

The final answer to this one is almost certainly Mound Meetings (at one point there was a mid-AB pitching change on a 1-1 count for no apparent reason) although 'C' gave it a run for its money.
In addition to their base-running follies of the early innings, the Netherlands managed to hit into four inning-ending GiDPs most notably to end the 8th, 9th, and 11th innings. That'll leave a mark in a close game!



Both teams started the 11th inning off with a sac bunt to move the auto-runners up to 2nd & 3rd. Then both defenses IW'd the next hitter to load the bases and set up the force.
Netherlands grounded into the inning-ending DP in the top half of the inning. PR got a game-winning Sac-Fly after their IW in the bottom half.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Really? LASORDA's our first-pitch honoree?

Drizzling in LA. Bad omen? Worse omen than starting Tanner Roark in a single-elimination game?

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

That's like a mountain of bad news right there

[Guest d'Kong76]

If I can stay up, I'm going for Japan... viva El Nippon!

[Guest 41Forever]

They haven't had a rainout in LA in 17 years!

US with first and second with two out with McCutchen at the plate. Best chance in a while.

[Guest 41Forever]

And McCutchen drives in the first run!

[Frayed Knot]

41Forever wrote: They haven't had a rainout in LA in 17 years!

Freakin' climate change!!!

[Guest d'Kong76]

I haven't been glued to this, but it's kinda boring.

[Edgy MD]

I think every time I've tuned into a game in this tournament, a call is immediately blown by an ump.

[ashie62]

MFS62 wrote: Balentien has serious power. The announcer said he hit 60 home runs in Japan last year. The one he hit tonight went half way up the left field bleachers (of course, in LA they call it a pavilion). Later

Joran Van Sloot his 65 in the Penal league.

[Edgy MD]

Balentien is a big meat ball, too. And I don't feel particularly confident that's all legit bigness.

[Edgy MD]

I wonder if this field even has good big-league drainage.

[Edgy MD]

Double off the wall by Kinsler. I thought Crawford was scoring but he was held.

Putting up the stop sign? Some guy named Willie Randolph.

[Edgy MD]

USA takes the lead on a wet ball bobble.