WBC - Who’s watching? (Poll added)

[Aerodeliria]

Of course, all of Japan is buzzing with Ohtani fever, so every win means highlights a plenty the next day. He wasn't particularly sharp against Italia, but ground out a few innings for the fans. Murakami is the guy everyone should start to fear (56 HRs in 2022). He was struggling at the plate for the first three games but appears to have found his groove the last two games. Japan also has a new hero in Nootbar. After his big base hit against Korea, he did the pepper mill grinder move with his hands, which has made him instantly beloved and has started a craze among fans and other players. (News stations have been going to local stores showing the various pepper mill grinders that can be purchased.) Everytime he gets a hit, the cameras make sure to show his Japanese mother in the stands madly cheering. That is just to say that it's a big deal here in Japan.

[Vanimal46]

 

[Squirrel]

Wow … this is some game between PR and Mexico!

[Squirrel]

And Mexico wins! Wow! Would never have thought that both PR and DR would be out. Esp. DR. But that was some game. Perseverance wins out for Mexico!

[stringer bell]

Well, most of the Twins' contingent was with Team Puerto Rico and they just lost to Mexico 5-4. I have to think the Venezuela-USA winner and Japan will be the favorites in the next round. 

[tony&rodney]

That was a really good game. Arozarena made a terrific catch. Lopez looked good but was the victim of two jam shots for base hits; bad luck. Mexico played hard. Japan and the U.S. teams will be hard to beat. I'm looking forward to seeing the young phenom for Japan. 

[Squirrel]

11 hours ago, stringer bell said:

Well, most of the Twins' contingent was with Team Puerto Rico and they just lost to Mexico 5-4. I have to think the Venezuela-USA winner and Japan will be the favorites in the next round. 

It’s just Pablo López remaining, with Venezuela, right? Can’t see any other current Twins on remaining teams’ rosters.

How soon will these players be back in camp? I’m assuming they are given a day?

[rwilfong86]

The World Baseball Classic has done so much to draw interest in baseball this off-season. I can't understand how any "real baseball fan" could have anything negative to say about it.

[Nine of twelve]

6 minutes ago, rwilfong86 said:

The World Baseball Classic has done so much to draw interest in baseball this off-season. I can't understand how any "real baseball fan" could have anything negative to say about it.

I don't have anything negative to say about it. But I don't have anything positive to say about it either. 

[rwilfong86]

5 minutes ago, Nine of twelve said:

I don't have anything negative to say about it. But I don't have anything positive to say about it either. 

It allows foreign players to play for their national identity, it gets the entire world excited about the sport like the World Cup does for soccer, you get stories like Duque Hebbert who nobody had heard of before the tournament who now gets the chance to play professional ball in the Tigers organization, you get stories like Ondrej Satoria who is an electrician from the Czech Republic who strikes out the best player on the planet. It really isn't hard to come up with positive things. I hope this tournament continues to grow and more players decide to take part in it because it is truly special.

[rwilfong86]

10 hours ago, tony&rodney said:

That was a really good game. Arozarena made a terrific catch. Lopez looked good but was the victim of two jam shots for base hits; bad luck. Mexico played hard. Japan and the U.S. teams will be hard to beat. I'm looking forward to seeing the young phenom for Japan. 

Going into a bases loaded nobody out situation and almost getting out of it showed how good Lopez can be. I'm not sure any pitcher could have gotten out of that situation without any damage.

[Bodie]

58 minutes ago, rwilfong86 said:

The World Baseball Classic has done so much to draw interest in baseball this off-season. I can't understand how any "real baseball fan" could have anything negative to say about it.

IMHO, this is consistently as good as anything we'll see until October!  Great players going all out and obviously caring about the outcome.  What is not to like for a baseball fan???

[rwilfong86]

5 minutes ago, Bodie said:

IMHO, this is consistently as good as anything we'll see until October!  Great players going all out and obviously caring about the outcome.  What is not to like for a baseball fan???

I couldn't agree more and I'll actually feel a little sad when it is over but opening day is less than 2 weeks away.

[Nine of twelve]

58 minutes ago, rwilfong86 said:

it gets the entire world excited about the sport like the World Cup does for soccer, 

Do you truly believe this? I certainly don't and I doubt anyone does.

[rwilfong86]

5 minutes ago, Nine of twelve said:

Do you truly believe this? I certainly don't and I doubt anyone does.

You must not have been paying any attention to the world outside of your 4 walls.

https://frontofficesports.com/world-baseball-classic-setting-records-for-viewership-attendance/

https://www.mlb.com/press-release/press-release-2023-world-baseball-classic-first-round-sets-records-in-attendance

[h2oface]

4 hours ago, rwilfong86 said:

Going into a bases loaded nobody out situation and almost getting out of it showed how good Lopez can be. I'm not sure any pitcher could have gotten out of that situation without any damage.

