2013 World Baseball Classic Thread

[BroadwayBomber55]

Pool 1 - Round-Robin Schedule: March 1, 2013
http://web.worldbaseballclassic.com/...e_and_tickets/

[Bronson'sCornrows]

The only real baseball stadium in São Paulo belongs to the Nisei community who love their baseball as much as they do in the homeland. São Paulo is home to the largest community of Japanese outside Japan in the world. (Rheingold could never talk about the Japanese.) The best of those players end up playing in the Japanese professional leagues and there are a few of those on the team. That's why they got as far as they did. I don't know about the Caribbean part, or how any non-Nisei Brazilian ends up playing baseball.

It's hard to remember specifically, because this was a couple months ago, but a lot of the other players had names that were clearly Spanish and physically appeared to be Cuban or of other Caribbean heritage.

[theDurk]

It's hard to remember specifically, because this was a couple months ago, but a lot of the other players had names that were clearly Spanish and physically appeared to be Cuban or of other Caribbean heritage.

Interesting. I didn't see the prelim, but there is only one name on the WBC roster that is not either Japanese or typical Brazilian. Fernandes with an "s" is Brazilian, as is Gomes. Many Brazilians could be said to resemble Cubans, as they have similar genetic origins. But the one exception is indeed a 37-year old minor leaguer named JC Muniz who was born in Cuba, played in MiLB 2005-2009, and now plays in Japan. How he plays for Brazil is something I could not discover.

Many of the players with good Brazilian names (e.g. Gouvea, França, Viera, Magario) played in Japan, so I suspect there may be some intermarriage going on.

Anyway, they play Japan at 5AM ET tomorrow. My DVR is set. I hope they don't embarrass themselves. Brasillllllllll!!

[yankeesrule]

Chien-Ming Wang pitching for Chinese-Taipei. Still sucks looking at him thinking what could have been if it wasn't for that injury

[BroadwayBomber55]

Chien-Ming Wang pitching for Chinese-Taipei. Still sucks looking at him thinking what could have been if it wasn't for that injury

That foot injury in 2008 caused Chien-Ming Wang to change his delivery.

Sure, Wang won a World Series ring with us in 2009, but like he said in the NY Daily News on the parade that it will be more fun when he was healthy and pitching out there.

[BroadwayBomber55]

Good luck to all nations playing in the 2013 World Baseball Classic.

[Bronson'sCornrows]

Interesting. I didn't see the prelim, but there is only one name on the WBC roster that is not either Japanese or typical Brazilian. Fernandes with an "s" is Brazilian, as is Gomes. Many Brazilians could be said to resemble Cubans, as they have similar genetic origins. But the one exception is indeed a 37-year old minor leaguer named JC Muniz who was born in Cuba, played in MiLB 2005-2009, and now plays in Japan. How he plays for Brazil is something I could not discover.

Many of the players with good Brazilian names (e.g. Gouvea, França, Viera, Magario) played in Japan, so I suspect there may be some intermarriage going on.

Anyway, they play Japan at 5AM ET tomorrow. My DVR is set. I hope they don't embarrass themselves. Brasillllllllll!!

I wonder if there were different guys in the preliminary round? I was sure I saw a lot of Spanish names. I grew up in a heavily Portuguese area and I'm a black/Portuguese/Irish mix myself, so I'm usually good with this stuff. My best friend, who is full blooded Portuguese (mainland and Azorean mix), watched it with me for about 20 minutes and agreed with me at the time. We could have been wrong, though. To be fair, there are a fair number of common Portuguese names around here that wouldn't be common down in Brazil, and the reverse is probably true as well. It's entirely possible we just didn't recognize some for being what they were.

FWIW, Muniz is the one name I remember us going over quite a bit. Moniz is a common surname where we grew up; we couldn't decide whether Muniz was the Spanish cognate of Moniz or whether it was simply an older version of Moniz. The guy looked Cuban to us, so that was the tiebreaker. My last name, for example, is Rezendes, which is an older Portuguese version of the more common Resendes. The Spanish cognate is usually Resendiz, but occasionally Recendis or Rezendez. I'm kind of carrying on now, aren't I? I'll stop.

