BBTF.org/m/wbc : WBC Day 15 OMNICHATTER

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Freeman was set to play for Canada

(www.torontosun.com)

posted on March 23, 2013 at 10:24 AM by The Mighty Quinn to wbc | 3 comment(s)

But does he know the lyrics to ” Let’s Go to the Mall” or the “Beaver Song”?

“LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLA. - How many national teams can boast having a suitable replacement for an MVP winner?

Had Joey Votto’s knee prevented him from playing in this month’s World Baseball Classic, Atlanta Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman was ready and willing to wear the maple leaf.

“I told the players association to make sure they let the WBC know that both my parents were born in Canada,” Freeman ...

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101. John Northey posted on March 15, 2013 at 10:19 PM # hit 0 | hit 0

Give the manager marks - he knows it is the key moment of the game and is trying every trick he has to get through it. This is a win or go home game and he is treating it as such.

102. Gamingboy posted on March 15, 2013 at 10:20 PM # hit 0 | hit 0

Give the manager marks - he knows it is the key moment of the game and is trying every trick he has to get through it. This is a win or go home game and he is treating it as such.

Unlike Torre, who would have left somebody in because he'd be afraid he'd annoy the player's club.

103. The Clarence Thomas of BBTF (scott) posted on March 15, 2013 at 10:23 PM # hit 0 | hit 0

Oh, so NOW Torre is trying.

104. BourbonSamurai, vassal of the Harpsburg Empire posted on March 15, 2013 at 10:31 PM # hit 0 | hit 0

This thread is fun to follow. I have no idea what's going on but I can tell how the game is going from your guys posts.

105. The Clarence Thomas of BBTF (scott) posted on March 15, 2013 at 10:32 PM # hit 0 | hit 0

####.

106. Shredder posted on March 15, 2013 at 10:32 PM # hit 0 | hit 0

Just a pathetic performance.

107. Gamingboy posted on March 15, 2013 at 10:33 PM # hit 0 | hit 0

Well, 2017 is looking good though. I mean, Bryce Harper is already on record as being in, and I think I saw Trout is thinking the same thing.

108. The Clarence Thomas of BBTF (scott) posted on March 15, 2013 at 10:33 PM # hit 0 | hit 0

FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK.

109. RollingWave posted on March 15, 2013 at 10:33 PM # hit 0 | hit 0

oh my.... this is probably more embarrassing then the last 2 exit isn't it...

110. The Clarence Thomas of BBTF (scott) posted on March 15, 2013 at 10:33 PM # hit 0 | hit 0

goddamnit.

111. Shredder posted on March 15, 2013 at 10:34 PM # hit 0 | hit 0

Wow, what a crappy call. I mean we aren't good, but that's just an awful call. And the strike zone was pathetic for Stanton.

112. Der_K posted on March 15, 2013 at 10:34 PM # hit 0 | hit 0

104 - How it went, you mean

113. Good cripple hitter posted on March 15, 2013 at 10:34 PM # hit 0 | hit 0

That was a surprisingly meek ending for the Americans.

114. Biff, highly-regarded young guy posted on March 15, 2013 at 10:34 PM # hit 0 | hit 0

One at bat, small sample size, etc., etc.:

Seeing Shane Victorino strike out in three pitches against JC ####### Romero really fills me with confidence over the contract he got from the Red Sox!

115. Shredder posted on March 15, 2013 at 10:35 PM # hit 0 | hit 0

And the WBC loses more credibility. Can we just kill this thing in its sleep?

116. Gamingboy posted on March 15, 2013 at 10:35 PM # hit 0 | hit 0

When Puerto Rico is made a state sometime in the next 50 years, we'll retro-win this thing.

117. vortex of dissipation posted on March 15, 2013 at 10:36 PM # hit 0 | hit 0

So...Puerto Rican statehood by the time the next WBC rolls around?

Seriously, though, this must feel like I'd feel if England was knocked out of the soccer World Cup by Bermuda...

Edit: Coke to Gamingboy

118. Jarrod HypnerotomachiaPoliphili(Teddy F. Ballgame) posted on March 15, 2013 at 10:37 PM # hit 0 | hit 0

My only consolation is that Edgar Martinez is likely to be smiling right now.

119. BourbonSamurai, vassal of the Harpsburg Empire posted on March 15, 2013 at 10:37 PM # hit 0 | hit 0

This thread is fun to follow. I have no idea what's going on but I can tell how the game is going from your guys posts.

120. BourbonSamurai, vassal of the Harpsburg Empire posted on March 15, 2013 at 10:38 PM # hit 0 | hit 0

Oh god damn it, now we are back to the refreshing double post thing?

