World Baseball Classic Make your pick, who will win

[skinsRin]

Canada is likely out of the Competition, unless South Africa beats and eliminates the USA with Roger Clamans today.

Who is Roger Clamans?

[skinsRin]

USA got killed yesterday by Korea! they are in a must win now against the Mexicans, can you believe that. Last time out they just escaped past Mexico.

[Steve Spurrier III]

USA got killed yesterday by Korea! they are in a must win now against the Mexicans, can you believe that. Last time out they just escaped past Mexico.

Well, the score was close (2-0), but the Mexicans never got a runner past first base. I wouldn't exactly call that a narrow escape.

[Skinsfan55]

Why can't Dontrelle Willis pitch in a meaningful game?

He's garbage in crunch time. He pitched so badly vs. Canada and Korea that we should charge him with treason.

Anyway, doesn't Clemens go against Mexico? He can TCB IMO.

[Sir_Monk]

Why can't Dontrelle Willis pitch in a meaningful game?

He's garbage in crunch time. He pitched so badly vs. Canada and Korea that we should charge him with treason.

Anyway, doesn't Clemens go against Mexico? He can TCB IMO.

Look it's not like any of these guys are in mid-season form. I think it's a lot to ask many of these players to get up for meaningful baseball in March.

[skinsRin]

Why can't Dontrelle Willis pitch in a meaningful game?

He's garbage in crunch time. He pitched so badly vs. Canada and Korea that we should charge him with treason.

Anyway, doesn't Clemens go against Mexico? He can TCB IMO.

Look it's not like any of these guys are in mid-season form. I think it's a lot to ask many of these players to get up for meaningful baseball in March.

I agree with 55, Willis is not piching well at all. Clemens is in mid season form. But I think the USA's faith will be determined on Wednesday because I think if Japan beats Korea, we're out.

[skinsRin]

The USA is out! What a poor performace from a bunch of overpaid premadona's! Baseball is America's past time and playing in our own country, we had a huge advantage with homefield and still couldn't even make it to the final round. WOW! What a joke!

[Redskin in Canada]

Korea was left out of the list in the Poll. They have a great team.

Korea, Japan, Cuba and Dominican Republic might advance. It is safe to say that, according to the results, the best baseball is not played in this North American continent from Canada to Mexico.

[Skinsfan55]

Bob Watson went for the best players instead of the best team and Buck Martinez is a terrible, terrible manager.

This situation with the US team did not go well, we have the best pitching in the world, bar none, we should have cruised trough this tourney.

Oh well, there's always 2010.

[skinsRin]

Bob Watson went for the best players instead of the best team and Buck Martinez is a terrible, terrible manager.

This situation with the US team did not go well, we have the best pitching in the world, bar none, we should have cruised trough this tourney.

Oh well, there's always 2010.

Is this thing every 4 years, I thought it was every year except the Olympic years, I'm probably wrong. I am highly upset and still amazed that the US couldn't even make it to the final round, while playing all their games at home. Someone droped the ball on this one either the players, managers or the exec's who put this team togethere.

[welch]

I admit that I'm a bit glad that the US bombed out. Overconfidence...arrogance...pomposity...oh, and arrogance again.

Maybe that comes from cheering for the underdog, from being a lifeline Washington Nationals/Senators fan, from having been a Washington kid in the era when people laughed at the Eddie LeBaron "deadskins" and rooted for the contemptible Baltimore Colts because hey had won the NFL title, but I don't have much emotional attachment to the all-galaxy-all-star teams. Like cheering for the string of NBA "dream teams".

Best moment (for me): when Canada beat the US

Next best: when the US dropped.

[skinsRin]

Yeah, I not one either to pull for all these super allstar teams the US puts togethere and alot of the time I like pulling for the dog aswell but I do have American pride and I want them to represent The country that I'm a citizen of well. Every player on the US team is a multi-millionare 10X over and it seems like they could careless. Well, anyways it's over. Now I am pulling for the Cubans, When this event is over I hope the Cubans defect and all go play in MLB.

[Redskin in Canada]

Give credit to Korea and Mexico whom fileded great teams and played great games against you. A lot of good baseball is being played outside of the USA. I hope you realise that now.

It is going to be awesome to watch the Far East teams collide against the Caribbean teams. Different styles, great teams.

[Skinsfan55]

Give credit to Korea and Mexico whom fileded great teams and played great games against you. A lot of good baseball is being played outside of the USA. I hope you realise that now.

It is going to be awesome to watch the Far East teams collide against the Caribbean teams. Different styles, great teams.

I know full well baseball is being played in other countries, and I am impressed by the skill of the Mexican and Canadian teams (especially the Canadians whom had Gagne and Rich Harden pull out!) as well as pretty much everyone else (though the Cubans and Koreans are doing much better than expected!)

In fact I wish baseball was being played in MORE places besides the America's and the Pacific Rim. I hope the baseball academy in Italy picks up, and baseball spreads through Europe.

