WBC

[Pardon My Dinger]

No World Baseball Classic thread yet? Come on, guys.

[Pardon My Dinger]

Forza Azzuri! Forza Colabello, Butera!

[Pardon My Dinger]

Butera just yanked one deep in Jalisco. Good game happening here.

[Oldgoat_MN]

I very seldom watch television so I don't have cable. When the Twins game is on you'll usually find me at a bar.

Doesn't mean I wouldn't appreciate more WBC info.

Keep it coming, Dinger!

 

[goliath]

Mexico-Italy game was very entertaining.  Italy with 5 runs bottom of the ninth (off Roberto Osuna and Oliver Perez) to win it 10-9.  Nick Punto is the 3rd base coach for Italy, and Sal Butera also a coach. Drew Butter and Chris Colabello play for Italy.

Tough loss for Australia, eliminated by Cuba 4-3.  Twins minor leaguer Lachlan Wells gave up grand slam to Despaigne, but very poor managing by Australia's manager to leave him in.  Wells had struck out first two batters in the inning then two singles and a walk, before the 20 year old left handed Wells gave up GS to the veteran right hand hitting Cuban star.  Lots of former and current (many minor league) Twins on Australian team.

[Riverbrian]

I like the WBC overall and I hope the event continues.

 

However... I do question the shaky country affiliations of some rosters.

[Willihammer]

 

I very seldom watch television so I don't have cable. When the Twins game is on you'll usually find me at a bar.

Doesn't mean I wouldn't appreciate more WBC info.

Keep it coming, Dinger!

They stream some (all?) the games live on Youtube. I just found out about this last night. Search for "wbc2017" or something similar and filter for live.

[Pardon My Dinger]

I like the WBC overall and I hope the event continues.

 

However... I do question the shaky country affiliations of some rosters.

I kind of like it because it creates some actual parity. Other similar international tournaments are less interesting (i.e., Olympic basketball, hockey) because it's just one or two big teams vs a bunch of slouches.

[Shaitan]

 

Nick Punto is the 3rd base coach for Italy

 

I feel like everyone was too hard on Punto over the years, but this truly frightens me.

[GP830]

 

I feel like everyone was too hard on Punto over the years, but this truly frightens me.

 Does he wave runners around the bag face-first? 

[Sarah]

I will watch it when I can - last night the Dominican team was leading 9-2 with two outs in the ninth inning and Tony Pena replace Fernando Rodney with Jeurys Familia to get the last out. I couldn't figure out why he would do that, I thought maybe he was just trying to show off...hmm, should I use Dellin Betances here? Would definitely be an upset if this team lost. 

[Bark's Lounge]

The absence of Shohei Otani from the tournament is a bummer. That would have been my #1 reason for watching. Other than that I might check out the final few games of the tournament if it clicks with my schedule.

[Thrylos]

 

I feel like everyone was too hard on Punto over the years, but this truly frightens me.

 

First base coach would have been the truly frightful position for him...

[Bark's Lounge]

 

I like the WBC overall and I hope the event continues.

However... I do question the shaky country affiliations of some rosters.

I get you Bri, but a few of those teams would be hard pressed to put a functional team together. I believe inclusion will strengthen the tournament and the broad appeal of baseball and maybe at some point that will not be an issue.

 

WBC = World Baseball Classic. It's been around for 11 years, It should be called the World Baseball Tournament. Classic should not be in the conversation unless it is 30 years old.

 

#Respect for the term Classic.

[Pardon My Dinger]

#Respect for the term Classic.

Classic Bark.

[Riverbrian]

 

I get you Bri, but a few of those teams would be hard pressed to put a functional team together. I believe inclusion will strengthen the tournament and the broad appeal of baseball and maybe at some point that will not be an issue.

 

WBC = World Baseball Classic. It's been around for 11 years, It should be called the World Baseball Tournament. Classic should not be in the conversation unless it is 30 years old.

 

#Respect for the term Classic.

 

Team Norway can't be far off

[notoriousgod71]

As a USA fan it is really annoying to see the energy and excitement from every nation other than the U.S.

 

It's like olympic basketball- you'll get a few stars but nowhere near the top team you could produce. This seems like an important event to 15 countries and a "who gives a ****" to one.

 

(I'm not implying the player's on Team USA aren't trying their best and don't care- it's the ones that aren't there)

 

And no one can say you are more at risk of an injury in the WBC than in spring training games.

[Thrylos]

 

Team Norway can't be far off

 

Uffda

[ashbury]

However... I do question the shaky country affiliations of some rosters.

I was livid, the year noted ringer Rene Tosoni played for Italy. I hope no innocent wagerers were burned.

[Pardon My Dinger]

Punto and Butera combined efforts in a beauty of a home plate collision.

 

Gary Thorne followed by grimly wheezing out an "oh my god" after he thought they'd cut to commercial. Putting the classic back in world baseball right here.

[Willihammer]

A single vuvuzela is annoying. 100 of them is a party. Pretty cool IMO. Definitely beats a spring training game.

[notoriousgod71]

And the absolutely horrible idea of starting extra innings with guys on second and third rears its ugly head as Japan gets a quick hit and is up 2.

 

 

[ShouldaCouldaWoulda]

 

As a USA fan it is really annoying to see the energy and excitement from every nation other than the U.S.

