2013 World Baseball Classic Thread

[-tz]

I'm ecstatic to see my adopted country (Brasil) qualify for the WBC). It sounds like it was quite a match against top-seeded Panama. Linky.

From the above link:

Panama's pitching was also on point Monday night, but there's not much you can do when the offense can't push across a run.

Hmmph. Sounds familiar.

Congrats to Brazil ... or Brasil as they say down there.

[skyblue17]

Cano will definitely be playing in this for the Dominican Republic. The first bunch of names were announced a few days ago.

http://web.worldbaseballclassic.com/...s_mlb&c_id=mlb

How does participating in this work, exactly? Is it in lieu of spring training? I noticed that some of the teams will play MLB spring training teams but if you are playing for a country, does that mean you are not spending time with your MLB team prior to the season beginning? Or is there still enough time after it ends to go and get a few days in? I can imagine in some cases it not being a big deal, but in terms of teams who are acquiring new players (say, should Russell Martin want to play for Canada), I can imagine not having that period to get acquainted on the field with new teammates could be detrimental.

ETA - Oops, I should have actually watched the video in that article. Torre expands upon spring training a bit and mentions there should be time for guys to go back to ST after it's over and seems to allude to them attending before it begins. So I guess being on the team is a little bit like a two-week long All-Star team in execution.

[Yankee Tripper]

Looks like Pettitte & Tiexiera will be playing for USA. Happy about Tiex, maybe it will get his April slump out of the way in Spring with "real" games. Not happy about Pettitte, don't want an SP of the Yanks in the tourney at all. Hope Kuroda doesn't play for Japan.

I don't mind position player or relievers playing. Just not crazy about starters unless they are in AAA getting work.

[d32123]

I like the idea of the WBC, but if Pettitte or Tex get injured I'mma be one unhappy camper.

[penfold]

IIRC, the Dutch team beat the Dominican Republic in the last WBC. Just goes to show that anything is possible in single game.

One word: Curacao

[BronxYanks45]

I like the idea of the WBC, but if Pettitte or Tex get injured I'mma be one unhappy camper.

pitchers are the ones to worry about, not really position players

[effdamets]

pitchers are the ones to worry about, not really position players

Pitchers are more the worry - no doubt.
Position players can still get hurt easier if they are going all full tilt before they are fully stretched out.

[Jax Teller]

Jon Morosi ‏@jonmorosi MLB research actually says higher incidence of injury in 2006 and 2009 for MLB players who did NOT participate in Classic.

[effdamets]

Jon Morosi ‏@jonmorosi MLB research actually says higher incidence of injury in 2006 and 2009 for MLB players who did NOT participate in Classic.

Of course it says that.
Do you think MLB is gonna say anything to the sorts of "yeah, the players that play in the preseason exhibition get hurt more often, but keep 'em comin' cuz we gotta promote the game to Antarctica".....

Ridiculous

Since there are more players that don't play in the World Bullsh*t Classic than do, of course there were more instances of injuries amongst that group.

[Jax Teller]

You appear to be a little too bothered by this. I'm no WBC fan at all but the total outrage that some people on this board display if a Yankee plays for Team USA is way too over the top.

Actually, the overall outrage towards the tournament is way too over the top.

[effdamets]

You appear to be a little too bothered by this. I'm no WBC fan at all but the total outrage that some people on this board display if a Yankee plays for Team USA is way too over the top.

Actually, the overall outrage towards the tournament is way too over the top.

I don't think so.
I think fans are concerned for their teams' players more than they care about winning an exhibition preseason tournament.

[sweet_lou_14]

Actually, the overall outrage about any topic people can get their hands on is way too over the top.

That's more like it.

[skyblue17]

A lot of guys did choose not to play for Team USA, but it's still an alright lineup. Ryan Braun, Giancarlo Stanton, Brandon Phillips, Joe Mauer, Shane Victorino, Adam Jones are all on the roster, as well as Dickey, Ryan Vogelsong and Kris Medlen.

