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Monday, March 18, 2013

World Baseball Classic Semi-Final Number 2 OMNICHATTER

9:00 PM- Dominican Republic vs. Netherlands
Winner faces Puerto Rico in finals.

All games on MLB Network and ESPN Deportes.

Gamingboy Posted: March 18, 2013 at 12:48 AM | 104 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: international, wbc, world baseball classic

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1. RollingWave Posted: March 18, 2013 at 05:55 AM (#4390349)

I hope Honkballer and the DR can put up a show comparable to the PR / Japan one.

2. RMc and His Roster of Rubbish Posted: March 18, 2013 at 08:22 AM (#4390359)

A Dutch-PR final in the WBC would be equivalent to, say, US-Australia in the World Cup soccer final.

3. Random Transaction Generator Posted: March 18, 2013 at 10:51 AM (#4390441)

A Germany-Finland Olympic ice hockey gold medal game.

4. puck Posted: March 18, 2013 at 11:03 AM (#4390453)

Hasn't Finland medaled in ice hockey several times?

5. Gamingboy Posted: March 18, 2013 at 11:04 AM (#4390456)

Oh, c'mon, Puerto Rico isn't THAT bad.

6. Misirlou is bad, he's nationwide Posted: March 18, 2013 at 11:23 AM (#4390472)

Hasn't Finland medaled in ice hockey several times?

Yes. Bronze in 2010, Silver in 2006, Bronze in 1998 and 1994, Silver in 1988.

7. Jose Can Still Seabiscuit Posted: March 18, 2013 at 11:33 AM (#4390475)

In soccer you hear the term "golden generation" from time to time. It's generally used to note a team that while not traditionally great has put together a particularly strong team. The Ivory Coast, Belgium and a few years back Russia had teams this was applied to. I mention this because I think Dutch baseball seems to be in such a phase right now. They did well in '09 and they are doing well now and in four years could be even better if Profar, Bogaerts and Simmons progress as hoped by their teams.

8. Baldrick Posted: March 18, 2013 at 12:21 PM (#4390504)

I'm going to the game tonight. Pretty excited! I haven't seen live baseball since September.

9. Gamingboy Posted: March 18, 2013 at 12:26 PM (#4390507)

In soccer you hear the term "golden generation" from time to time. It's generally used to note a team that while not traditionally great has put together a particularly strong team. The Ivory Coast, Belgium and a few years back Russia had teams this was applied to. I mention this because I think Dutch baseball seems to be in such a phase right now. They did well in '09 and they are doing well now and in four years could be even better if Profar, Bogaerts and Simmons progress as hoped by their teams.

I remember reading somewhere that the Korean baseball team is said to have been in one of those phases until recently as well, although they don't quite fit the definition.

10. cmd600 Posted: March 18, 2013 at 12:43 PM (#4390531)

In soccer you hear the term "golden generation" from time to time. It's generally used to note a team that while not traditionally great has put together a particularly strong team. The Ivory Coast, Belgium and a few years back Russia had teams this was applied to. I mention this because I think Dutch baseball seems to be in such a phase right now. They did well in '09 and they are doing well now and in four years could be even better if Profar, Bogaerts and Simmons progress as hoped by their teams.

Isn't eight years (and longer, considering those last three names will likely be around longer than 2017) getting to be a fairly long time for one generation of athletes? I see the Netherlands doing pretty well in 2009, even better this year, and with even more special talent coming down the line as a sign that whatever they are doing to develop baseball players is working pretty damn well as opposed to lucking into their best generation of talent.

11. puck Posted: March 18, 2013 at 01:28 PM (#4390566)

I don't know the Netherlands players much at all besides Andruw, Profar, Balentien, Bernadina, and Bogarts. (I think I've heard of the last 3.) Are most of their players from Curacao? I did notice one of the starting pitchers has been pitching in the Dutch league most of his career.

12. Gamingboy Posted: March 18, 2013 at 01:40 PM (#4390576)

I don't know the Netherlands players much at all besides Andruw, Profar, Balentien, Bernadina, and Bogarts. (I think I've heard of the last 3.) Are most of their players from Curacao? I did notice one of the starting pitchers has been pitching in the Dutch league most of his career.

They mostly are from Curacao, although there are also a couple from Aruba. The European Dutch are mainly pitchers.

13. Voros McCracken of Pinkus Posted: March 18, 2013 at 03:14 PM (#4390638)

Greg Halman was a European. So sad...