I tip my hat to all the teams playing, and all the teams advancing past the US... but I still don't think the United States played as well as they should have. We're going to be tough competition for 2010 (I'm pretty sure it's every 4 years.)

[gus]

The cubans are going to the finals. I could only think of the news headlines,

To think Panama had them on the ropes in the first round (tied ball game, bottom of the 9th, bases full, 1 out, an a 100 rbi major leager at bat and a major leager on deck that....struck out and popped out respectivly).

As been said before, there's always 2010.

Gus

[Redskin in Canada]

As been said before, there's always 2010.

This was, for the most part, a very EVEN tournament. There is not much difference between Panama (an early eliminated team) and Cuba (a finalist). I am delighted to see a true World Series take place.

The USA might take this tournament a bit more seriously the next time. Scary.

[Steve Spurrier III]

The next WBC is actually being played in 2009, as they want to get off the Olympic schedule. Personally, I think there are a lot of advantages to having the WBC on the same years as the Winter Olympics, but whatever.

Also, while the United States performance was very dissapointing, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, the other teams with a ton of Major League talent - Domincian Republic, Venezuela and Puerto Rico - also failed to advance to the finals. The Untited States is not the only country who left dissapointed.

Second, the Cubans are in mid-season form, literally. They interrupted their regular season to participate.

Third, the way these tiebreakers work, so much luck is involved. The United States finished with the same record (through both rounds) as Japan, yet the Japanese have a chance for the championship while we watch on television.

Regardless, I enjoyed it immensley, and am looking forward to the finals tonight. There is plenty of room for improvement, but it beats the hell out of spring training games.

[skinsRin]

The next WBC is actually being played in 2009, as they want to get off the Olympic schedule. Personally, I think there are a lot of advantages to having the WBC on the same years as the Winter Olympics, but whatever.

Also, while the United States performance was very dissapointing, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, the other teams with a ton of Major League talent - Domincian Republic, Venezuela and Puerto Rico - also failed to advance to the finals. The Untited States is not the only country who left dissapointed.

Second, the Cubans are in mid-season form, literally. They interrupted their regular season to participate.

Third, the way these tiebreakers work, so much luck is involved. The United States finished with the same record (through both rounds) as Japan, yet the Japanese have a chance for the championship while we watch on television.

Regardless, I enjoyed it immensley, and am looking forward to the finals tonight. There is plenty of room for improvement, but it beats the hell out of spring training games.

1. USA and Japan did not have the same record through both rounds. They were both 2-1 in the first and advanced to the second round and Japan went 3-0 in the second round and the USA went 1-2 in the second round.
2. DR, I know did not make it to the final game but they atleast made it to the final round. USA should of atleast made it to the final round, they controlled their own faith but by losing to Mexico, they got knocked out. In a must win game and a ton of opportunities they did not perform, they choked. Even though they are still in Spring mode, they played piss-poor. That said, the one good thing for me is that I am a Yankee fan living in Tampa, so I get to go to spring games again and see Jeter, Arod and Damon earlier then expected.

[Steve Spurrier III]

1. USA and Japan did not have the same record through both rounds. They were both 2-1 in the first and advanced to the second round and Japan went 3-0 in the second round and the USA went 1-2 in the second round.

No, Japan also went 1-2 in the second round, yet advanced to the semi-finals due to winning the tiebreaker (run average) over the United States and Mexico. Korea went 3-0 in the second round. Perhaps you remember the United States beating Japan in the second round? Your boy Rodriguez had the game-winning RBI.

Standings

2. DR, I know did not make it to the final game but they atleast made it to the final round.

True - but somehow I doubt that is of any consolation to the Dominican players or fans. For all of these countries, anything less than the championship is still failure.

[gus]

Just a bit late, but here is a copuple of thoughts:

I- Japan won the final against Cuba. I'm happy cause Cuba eliminated Panama, but, is Cuba the best baseball country in the world? They have "amateur" baseball and still made it to the finals, against very competitive countries, with a lot of pro players.

II- Can the MLB finals, called the "World Series", remain using that title?

Gus,

[skinsRin]

Just a bit late, but here is a copuple of thoughts:

I- Japan won the final against Cuba. I'm happy cause Cuba eliminated Panama, but, is Cuba the best baseball country in the world? They have "amateur" baseball and still made it to the finals, against very competitive countries, with a lot of pro players.

II- Can the MLB finals, called the "World Series", remain using that title?

Gus,

Well, ilke Spurrier said teh Cubans are in the middle of their regular season, so they are tunned. Still no excuse for some of the other countries though. Bud really screwed this whole classic thing up he should of had it at the end of the post season, in the month of Nov. It would of been warm enough still, players that were not in the playoffs would of only been off a few weeks, so they would of still been ready tp play, and if there were injuries there would still been the off season to rest. I don't think they will change the name of the World Series, it goes way back, to much tradition and baseball is all about tradition.