121. Borussia, Du bist so wunderschön! (Mark Edward) posted on March 15, 2013 at 10:39 PM # hit 0 | hit 0

Well, 2017 is looking good though. I mean, Bryce Harper is already on record as being in, and I think I saw Trout is thinking the same thing.

Why didn't they play this year?

122. The John Wetland Memorial Death (CoB) posted on March 15, 2013 at 10:40 PM # hit 0 | hit 0

Congrats to Puerto Rico for moving on and congrats to Joe Torre to deservedly managing his final game ...

And the WBC loses more credibility. Can we just kill this thing in its sleep?

RayRay, is that you?

123. RMc and His Roster of Rubbish posted on March 15, 2013 at 10:43 PM # hit 0 | hit 0

Resolved: Any MLB owner that doesn't allow their star players in the WBC will be immediately pistol-whipped.

Pathetic. Just plain pathetic.

124. Gamingboy posted on March 15, 2013 at 10:44 PM # hit 0 | hit 0

Why didn't they play this year?

Because it was their first spring training for a full year in the majors.

And the WBC loses more credibility. Can we just kill this thing in its sleep?

Go #### yourself.

125. Jarrod HypnerotomachiaPoliphili(Teddy F. Ballgame) posted on March 15, 2013 at 10:44 PM # hit 0 | hit 0

Finally, the second amendment has a reason to exist.

126. Weekly Journalist_ posted on March 15, 2013 at 10:44 PM # hit 0 | hit 0

Why are people acting like they lost to Norway? Puerto Rico is pretty good.

127. Jarrod HypnerotomachiaPoliphili(Teddy F. Ballgame) posted on March 15, 2013 at 10:46 PM # hit 0 | hit 0

If the US had lost to Norway, I'd just be laughing. This was a real game against a real opponent, which is why I'm actually disappointed.

128. John Northey posted on March 15, 2013 at 10:47 PM # hit 0 | hit 0

I think a lot of MLB teams need to be embarrassed - for Trout and Harper to not be there was dumb. Two of your young stars not at the tournament you want to promote. Mix in silliness like Russell Martin wanting to be a shortstop for Canada and you can see that some ML players and pretty much all teams don't take it seriously. Countries other than the US do take it seriously, although in Canada it pretty much was viewed by many in the media as a 'so what' thing like many in the US view it. But in Japan I read it gets amazing ratings, Puerto Rico obviously takes it seriously as does the Dominican. Odds are the Dominican beats PR as they'll be drained after this one. That means Japan gets to pound on PR, and DR pounds on the Netherlands leading to a Dominican vs Japan final which I think is the best we can hope for. I'd have preferred US vs one of those two for the final as that might have gotten more people down there into the tournament but until the managers stop treating it like spring training (1 inning per reliever, starter gets his 80 pitches unless he really, really is falling apart) and players put some pride into it (ie: the guys who aren't going now) the US will keep disappointing.

129. RollingWave posted on March 15, 2013 at 10:48 PM # hit 0 | hit 0

also, Nelson Figueroa pitched in Taiwan just a couple years back. Ramon too, the PR team is starting the CPBL all star rotation lol

130. John Northey posted on March 15, 2013 at 10:51 PM # hit 0 | hit 0

I also wonder how George Steinbrenner would've reacted to this. He was a very patriotic sort and I bet he'd have pressured his players to go and been very vocal about guys not going. I'd like to see more players be that way. Up here in Canada we saw that from Brett Lawrie and Justin Morneau with both speaking up about Martin's silliness. Now we need some players on the US team to do the same - speak up about guys who couldn't be bothered, about teams holding back stars and how that hurts the team. About how you need to manage the games like they are game 5 of the Division Series at this stage, game 7 of the LCS in the next and game 7 of the World Series in the final (a few did talk about it that way in the Canada-USA game).

131. Gamingboy posted on March 15, 2013 at 10:52 PM # hit 0 | hit 0

Why are people acting like they lost to Norway? Puerto Rico is pretty good.

This is true, but it's just the fact that on paper even this depleted Team USA was the best in the tournament. On paper.

132. Shredder posted on March 15, 2013 at 10:58 PM # hit 0 | hit 0

Go #### yourself.

backatcha, a-hole. If you really think that Shane Victorino and Ben Zobrist are the best this country has to offer, than I'm sure you're in favor holding the final rounds somewhere outside the US. If we aren't committed to sending our best players, then the tournament has no credibility. Maybe someday it will, but doesn't now.