The Venezuelan team seems like it could be a force. They've got the AL MVP, the World Series MVP and the NLCS MVP, plus Asdrubal Cabrera and Elvis Andrus and that's just the infield.

[Eldee5]

Francisco Cervelli is on the roster for Italy.
http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2013/01/1...assic-rosters/

I might have overlooked someone, I’ve found only two current Yankees listed on the remaining World Baseball Classic rosters.

Robinson Cano — Dominican Republic
Francisco Cervelli — Italy

There are plenty of former Yankees in the mix. Russell Martin is on the Canadian roster, Melky Cabrera is on the Dominican Republic roster, Jose Molina is on Puerto Rico’s roster and Andruw Jones is on the Netherlands’ roster. Team Mexico has Luis Ayala, Alfredo Aceves, Ramiro Pena and Karim Garcia.

[BobLoblaw]

You appear to be a little too bothered by this. I'm no WBC fan at all but the total outrage that some people on this board display if a Yankee plays for Team USA is way too over the top.

Actually, the overall outrage towards the tournament is way too over the top.

I agree with you. I like the WBC, I think its fun. I'm looking forward to it. I heard today that Team Japan's only player with MLB experience is Kaz Matsui? lol. Wonder if they'll win again

[yankees2010]

I agree with you. I like the WBC, I think its fun. I'm looking forward to it. I heard today that Team Japan's only player with MLB experience is Kaz Matsui? lol. Wonder if they'll win again

I never understood the hatred of the WBC. It's not the World Cup, but it's a heck of a lot more fun to watch the WBC in March then the Yankees play the Phillies every day with the split squads.

[effdamets]

I never understood the hatred of the WBC. It's not the World Cup, but it's a heck of a lot more fun to watch the WBC in March then the Yankees play the Phillies every day with the split squads.

It actually isn't.

[awy]

need more little league

[Jax Teller]

It actually isn't.

To some people it is.

[effdamets]

To some people it is.

Don't pitchers have a limit in this thing?
It's as much of a farce as giving HFA to the All Star Game winner.

[Eldee5]

I can't find a link right now, but last week I read an article where Joe Torre said that the 28th spot on the USA roster was still open and that he'd be filling it with a starting pitcher. According to this article, that SP could still be Andy Pettitte.

http://espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/stor...-not-pitch-wbc

Torre said he and Pettitte have been discussing the possibility of the 40-year-old left-hander pitching for him this March for about a year now, starting with a conversation in the trainer's room at Yankee Stadium last season.

"He didn't exactly ask, but it sounded like he was curious," Torre said. "So I asked him if he was interested and he said, 'Am I too old?' And I said, 'Not if you feel good enough to climb the hill.' And that was it. We stayed in touch. He was interested in doing it, and certainly if he's interested in doing it, we're interested in having him."

Torre said the two have spoken about it several times since, most recently "three or four days ago," but in the interim, Torre said the Yankees -- he did not specify who exactly he had spoken with -- had expressed reservations about Pettitte pitching in the three-week tournament, which for Team USA begins March 8 in Phoenix against Mexico. The Yankees begin playing spring training games Feb. 23.

[BroadwayBomber55]

A lot of guys did choose not to play for Team USA, but it's still an alright lineup. Ryan Braun, Giancarlo Stanton, Brandon Phillips, Joe Mauer, Shane Victorino, Adam Jones are all on the roster, as well as Dickey, Ryan Vogelsong and Kris Medlen.

The Venezuelan team seems like it could be a force. They've got the AL MVP, the World Series MVP and the NLCS MVP, plus Asdrubal Cabrera and Elvis Andrus and that's just the infield.

I still think the road to the 2013 World Baseball Classic goes through Korea and Japan.

[EvanJ]

Unfortunately the United States' first two games won't start until 9:00 P.M. and both of the Semifinals will start at 9:00 also.

[avstars]

Rather have the olympics back w/ college players than WBC.

[Norge]

Rather have the olympics back w/ college players than WBC.

well that's not happening any time soon. I guess I'm in the minority in liking the WBC