 

It's like olympic basketball- you'll get a few stars but nowhere near the top team you could produce. This seems like an important event to 15 countries and a "who gives a ****" to one.

 

(I'm not implying the player's on Team USA aren't trying their best and don't care- it's the ones that aren't there)

 

And no one can say you are more at risk of an injury in the WBC than in spring training games.

THIS....EXACTLY. These have been my two takes about the tournament. First, its not like the Classic starts before spring training or plays more games or something. The guys are already playing, and would otherwise be playing in spring training against lesser competition too. Trevor May did not get hurt in the Classic, nor did David Price. It also isn't important to play with YOUR team, like it would be in football or basketball...there is no timing that needs to take place with teammates. There is NO more risk in playing for your country, or more benefit for playing for you MLB team. 

 

Secondly, it does seem all of these other teams have guys lining up and fighting to play for their countries, and with passion and pride. Are team IS made up of very good players, especially in the field, but not the BEST. It would be much more dominant with Trout, Betts, Harper, Bryant, C. Seager, Freemann in the field/bench....and, Kershaw, Scherzer, Bumgarner, Syndergard, Sale, etc. on the mound. We'd be pretty tough to beat any night with all of those guys being able to switch in and out. 

 

Honestly, see absolutely NO GOOD excuses for guys choosing not to take part in it, if they are playing anyway in spring training.

[ShouldaCouldaWoulda]

 

 

Secondly, it does seem all of these other teams have guys lining up and fighting to play for their countries, and with passion and pride. Are team IS made up of very good players, especially in the field, but not the BEST. It would be much more dominant with Trout, Betts, Harper, Bryant, C. Seager, Freemann in the field/bench....and, Kershaw, Scherzer, Bumgarner, Syndergard, Sale, etc. on the mound. We'd be pretty tough to beat any night with all of those guys being able to switch in and out.

 

Honestly, see absolutely NO GOOD excuses for guys choosing not to take part in it, if they are playing anyway in spring training.

 

Freeman is Canadian;( but still.

[biggentleben]

...and Freeman is playing in the WBC.

[Squirrel]

Why should we be excited about the WBC? We have a whole season of baseball around the corner followed by the World Series. To me that's a much bigger deal and I'd rather have our guys, from all countries, be ready for that than meaningless displays of nationalism.

 

As you could probably surmise, I'm just not a big fan of the WBC. I mean, really, what's the purpose of it? I just don't care. To me it's just this minor tournament in the middle of ST.

[Squirrel]

That said, is anyone following/watching any of it, and not just the US? I see PR beat the DR last night. Wonder what Sano thinks of that? (He was interviewed during a ST game a few days ago and he was asked about was kind of 'teasing' would go on between he and his teammates depending on outcomes between PR and the DR.)

[Pardon My Dinger]

 

Why should we be excited about the WBC? We have a whole season of baseball around the corner followed by the World Series. To me that's a much bigger deal and I'd rather have our guys, from all countries, be ready for that than meaningless displays of nationalism.

As you could probably surmise, I'm just not a big fan of the WBC. I mean, really, what's the purpose of it? I just don't care. To me it's just this minor tournament in the middle of ST.

Uffda. Maybe have your first cup of coffee before you hit 'Post.'

 

Anyhoo...the reason I like the WBC is that by the time pitchers and caters report in February, I'm so geared up for baseball that i can't even stand it. Spring Training is just kind of a tease. I can't really watch many games, and the games don't mean a thing. The WBC, on the other hand, features 1) players I've heard of, 2) meaningful games (arguable, I suppose, but whatever), and 3) a fully televised schedule. Real baseball is better than Spring Training games. 

 

And finally, yeah the nationalism, if you have a problem with that, then Int'l sports probably just aren't for you. That's a pity, because there are some sweet tournaments out there. 

[Vanimal46]

 

Why should we be excited about the WBC? We have a whole season of baseball around the corner followed by the World Series. To me that's a much bigger deal and I'd rather have our guys, from all countries, be ready for that than meaningless displays of nationalism.

As you could probably surmise, I'm just not a big fan of the WBC. I mean, really, what's the purpose of it? I just don't care. To me it's just this minor tournament in the middle of ST.

 

Yeah, I haven't watched a second of it either. With baseball returning to the summer olympics in 2020, they can't really say the WBC is their version of the olympics....

 

If they really want this tournament to grow and succeed, maybe they need to take a page out of the NHL's playbook. That league shuts down for 2+ weeks during the middle of the season so the players can participate in the winter olympics. They could forgo the All-Star festivities and instead have this tournament in the middle of July instead. 

[Thrylos]

 

Why should we be excited about the WBC? We have a whole season of baseball around the corner followed by the World Series. To me that's a much bigger deal and I'd rather have our guys, from all countries, be ready for that than meaningless displays of nationalism.

As you could probably surmise, I'm just not a big fan of the WBC. I mean, really, what's the purpose of it? I just don't care. To me it's just this minor tournament in the middle of ST.

 

 

Totally agree, plus it messes around with players' prep.  Santana's starts will be out of whack now. 

 

Do they want a tournament with good participation and players ready?  Do it after the World Series, like the AFL or the winter leagues, without being a distraction to the players getting ready.

 

As for the ones who say that the games are just like spring training games, would Rosario risk arm damage throwing like that in a ST game or would Perez block the plate in a ST game?  Methinks not.  Too risky.   After the season, let it rip.  Plenty of  time to heal till next ST.