The problem is that there's no credible argument that the US isn't the greatest baseball country in the world. That argument exists in others international sports. In hockey, rugby, soccer, team handball, etc. those arguments exist. There is o argument in baseball. There is no way our best players lose a seven game series against any other country in the world. Losing the WBC is meaningless as long as we send less than our best in tournament in this format. This tournament is fun for what it is, but it has no credibility when it comes to determining the best baseball nation.

133. Jarrod HypnerotomachiaPoliphili(Teddy F. Ballgame) posted on March 15, 2013 at 11:13 PM # hit 0 | hit 0

There is no way our best players lose a seven game series against any other country in the world.

Baseball's a funny game. I wouldn't bet my life on the outcome of a seven-game series between Japanese and American all-stars. Or even a substantial amount of money.

You're right that the WBC doesn't have full credibility in determining the best baseball nation, or even anything close to it, but as you said, it's fun. That's reason enough for it to exist. Maybe someday it'll be something more, but for right now, it'll do.

134. PreservedFish posted on March 15, 2013 at 11:15 PM # hit 0 | hit 0

I thought Nelson Figueroa was from Queens. It was a big deal when he was on the Mets, and good, for about 2 weeks.

135. Karl from NY posted on March 15, 2013 at 11:17 PM # hit 0 | hit 0

Am I the only one that doesn't mind at all seeing the US lose? Let someone else have their day and enjoy it. The US is the bullying gorilla in enough international sports like basketball. It's not like this is going to damage the future of baseball in the US.

136. Gamingboy posted on March 15, 2013 at 11:18 PM # hit 0 | hit 0

Pardon me Shredder for my language. It was a rash action and I should have done something more nuanced.

Anyway, the thing is, for all of it's cons, the WBC has more pros. So it can't prove what the greatest baseball country in the world is- so what? It helps baseball in other places, provides some good entertainment in March, and exposes us to players we may never have seen before. Even if we DID send a "Dream Team", there's no guarantee they would have won, since baseball is baseball- a good pitcher, a weird bounce or countless other things can bring down a team.

And, this is the most important thing for MLB (and why the WBC isn't going to be killed in it's sleep): it's a good money-making operation, bringing in big money (especially from overseas) and expanding baseball to future markets allowing for them to make more money.

Oh, and Ben Zobrist IS amongst the best this country has to offer. Probably the most underrated player in baseball. Did you know he was 6th in WAR last season amongst AL position players?

137. Jarrod HypnerotomachiaPoliphili(Teddy F. Ballgame) posted on March 15, 2013 at 11:23 PM # hit 0 | hit 0

You're a soccer fan, right, Shredder? Or am I thinking of hockey? Anyway, in MLS you have league playoffs, which I guess are the most important thing, but you also have various other things to play for. Here in Seattle there's the US Open Cup, CONCACAF, and the Cascadia Cup, for example. None definitive, but all worth winning. That's how I think of the WBC.

138. Jarrod HypnerotomachiaPoliphili(Teddy F. Ballgame) posted on March 15, 2013 at 11:25 PM # hit 0 | hit 0

Am I the only one that doesn't mind at all seeing the US lose?

No, you're not. I was rooting for the home team, but I know all of the other squads will be more excited to win.

139. Shredder posted on March 15, 2013 at 11:28 PM # hit 0 | hit 0

Pardon me Shredder for my language. It was a rash action and I should have done something more nuanced.

No hard feelings. Again, the tournament is fine for what it is. I'm usually not at all jingoistic, eXcept whenever it come to international sports, and it bothers me that other countries (or territories) will get off on beating a country that clearly didn't send its best players. Despite my earlier comment, I'm hopeful that losses like this will make us more likely to send our best players. But as long as pitching is 50% of the equation, it's hard to see that happening.

140. Meatwads stronger now, ready for the house posted on March 15, 2013 at 11:36 PM # hit 0 | hit 0

I put this loss on Torre. None the less the posibility of a DR Netherlands rematch seems pretty cool

141. Shredder posted on March 15, 2013 at 11:38 PM # hit 0 | hit 0

You're a soccer fan, right, Shredder? Or am I thinking of hockey

more hockey than soccer. And basically everyone knows tha the Olympics are legit, and the World Championships are not, as long as they're composed of North American guys who didn't make the playoffs. Which in a way makes them a lot like this tournament. If they bring back the WCoH, that's another story. But baseball is a different animal. It's got a position that needs a month or two to work inputs elf back into shape. And as long as the best pitchers either aren't there or limited, there's no reason for the best pitchers to participate. And if the best pitchers aren't there, why should the best hitters be there?