14. vortex of dissipation Posted: March 18, 2013 at 03:52 PM (#4390667)

I remember reading somewhere that the Korean baseball team is said to have been in one of those phases until recently as well, although they don't quite fit the definition.

They did win the Olympic Gold Medal in 2008, and made it to the final of the WBC in 2009, which is a pretty good pair of achievements.

15. Dave Spiwak Posted: March 18, 2013 at 06:29 PM (#4390735)

How many of team Italy's players were born in Italy? I assume most of the team was made up of Italian Americans. Thanks in advance for the answer -- I'm sure it's been asked here before.

16. Jarrod HypnerotomachiaPoliphili(Teddy F. Ballgame) Posted: March 18, 2013 at 07:36 PM (#4390759)

One source says seven players. I think eleven actually play in the Italian league.

17. Good cripple hitter Posted: March 18, 2013 at 07:49 PM (#4390765)

Damnit, I just finished that:

players on Italy's roster who were born in Italy

Alex Maestri (2 starts, 7 IP, 1 win, 1.23 ERA)
Luca Panerati (3 games, 1 start, 3.2 IP, ERA of 0)
Alex Liddi (5 games, 17 AB, .235/.364/.235, 3 runs, 3 rbi)
Alessandro Vaglio (2 games, 1 AB)
Lorenzo Avagnina (3 games, 5 AB)
Mario Chiarini (5 games, 17 AB, .235/.300/.235 2 runs 3 rbi)
Stefano Desimoni (3 games, 1 AB, 1 run)

18. Good cripple hitter Posted: March 18, 2013 at 08:00 PM (#4390769)

Non-Italian players from the Italian League:

Chris Cooper
Tiago Da Silva
Marco Grifantini
Nick Pugliese
Anthony Granato (although he hasn't played since 2011)
Juan Infante
Jack Santora

5 of the Italian players play in Italy, so that makes 12 Italian League players who played for Italy in the WBC.

19. JJ1986 Posted: March 18, 2013 at 08:06 PM (#4390774)

5 of the Italian players play in Italy

Which one besides Liddi doesn't?

20. Gamingboy Posted: March 18, 2013 at 08:08 PM (#4390777)

Which one besides Liddi doesn't?

I know Maestri is in Japan....

21. Good cripple hitter Posted: March 18, 2013 at 08:13 PM (#4390783)

Right, Maestri last pitched with Orix.

22. Gamingboy Posted: March 18, 2013 at 08:28 PM (#4390793)

By looks of pregame show, attendance will be far smaller than last night, and it doesn't make me confident for tomorrow. The San Francisco experiment not going to turn out as well as how it was in San Diego and LA.

23. Gamingboy Posted: March 18, 2013 at 08:45 PM (#4390799)

Seriously, San Francisco- all of the semis and finals games in LA and SD were close to packed houses. You fail, SF.

24. Dale Sams Posted: March 18, 2013 at 08:47 PM (#4390801)

So the Netherlands introductory music is...the Theme from Platoon? I know we used to fear the DR going commie but man...

25. Tschingsch Posted: March 18, 2013 at 08:52 PM (#4390802)

Damn, I was looking forward to hearing the announcements for the Netherlands team in Dutch like they're doing for all the other countries.

26. Gamingboy Posted: March 18, 2013 at 08:54 PM (#4390804)

Do you think the Dutch know that the rest of the world thinks their language inherently funny?

27. Jose Can Still Seabiscuit Posted: March 18, 2013 at 08:57 PM (#4390805)

Am I the only one who finds the anthems simply being played in this fashion rather than sung by some flavor of the week pop star is roughly 1,000,000,000 times more respectful and stirring?

28. Jose Can Still Seabiscuit Posted: March 18, 2013 at 08:59 PM (#4390807)

Hey Harold, ARod was born in and played for the US.

29. Gamingboy Posted: March 18, 2013 at 09:01 PM (#4390808)

Hey Harold, ARod was born in and played for the US.

A-Rod is a citizen of the world and plays with whatever country he wants.

30. The Clarence Thomas of BBTF (scott) Posted: March 18, 2013 at 09:03 PM (#4390810)

If the Dutch beat the Dominicans the DR might try to annex Curacao and Aruba to prevent it from happening again.

31. Crispix Attacks 2: Swag Airlines Posted: March 18, 2013 at 09:08 PM (#4390812)

The Dutch language is spelled funny, but it just sounds like German. None of the inherent hilarity of Swedish.

32. Gamingboy Posted: March 18, 2013 at 09:14 PM (#4390817)

Volquez blinded by the Honkbal Magic.

