World Baseball Classic

[skatingtripods]

Who's tuning in tonight? Anybody tune in to any previous games?

[Spin]

Watched Italy roll Canada. Pretty interesting looking at their roster. Never exactly a world power, I wish they were in a different pool than the US.

[danwismar]

Looks like DR has a pretty amazing team....not sure about the pitching, but Reyes, Hanley Ramirez and Cano ain't a bad way to start. Watched them down Asdrubal and Venezuela the other night.

[dmiles]

I've been watching Chris Colabello since about 2010. I know his hitting coach pretty well, he's a good guy with some interesting ideas. Anyway Colabello started with him in winter 2010, the guy never played affiliated baseball. In 2011 he was named by Baseball America as Independent League POY. Last year at, I think the age of 28 he got an invite to the Twins camp, made the AA team and broke the record for RBIs at the AA squad. This year he was invited to the major league camp, great story. However he had to decide whether to play for Italy and leave camp or stay. Tough call. Anyway he beasted yesterday looking forward to seeing him tonight against the USA.

Anyway you can read the whole thing here:

http://tewkshitting.com/baseball-world-meet-chris-colabello/

[bookelly]

I've been really vibing on the WBC. It might help that most of the game times are West Coast friendly, but it's definitely playoff level baseball. And the crowds are REALLY into it.

I can totally see this as baseballs Ryder Cup. Give it a few years and people will really go nuts for this. But they have to figure out how we can have these countries compete in the Olympics or its a moot point. Maybe use the WBC to qualify the top 4 teams? And then take one week off during the season to play an Olympic tourney. Double elimination and then a gold medal game would take 5 days. Plus two for travel and you have a 154 game schedule every 4 years. It's feasible.

Hockey figured it out, why can't MLB?

[neoleo]

I've been watching as many games as possible. Loved the intensity that led to the brawl in the Mexico/Canada game. Crowds are really into these games too, especially in the non-US sites.

[pod2dawg]

I watched the DR/PR game last night. It was awesome, but for some reason I couldn't understand a damn thing the announcers were saying....well except when they mentioned Carlos Santanna, Cleveland Indians just before he K'd looking with a guy on third.

[peeker643]

Anyone know if Torre was still sleeping in the US dugout this morning when the cleaning crews arrived? I think he drifted off in about the 4th inning last night.

I can't get as into this as others have. And it may be the fact that SPs are restricted in terms of innings, etc. For that reason alone it seems a bit contrived to me.

[skatingtripods]

Anyone know if Torre was still sleeping in the US dugout this morning when the cleaning crews arrived? I think he drifted off in about the 4th inning last night.

I can't get as into this as others have. And it may be the fact that SPs are restricted in terms of innings, etc. For that reason alone it seems a bit contrived to me.

I enjoyed it. Once the players started to show some emotion for the US team, it got better.

As for Torre, my god. Nobody in that lineup, except maybe Victorino and Bloomquist, should ever bunt. What's this bullshit about having to play everybody? Is this Little League? Giancarlo Stanton on the bench in an elimination game? Really?

Had the US lost that game yesterday, they'd have had to play an after-the-season qualifying round in 2017 just to participate in the next WBC. Not that I really give a shit overall, but that would have been downright embarrassing. And Torre's dicking around with using RHPs against LHBs in big spots. Guys with pretty big splits too.

It's a very flawed tournament, from the timing to the restrictions, to the guys that don't go and play, but the players who are there care, so I'll watch.

[motherscratcher]

Torre wouldn't have had to make Adam Jones bunt if those assholes weren't out there clogging up the basepaths. This is basic.

Do you guys think that Torre put the bunt on from the dugout when he scratched his balls? Who says major leaguers don't pay attention to signs, amiright?

[neoleo]

I enjoyed it. Once the players started to show some emotion for the US team, it got better.

As for Torre, my god. Nobody in that lineup, except maybe Victorino and Bloomquist, should ever bunt. What's this bullshit about having to play everybody? Is this Little League? Giancarlo Stanton on the bench in an elimination game? Really?

Had the US lost that game yesterday, they'd have had to play an after-the-season qualifying round in 2017 just to participate in the next WBC. Not that I really give a shit overall, but that would have been downright embarrassing. And Torre's dicking around with using RHPs against LHBs in big spots. Guys with pretty big splits too.

It's a very flawed tournament, from the timing to the restrictions, to the guys that don't go and play, but the players who are there care, so I'll watch.

Another one of the timing problems is having to get guys like Victorino and Zobrist AB's, so they get a start over a better players in an elimination game. Guys aren't going to accept an invitation to play in the future if they sit the bench for a week, and teams aren't going to allow guys to play in that situation either.

If they can find a time to do this when pitchers can go longer and when you don't have to get everybody in the game little league style, I think it can be great. Don't know if we'll ever see that though.

[neoleo]

Seeing Baerga in the dugout for PR last night made me think about how cool this event would have been in the mid 90's for an Indians fan. At any given time you could have had Belle, Thome, Lofton and Murray for USA (maybe Nagy and Hershieser too), Baerga and the Alomars for PR, Vizquel for Venezuela, Ramirez and Mesa for DR...

[dmiles]

Chris Colabello another 3-run homer for Italy. Heckuva story if you didn't click my link.

[WiscTribeFan]

Karim Garcia for Mexico looked like they plucked him from a Friday night beer-league softball game.

[neoleo]

Karim Garcia for Mexico looked like they plucked him from a Friday night beer-league softball game.

They didn't?

[pup]

How do you throw anything on the inner half with Angel Hernandez behind the plate?

[gotribe31]

How do you throw anything on the inner half with Angel Hernandez behind the plate?

[Erie Warrior]

Did anyone mention how fat Greg Maddux is?

[Erie Warrior]

Vinny F'n P just shit the F'n bed