142. Jose Can Still Seabiscuit posted on March 15, 2013 at 11:45 PM # hit 0 | hit 0

I'm so ####### sick of every tucking game being a referendum on he WBC. Look, it's baseball and its competitive and it's fun. If you don't like it that's fine, but quit pretending that this is going away, you're stuck with it because of the money involved. I wanted the US to win and I'm upset that they lost. It's not the end of the world and Puerto Rico is good enough that I don't think there is any shame in losing but I am sick of people, particularly baseball fans, trying to tell me how much the WBC sucks when it doesn't.

143. PreservedFish posted on March 15, 2013 at 11:53 PM # hit 0 | hit 0

I am sick of people, particularly baseball fans, trying to tell me how much the WBC sucks when it doesn't.

Agreed.

I really don't get why people get so grumpy about the WBC.

144. Shredder posted on March 15, 2013 at 11:57 PM # hit 0 | hit 0

In my own defense, it's the Friday before St. Patrick's, and I'm kinda buzzed, and I tend to overreact when I've been drinking.

145. Gamingboy posted on March 16, 2013 at 12:06 AM # hit 0 | hit 0

I am sick of people, particularly baseball fans, trying to tell me how much the WBC sucks when it doesn't.

Most of the haters haven't even watched it.

146. Random Transaction Generator posted on March 16, 2013 at 01:22 AM # hit 0 | hit 0

And basically everyone knows tha the Olympics are legit, and the World Championships are not, as long as they're composed of North American guys who didn't make the playoffs.

That's the Canadian viewpoint...except for when Canada does win. Then it's REAL important.

European nations think the World Championships are meaningful, and there are more of them than North American teams.

The best thing that could have happend to the WBC was USA losing (again).
Eventually, the right top notch players will have enough national pride to want to play. It happened with Olympic basketball (USA) and hockey (Canada).
The only Canadian player that I can remember turning down even a chance to compete for a spot on the Olympic hockey team was Patrick Roy, and that was his pride showing as he was worried about not getting the starting spot (and competing against Martin Brodeur for it).
That's countered with Lemieux and Yzerman hiding pretty bad injuries just to make sure they could play in the Olympics for Canada (in 2002).

Of course, the only way the WBC can get the best of the best is to move to the END of the baseball season (and play in domes/Florida/SoCal/Caribbean).

147. John Northey posted on March 16, 2013 at 01:45 AM # hit 0 | hit 0

How has the US done so far in the WBC?
2006: 3-3, lost in 2nd round
2009: 4-3, lost in 2nd round (included a mercy rule loss to Puerto Rico in 2nd round)
2013: 3-3, lost in 2nd round

So the US is now 10-9 in the WBC. Say what you want about 'short series' and the like, but now over 19 games they have barely been over 500 and were just 2 innings away from being forced to qualify for the next one in 2017. Back when this started many though the US could easily send its 3rd or 4th best team and win easily. Obviously that isn't the case. I don't know what it will take for the US players to take it seriously, but one hopes the near shift out of the tournament will wake a few up.

Heck, in the 3 tournaments Puerto Rico is now 2-2 against the US - a territory of the US has played 500 ball against them and even mercy ruled them once.

148. Bitter Calculus Instructor posted on March 16, 2013 at 01:50 AM # hit 0 | hit 0

[147] The loss in 2009 was in the semi-finals.

Anyway, I missed most of the game, but saw the box score. Almost as annoying as the loss was seeing some name I'd never even seen before(and a name that sounds like it would be on team Italy) with 0 outs and 2 runs allowed. And it looked like Vogelsong was pitching well and wasn't up against the pitch count.

149. vortex of dissipation posted on March 16, 2013 at 02:12 AM # hit 0 | hit 0

Almost as annoying as the loss was seeing some name I'd never even seen before(and a name that sounds like it would be on team Italy) with 0 outs and 2 runs allowed.

You must be a fan of an NL team. Vinnie Pestano has pitched extremely well for the Indians the past two seasons, 137 games with a sub .200 opponents' BA.

150. Crispix Attacks 2: Swag Airlines posted on March 16, 2013 at 10:05 AM # hit 0 | hit 0

Of course, the only way the WBC can get the best of the best is to move to the END of the baseball season (and play in domes/Florida/SoCal/Caribbean).

I'm trying to imagine the parallel universe in which the WBC takes place at the end of the season. What comes to mind is that for every person complaining now, there would be two people complaining that the players are all tired because they just played a whole season, three people complaining that the players who were in the playoffs are going to have no interest in following that up with some sort of wacky exhibition, and three people complaining that the players who weren't in the playoffs have now been on vacation for a month and are going to be in no shape to play.

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Saturday, March 23, 2013

Freeman was set to play for Canada

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