33. beer on a stick Posted: March 18, 2013 at 09:14 PM (#4390818)

A-Rod is a citizen of the world and plays with whatever country he wants.

Ichiro could do that if he wanted to.

GAAN HONKBAL!

34. Weekly Journalist_ Posted: March 18, 2013 at 09:18 PM (#4390819)

Yeah this crowd is depressingly bad. We need Asian teams or Mexico in the finals from now on.

35. Tschingsch Posted: March 18, 2013 at 09:23 PM (#4390823)

My guess is that a lot of seats were bought by Japanese fans, and with them out they're not showing up. I know I looked into buying ticket strips for the series, and a lot of the empty seats I was not able to get. Also, it looks like the outfield is pretty well filled.

36. The Clarence Thomas of BBTF (scott) Posted: March 18, 2013 at 09:23 PM (#4390824)

Nice catch!

37. Gamingboy Posted: March 18, 2013 at 09:23 PM (#4390825)

Yeah this crowd is depressingly bad. We need Asian teams or Mexico in the finals from now on.

Or put it in LA or something where the attendance will be high just because they go to everything.

38. Weekly Journalist_ Posted: March 18, 2013 at 09:23 PM (#4390826)

Nice grab!

39. zonk Posted: March 18, 2013 at 09:24 PM (#4390827)

The Dutch language is spelled funny, but it just sounds like German. None of the inherent hilarity of Swedish.

I always thought Dutch sounded like German after a German spent a night hitting Amsterdam's hash bars...

40. Meatwads stronger now, ready for the house Posted: March 18, 2013 at 09:24 PM (#4390828)

that fan almost pulled a bartman

41. zonk Posted: March 18, 2013 at 09:24 PM (#4390829)

Is that Ruben's kid?

42. RollingWave Posted: March 18, 2013 at 09:29 PM (#4390834)

Or put it in LA or something where the attendance will be high just because they go to everything.

and also leave everything early ;)

43. zonk Posted: March 18, 2013 at 09:30 PM (#4390835)

That big overhand curve is like 5 mph from being an eephus pitch...

44. Good cripple hitter Posted: March 18, 2013 at 09:32 PM (#4390837)

Is that Ruben's kid?

No, Moises is an unrelated Sierra. Ruben's kid is also named Ruben. Ruben Jr recently parlayed a .063/.059/.063 stint over 7 games in the Frontier League into a minor league deal with the White Sox.

45. Gamingboy Posted: March 18, 2013 at 09:32 PM (#4390838)

Or put it in LA or something where the attendance will be high just because they go to everything.

and also leave everything early ;)

Hey, money is money.

46. Dale Sams Posted: March 18, 2013 at 09:33 PM (#4390839)

I question the music choice for the new Jackie Robinson movie.

47. RollingWave Posted: March 18, 2013 at 09:34 PM (#4390841)

why is Cano shortening to bunt? especially against a 86mph pitcher?

48. Gamingboy Posted: March 18, 2013 at 09:45 PM (#4390843)

Eenhorn. It's Dutch for Unicorn.

49. zonk Posted: March 18, 2013 at 09:49 PM (#4390844)

Ha! Victory!

I've been begging my Dutch colleagues for weeks to catch the Honkbal fever - just got an IM from one of them "OK, so I'm up at this ungodly hour. Why is it you Americans are not very good at this game?"

50. RollingWave Posted: March 18, 2013 at 09:50 PM (#4390846)

lol

51. Gamingboy Posted: March 18, 2013 at 09:50 PM (#4390847)

Heh, Hanley booed because he's a Dodger.

52. zonk Posted: March 18, 2013 at 09:51 PM (#4390848)

I told him "Because our island protectorates fielded their own team"

53. The Clarence Thomas of BBTF (scott) Posted: March 18, 2013 at 09:53 PM (#4390849)

nice pickoff move.

54. Jose Can Still Seabiscuit Posted: March 18, 2013 at 09:55 PM (#4390850)

Looked like a pretty clear balk to me. From the overhead angle his entire leg seemed to go behind the rubber.

55. The Clarence Thomas of BBTF (scott) Posted: March 18, 2013 at 09:57 PM (#4390851)

yeah, on replay that's probably correct.

56. Gamingboy Posted: March 18, 2013 at 10:12 PM (#4390858)

I kind of want to see the Dutch win but be no-hit.

57. Gamingboy Posted: March 18, 2013 at 10:21 PM (#4390866)

Pasta diving Reyes, no more no-no.

