That is huge.

You don't pitch your way off the island, huh? If the DR and the USA play, the score is going to be something like 25-23.

Excellent catch. He went a long, long way.

NICE CATCH

Did Thorne just say all of the games have sold out?

it wouldn't shock me if the US/PR games had sold out.

Well Ahmadenijad don't have nearly the same power as Chavez. not to mention, people tend to forget the Iran do actually run pretty competitive elections.

Also, I think folks in the US tend to not get what a nuke actually means to countries without one, if we're able to take a survey in Iran I think you'll probably be surprised at the portion of folks who actually think going all in for a nuke is worth it, and lets face it, it's not like Iran is going North Korean all in.

In the middle east world, the fact that the US blatantly allows Israel to live by a completely different set of rules to the their neighbors (or, any countries in the world for that matter.) in those regards obviously also don't help matters at all.

Lets face it, if Iran today say they'll totally actively give up nuke and cooperate to the fullest UN extend and then some, but demands that the UN actively investigate and applies non-profliferation act to Israel? (aka force them to sign it, follow it, or get out of the UN) . I'll bet you the house that it's not going to be China / Russia that veto the bill, it's gonna be the US. and it is precisely these sort of issue that give a ton of credence to many messed up regimes around the world to keep doing their thing

I think we should move right along past the political discussion given that there's separate threads for that. Suffice to say, we disagree on a lot of that :)

Venezuela really could have used a run there.

Okay, stop the politics, watch the game. Yeah, baseball.

that DR lineup is really, really good.

that DR lineup is really, really good.

Yeah.

You cannot stop the Dominican Republic, you can only hope to contain it.

I'd love to see one of the projection systems do a bit on how each WBC team would do over the course of a season. The US team might project as a 100 game winner.

We got ourselves a game.

You cannot stop the Dominican Republic, you can only hope to contain it.

Or.. just out score them, since they're kinda like the Rockets of baseball right now ;)

I'd love to see one of the projection systems do a bit on how each WBC team would do over the course of a season. The US team might project as a 100 game winner.

Almost certainly I'd think , the DR team to an extend too.

but the beautiful thing is that they're by no means given to win this thing

VIVA VENEZUELA!

I think I saw somebody project that, just based on the WAR of players, Team USA would probably be winning 120+ games, although I think there is the problem there that it forgets that not everybody could start or be the high-leverage closer if such a situation.

[119] 120 doesn't sound too off by me. Compare Team USA to the 1998 Yankees or 2001 Mariners.

Yeah, for all the crap that people say about how "bad" a Dickey, Vogelsong, Holland, Gonzalez, Detwiler group is, the fact is that most-if not all- MLB teams would murder for that 1-5 rotation.

Makes me wonder how many games the "Dream Team" USA with Verlander, Kershaw, Trout, Harper, Posey etc. would win...

I think I saw somebody project that, just based on the WAR of players, Team USA would probably be winning 120+ games, although I think there is the problem there that it forgets that not everybody could start or be the high-leverage closer if such a situation.

yeah but in practice, it also means the teams are a lot less likely to lose due to those fringe reliever / sucky utility players blowing it.

120 is obviously not likely in practice, but over 100 seems quite likely.

5-3! It's a ballgame!

The DR is churning their pitchers.

Both of these teams are screwed, since at this rate they will have to have position players pitch by the third game.

Andrus was HAULING down the line.

Cabrera vs. Dotel! Only one can truly be a leader!

Bases juiced for the Panda.

He really looks like a panda.

Dang.

Dotel has lost it!

Jose Reyes probably has a pretty good fastball, right?

Jose Reyes probably has a pretty good fastball, right?

Yeah, but for all we know Robinson Cano has been taught the arcane art of the Cutter by Mariano Rivera.

Jose Canseco should be every team's designated pitcher.

Big home run for Hanley!

Jose Canseco should be every team's designated pitcher.

Kyle Lohse overlooked again.

Jose Canseco should be every team's designated pitcher.

I'd say that the answer to this problem is clearly Ichiro, except Seattle freaked out the last time he was talking about doing that for team Japan, and I can't imagine what Cashman's reaction would be given the offseason he's had.

Have Dutch/Cubans on the computer. It looks like a bigger crowd than it was in Fukuoka for non-Japanese games, but still far from a large crowd.

Brace yourself...

What, you mean you don't want to see Anthony Rizzo, Chris Denorfia and Alex Liddi try their hardest to avoid being mercy-ruled?
   4. Gamingboy Posted: March 07, 2013 at 01:11 PM (#4382877)
Now that I think about it, the fact that I said that probably ensures it'll be a 10-inning barnburner.

Lol. Not quite, but pretty close.

The North has a #### baseball team, but no one can hit it over the wall. The Vale is like playing in Colorado. Valyria uses PEDs, Performance Enhancing Dragons.

What, you mean you don't want to see Anthony Rizzo, Chris Denorfia and Alex Liddi try their hardest to avoid being mercy-ruled?
4. Gamingboy Posted: March 07, 2013 at 01:11 PM (#4382877)
Now that I think about it, the fact that I said that probably ensures it'll be a 10-inning barnburner.



Lol. Not quite, but pretty close.

Ha, you're right.

The Japanese love them some Wladimir Balentien.

Every now and then I love fangraphs. Buck Martinez starts talking about how Jones has lost batspeed but he had more success last season against the curve. Look it up... nope, he the second-worst season of his career vs curves, 2.8 runs below average. Still an above-average fastball hitter, though.

Damnit, why couldn't Comcast have been one of the cable suppliers to allow online viewing for this, I'm missing me some Honkbal... damn you rain!!!!

Damnit, why couldn't Comcast have been one of the cable suppliers to allow online viewing for this, I'm missing me some Honkbal... damn you rain!!!!

Tschingsch, while I do not know exactly, I heard that there are parts of the internet where... y'know. Just... y'know.

Yeah, but right now the part of the internet I heard rumors about is only showing the Ven/DR game.

Curt Smith. HR. 1-0 Netherlands. Honkbal Fever. Catch it.

Have Dutch/Cubans on the computer. It looks like a bigger crowd than it was in Fukuoka for non-Japanese games, but still far from a large crowd.

yeah but..

1. it's a day game on a working day

2. in a few hours the same stadium will host a game that EVERYONE in Japan (and Taiwan) probably will watch

It would be super super interesting if Dutch can beat Cuba

Honkbal ahead!