I rooted for Israel, the Tigers and the Lions today.

Yeah.

Interesting to look at the results in the pool Canada & Germany are in. Sure makes rankings obvious...
1) Canada - won by 10 + 9 runs
2) Germany - lost to Canada, beat GB by 15, beat CR by 15
3) Great Britain - lost to Canada & Germany, beat CR by 7
4) Czech Republic - lost both games it played by total of 22 runs

Not one game that was close in the end. Looks like GB was lucky not to have Canada slaughter it more. It'll be interesting to see how today's game goes at 1 PM eastern (7 PM in Germany) as I suspect Germany will have its best pitchers going as will Canada.

For Canada Shawn Hill already threw 5 2/3 IP back on Thursday, so he'd only be available for a couple innings (3 days rest). Chris Kissock also pitched on Thursday (just 1 1/3 IP) so he'll definitely be available. Avery gave up 4 runs on Saturday to Germany so he won't be used, Richmond on Saturday threw 2 1/3 IP so I doubt he is available. Sheldon McDonald was over 20 pitches Saturday too. I suspect the rest of the roster is rested and ready. Pitchers not used yet are Andrew Albers (3.67 ERA between rookie/AA [just 4 2/3 in rookie, 17 starts in AA]), Mark Hardy (4.71 ERA between rookie/A short/A+/AA), Jay Johnson (4.24 ERA between rookie/A+/AA), Mike Johnson (6.85 ERA in majors lifetime, last in majors in 2001, 4.63 ERA in minors lifetime last seen in 2010 playing in indy/foreign leagues only since 2005), and Philippe Valiquette (6.53 ERA in A+/AA).

Seems clear Albers should get the bulk of work today with the rest of the non-playing guys getting a shot if a blowout while Hill and the rest will be used if it is tight.

so he'd only be available for a couple innings (3 days rest)

I thought WBC rules was 4 days mandatory rest for anyone throwing 50+ pitches.

Shawn Hill will not be pitching because he is now in Baltimore.

I don't think it'll matter, it's already 4-0 for Canada.

Germany's given up three walks, a home run, a wild pitch, and an error. I was hoping that this wouldn't be a blowout, but that doesn't look likely.

Another home run and a few doubles make it 7-0 Canada in the second.

Interestingly, last inning the commentators were talking about how people in the tournament couldn't believe how small the field's played. Some people (they didn't say who) have said that the balls are juiced.

Canada really, really angry and wanting to get this over with quick.

This feels like a ridiculously imbalanced field. It's interesting to watch, but in a way it's like watching high school ball.

This feels like a ridiculously imbalanced field. It's interesting to watch, but in a way it's like watching high school ball.

The only pool that will really be "balanced" will be the Panama City pool (Panama, Colombia, Nicaragua and Brazil), where all four will have at least some minor leaguers and possibly even major leaguers (or former major leaguers).

This feels like a ridiculously imbalanced field. It's interesting to watch, but in a way it's like watching high school ball.

The other pools are playing in November. Imagine if they played in November instead with Votto, Lawrie, Morneau, Martin, and Dempster.

The other pools are playing in November. Imagine if they played in November instead with Votto, Lawrie, Morneau, Martin, and Dempster.

I almost have to wonder if they had Canada play in September to give Germany, etc. even a sliver of a chance.

I think Germany had more than a sliver of a chance, although they're not showing it today. A different starter and this would still be close. Which is to say that they could steal an elimination game, not a real series.

Well, it was fun to actually root for my country in a baseball game, while it lasted. Now I'll have to do what I did the last two WBCs, root for Japan.

Well, thanks for playing Germany. Should be interesting to see how they do in the future, as Kepler, Lutz etc. get more experience.

This feels like a ridiculously imbalanced field. It's interesting to watch, but in a way it's like watching high school ball.

It's not unbalanced as such, it's Canada that is slumming it and shouldn't have been there in the first place.

Well, thanks for playing Germany. Should be interesting to see how they do in the future, as Kepler, Lutz etc. get more experience.

The fans in Regensburg absolutely loved Lutz...despite the many errors. It was actually a great atmosphere despite the score tonight. The fans seemed to have an ability to totally ignore the score and go crazy for every hit the Germans got or out they made on Canadian batters. They also had a nice tendency to give all pitchers a standing ovation when they left the game whether they had pitched poorly (or for an opposing team) or not.

All in all a great experience, met a fellow Canadian who works for an Austrian bat manufacterer (no more importing US bats!), and sat beside the GM of one of the Bundesliga teams tonight, may have set up a German tour for our UK team this spring. Closer games would have been nice though....also may have broken my finger going for a foul ball.

Didn't know the various rules for the tournament, was just thinking about what a manager in a playoff game would do with a 'do or die' game. One wonders how the tournament would adjust if they went by World Cup rules (football or if you prefer soccer). IE: regional qualifying and the like. Would Spain have beat Germany? How many teams from each part of the world should go, while still keeping a lot of slots for US/Canada/Mexico/various Caribbean countries/Asian region?

I rooted for Israel, the Tigers and the Lions today.

Who are you supporting for Consul, Octavian or Antony?