[theDurk]

I wonder if there were different guys in the preliminary round? I was sure I saw a lot of Spanish names. I grew up in a heavily Portuguese area and I'm a black/Portuguese/Irish mix myself, so I'm usually good with this stuff. My best friend, who is full blooded Portuguese (mainland and Azorean mix), watched it with me for about 20 minutes and agreed with me at the time. We could have been wrong, though. To be fair, there are a fair number of common Portuguese names around here that wouldn't be common down in Brazil, and the reverse is probably true as well. It's entirely possible we just didn't recognize some for being what they were.

FWIW, Muniz is the one name I remember us going over quite a bit. Moniz is a common surname where we grew up; we couldn't decide whether Muniz was the Spanish cognate of Moniz or whether it was simply an older version of Moniz. The guy looked Cuban to us, so that was the tiebreaker. My last name, for example, is Rezendes, which is an older Portuguese version of the more common Resendes. The Spanish cognate is usually Resendiz, but occasionally Recendis or Rezendez. I'm kind of carrying on now, aren't I? I'll stop.

The common form in Brazil is actually Rezende with no s or z at the end. (16 million hits on google.com.br Resendes only gets 400k.) I know a couple of people named Rezende. Patricia Rezende was a big hit on The Voice Brazil over Xmas...

http://globotv.globo.com/rede-globo/...voice/2260389/

[BroadwayBomber55]

Chinese Taipei opens the 2013 WBC with a 4-1 victory over Australia.

Former New York Yankee and Washington National starting pitcher Chien-Ming Wang threw six scoreless innings allowing only four hits and no walks. Wang had two Ks and induced three double plays.

Brother Elephants 1B Cheng-Min Peng led the Chinese Taipei attack going 2 for 3 with a solo home run in the 5th inning and 2 RBI.

[skyblue17]

The Netherlands (managed by former Yankee Hensley Meulens) beat Korea 5-0. Andruw Jones was the DH and while he did leave 4 guys on RISP, he was 2-4 with a double. Other notables on this team are Andrelton Simmons, who's the shortstop for the Braves, and Roger Bernadina, who is an outfielder for the Nationals.

Japan beat Brazil 5-3.

[BronxYanks45]

Melky Mesa, withdraws from WBC for the Dominican Republic

[BroadwayBomber55]

Great effort by Brazil against Japan. They even had a 3-2 lead heading into the 8th before Japan scored three in the top half.

Hirokazu Ibata had an RBI single, Shinnosuke Abe had an RBI line out and Nobuhiro Matsuda rounded out the scoring with an RBI single.

Both Japan and Brazil batted .300+ with runners in scoring position in the game. Japan went 3 for 9 while Brazil went 3 for 10.

Leonardo Reginatto for the Tampa Bay Rays affiliate the Hudson Valley Renegades went 3 for 4 with 2 RBIs.

Heartbreak for Brazil, but something for them to build on.

[BroadwayBomber55]

As for South Korea vs. the Netherlands, the Koreans were horrible on the day. Going 0 for 5 with RISP and had four errors.

Seung-Yeop Lee went 0 for 3.

If Korea loses one more game in pool play to either Australia or Chinese Taipei, they are out of the tournament.

[skyblue17]

Melky Mesa, withdraws from WBC for the Dominican Republic

I like the WBC but I'm glad to see this. Melky's been doing well in ST and it's in his best interest to stay in Florida so that TPTB can keep an eye on him. I think he's an longshot to make the Opening Day roster but he might be the guy that gets a frequent-trip ticket from Scranton to the Bronx this season.

[Bronson'sCornrows]

The common form in Brazil is actually Rezende with no s or z at the end. (16 million hits on google.com.br Resendes only gets 400k.) I know a couple of people named Rezende. Patricia Rezende was a big hit on The Voice Brazil over Xmas...

http://globotv.globo.com/rede-globo/...voice/2260389/

Interesting stuff, man. I had no idea that variation even existed.

[theDurk]

Just finished watching Japan-Brasil. Very exciting, Brasil looked like they had a chance to pull off an upset squeaker as late as the top of the eighth. Good tight game with lead changes. There were maybe 35 Nisei wearing green and gold in a packed and very quiet Fukuoka dome while Brasil led until Japan scored three in the eighth.