Well...... 3 inherited runners scoring, and the runs that lost the game? Almost never counts. I can see a lot of ways to not give up all 3 runs. It looked a lot like last fall to me. A star reliever is a star because they can get out of that situation, with the game on the line and coming in with a 2 run lead, even with the bases sacked. Maybe end the inning tied? At least not give up 2 consecutive hits, sketchy as the last one was, and now trail by one. Our Twins did a pretty good job last year of not scoring runs with the basses loaded, even with pretty mediocre pitchers on the mound for many of the situations. And Lopez is supposed to be an all-star. That was a time to do it right for his country. Oh well.

[rwilfong86]

22 minutes ago, h2oface said:

Well...... 3 inherited runners scoring, and the runs that lost the game? Almost never counts. I can see a lot of ways to not give up all 3 runs. It looked a lot like last fall to me. A star reliever is a star because they can get out of that situation, with the game on the line and coming in with a 2 run lead, even with the bases sacked. Maybe end the inning tied? At least not give up 2 consecutive hits, sketchy as the last one was, and now trail by one. Our Twins did a pretty good job last year of not scoring runs with the basses loaded, even with pretty mediocre pitchers on the mound for many of the situations. And Lopez is supposed to be an all-star. That was a time to do it right for his country. Oh well.

He was one pitch away. That's how baseball is. Baseball will break your heart.

[Nine of twelve]

4 hours ago, rwilfong86 said:

You must not have been paying any attention to the world outside of your 4 walls.

https://frontofficesports.com/world-baseball-classic-setting-records-for-viewership-attendance/

https://www.mlb.com/press-release/press-release-2023-world-baseball-classic-first-round-sets-records-in-attendance

That's nice. But it is nowhere remotely close to getting "the entire world excited about the sport like the World Cup does for soccer". 

[rwilfong86]

30 minutes ago, Nine of twelve said:

That's nice. But it is nowhere remotely close to getting "the entire world excited about the sport like the World Cup does for soccer". 

People in places like the Czech Republic, China, England, and Israel were watching this tournament when they would have 0 interest in baseball in the USA. The WBC is a way to grow the game internationally that MLB doesn't necessarily provide. I think as this tournament develops and grows we will see more countries building a baseball team that aren't traditional hotbeds for baseball. Americans tend to forget that not everything is completely about the USA. This tournament is one of those things. 

[h2oface]

Watching DeRosa leave Bard in when it was so obvious that he had no control at all from the moment he stepped on the mound..... PITCHING!!! .... so important, and this USA team really didn't end up with what they needed. Lots of bats, but the stud pitchers did not show. Loaded offense, but suspect pitching. I know another team like that......

[chpettit19]

It feels like we just watched Bard get the yips for the second time and his career end live on TV. I hope Altuve is alright, and Bard can get it together back in Rockies camp. That was hard to watch.

[rwilfong86]

21 minutes ago, h2oface said:

Watching DeRosa leave Bard in when it was so obvious that he had no control at all from the moment he stepped on the mound..... PITCHING!!! .... so important, and this USA team really didn't end up with what they needed. Lots of bats, but the stud pitchers did not show. Loaded offense, but suspect pitching. I know another team like that......

Yep. The Venezuelan bullpen has been better than USA. 

[rwilfong86]

Just now, chpettit19 said:

It feels like we just watched Bard get the yips for the second time and his career end live on TV. I hope Altuve is alright, and Bard can get it together back in Rockies camp. That was hard to watch.

That HBP looked really bad. Reminded me of Buxton breaking his hand on a HBP in 2021 I think it was.

[chpettit19]

2 minutes ago, rwilfong86 said:

That HBP looked really bad. Reminded me of Buxton breaking his hand on a HBP in 2021 I think it was.

I'll be surprised if it isn't broken, but hopefully he's back quick.

[tony&rodney]

This game and the WBC is fantastic baseball. The crowds, intensity, and skill are incredible.

[rwilfong86]

8 minutes ago, chpettit19 said:

I'll be surprised if it isn't broken, but hopefully he's back quick.

I just told my wife the same thing. If it isn't broken it's a miracle.

[h2oface]

Arraez. Gonna miss that guy. 

Luis Arraez...... of the Marlins. 

[mrtwinsfan]

I like Smoltz idea move the strike zone down a bit , Todays players are able   OMG   lUIS AGAIN, LOVE YA LUIS

[tony&rodney]

Luis Arraez. Wow.

 

[mrtwinsfan]

Arreaz , Showing miami, what the fans got,   AWESOME