Brasil has held back their best pitcher; tonight at 10:30 against Cuba is do or die. In any case, they can be proud of their first WBC game.

[BroadwayBomber55]

Just finished watching Japan-Brasil. Very exciting, Brasil looked like they had a chance to pull off an upset squeaker as late as the top of the eighth. Good tight game with lead changes. There were maybe 35 Nisei wearing green and gold in a packed and very quiet Fukuoka dome while Brasil led until Japan scored three in the eighth.

Brasil has held back their best pitcher; tonight at 10:30 against Cuba is do or die. In any case, they can be proud of their first WBC game.

I think even if Brazil gets a win in the WBC, it will be a huge success for them.

Their effort last night against the Japanese was a success for Brazil.

[BroadwayBomber55]

Cuba gets their first win in their 2013 WBC campaign after beating Brazil 5-2.

Cienfuegos IF Erisbel Arruebarruena led the way going 2 for 4 with 2 RBIs despite Cuba going 3 for 13 with RISP and leaving 10 men on base.

Isla de la Juventud P Raciel Iglesias pitched three shutout innings with 5 Ks to earn the save.

Brazil is on the brink of elimination. If Cuba defeats China on March 4, Brazil and China will be eliminated eliminated and Cuba and Japan will advance to Round 2.

[Jersey]

Are these games on tv? I can't find them, I definitely want to be ready when the US starts playing.

[BroadwayBomber55]

Are these games on tv? I can't find them, I definitely want to be ready when the US starts playing.

English coverage is on MLB Network. Spanish coverage is on ESPN Deportes with ESPN Radio having audio rights.

[BroadwayBomber55]

Japan has one foot in Round 2 after beating China 5-2.

Orix Buffaloes OF Yoshio Itoi went 1 for 3 with 3 RBI including a 2-run double in Japan's four-run fifth inning scoring former New York Met Kazuo Matsui and Fukuoka SoftBank Hawk OF Seiichi Uchikawa.

Uchikawa and Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters OF Sho Nakata each went 2 for 4 with an RBI.

[BroadwayBomber55]

Chinese Taipei is another team having one foot in Round 2 after a 8-3 rout over the Netherlands.

The Dutch raced out to a 3-0 lead in the top half of the second inning.

Seattle Mariners minor-league OF Kalian Sams was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Dashenko Ricardo had a 2-run single.

However, Chinese Taipei scored the last 8 runs of the ballgame including a 4-run 4th and a 3-run 6th.

Nippon Ham Fighters OF Dai-Kang Yang led Chinese Taipei in the those two crooked innings with 3 RBI including a 2-run home run in the sixth.

Chinese Taipei will win Group B if South Korea loses to Australia. If South Korea loses to Australia, they are sent packing.

[theDurk]

Brazil is on the brink of elimination. If Cuba defeats China on March 4, Brazil and China will be eliminated eliminated and Cuba and Japan will advance to Round 2.

Isn't Brasil eliminated as of now? The best they can do is 1-2 and the worst Cuba can do is 1-2, and Cuba owns the tiebreaker based on head-to-head. Japan is also guaranteed a better record than Brasil.

EDIT: You're right, sorry. If Japan beats Cuba (possible), and China beats Cuba (unlikely) and loses to Japan (likely), you have three teams at 1-2. Then Brazil can win the tiebreaker if they win by a large margin against China and the other games are close.

I'm not holding my breath, but I still would love to see them go home with a win against China.

[BroadwayBomber55]

Cuba punched their ticket to Round 2 in style.

The 2006 runners-up made China tapped out in a 12-0 mercy rule rout after 7 innings.

Matanzas IF Jose Fernandez went 3 for 4 with 2 RBIs.

Cienfuegos IF Jose Abreu hit a grand slam in the six-run fifth inning to complete the blowout victory.

Japan also advanced from Pool A after Cuba's win over China.

Cuba and Japan face off on March 6 to see who wins Pool A.

[BroadwayBomber55]

Meanwhile, South Korea kept their WBC hopes alive after the 2009 runners-up blanked Australia 6-0.

Former Yomiuri Giants and current Samsung Lions star 1B Seung-Yeop Lee found his stroke going 3 for 5 with a RBI.

Orix Buffaloes IF Dae-Ho Lee went 3 for 4 with a RBI.