58. RollingWave Posted: March 18, 2013 at 10:23 PM (#4390867)

fitting for Andruw to get the first hit

59. Gamingboy Posted: March 18, 2013 at 10:31 PM (#4390874)

Honk, Honk.

60. The John Wetland Memorial Death (CoB) Posted: March 18, 2013 at 10:36 PM (#4390876)

Huh.

I must have seen that particular DirecTV ad a bazillion times during this WBC, but that's the 1st time I noticed that it was shot a block from my old apartment in Pasadena ...

61. Drew (Primakov, Gungho Iguanas) Posted: March 18, 2013 at 10:41 PM (#4390882)

Jim "GOML" Kaat.

62. Eric J can SABER all he wants to Posted: March 18, 2013 at 10:45 PM (#4390883)

A-Rod is a citizen of the world and plays with whatever country he wants.

Sadly, Narnia has not yet fielded a team.

63. JE (Jason Epstein)

Posted: March 18, 2013 at 10:47 PM (#4390885)

Jim Kaat:

This is my 57th year in professional baseball and I'm still trying to figure out what OPS means.

Matt V (nervous laughter):

Get down with OPS, as they say.

64. Gamingboy Posted: March 18, 2013 at 10:48 PM (#4390887)

The game is tied!

65. rb's team is hopeful for the new year! Posted: March 18, 2013 at 10:50 PM (#4390888)

Really. You can't figure out that OPS is a combination of on base and slugging when your only job is to watch baseball and talk about baseball?

Really?

Really?

66. Drew (Primakov, Gungho Iguanas) Posted: March 18, 2013 at 10:52 PM (#4390891)

He's just trolling us...right?

67. RollingWave Posted: March 18, 2013 at 10:52 PM (#4390892)

That's odd, when I saw Kaat calling YES games he seem to had a good feel for the statistical aspect as well. maybe it's the age or he's trolling

68. rb's team is hopeful for the new year! Posted: March 18, 2013 at 10:53 PM (#4390893)

Does anyone else think the rally plantain is very phallic?

I mean, you can't just be pulling a plantain out of your pants and waving it around.

69. Gamingboy Posted: March 18, 2013 at 10:55 PM (#4390894)

I mean, you can't just be pulling a plantain out of your pants and waving it around.

BBTF, everyone!

70. Drew (Primakov, Gungho Iguanas) Posted: March 18, 2013 at 10:55 PM (#4390895)

MLBN has a show coming up that seems specifically designed to troll stats. Maybe he's sneaky like a fox.

71. Gamingboy Posted: March 18, 2013 at 10:57 PM (#4390896)

IS THIS HONKBAL'S LAST STAND!?!?!

72. RollingWave Posted: March 18, 2013 at 10:58 PM (#4390898)

REYES!

DR / PR final is cool too, given that the US is now a Latino country

73. rb's team is hopeful for the new year! Posted: March 18, 2013 at 10:59 PM (#4390899)

OLd andruw jones would have caught that easily.

74. Meatwads stronger now, ready for the house Posted: March 18, 2013 at 11:00 PM (#4390902)

bringing in a righty...

75. Gamingboy Posted: March 18, 2013 at 11:00 PM (#4390903)

Old Andruw Jones was a lot skinnier and a future HoFer.

76. RollingWave Posted: March 18, 2013 at 11:02 PM (#4390904)

Big moment.

77. Meatwads stronger now, ready for the house Posted: March 18, 2013 at 11:07 PM (#4390907)

huge inning there for the DR

78. RollingWave Posted: March 18, 2013 at 11:10 PM (#4390910)

Robinson Cano : still a dumb base runner.

but this seem like the end, though I would love the Honkballers prove me wrong

79. Gamingboy Posted: March 18, 2013 at 11:10 PM (#4390911)

If it were any other team, I'd declare this game over.

80. RollingWave Posted: March 18, 2013 at 11:14 PM (#4390913)

Also, Tejada ran his ass off there.

81. RollingWave Posted: March 18, 2013 at 11:16 PM (#4390916)

Cano makes awesome plays look lazy hah

82. Gamingboy Posted: March 18, 2013 at 11:17 PM (#4390917)

There's the Andruw Jones that now has to play in Japan...

83. RollingWave Posted: March 18, 2013 at 11:18 PM (#4390918)

I would love to have Andruw homer here

Edit: dang

84. Gamingboy Posted: March 18, 2013 at 11:26 PM (#4390927)

Moises Sierra... because Ricardo Nanita had the flu.

85. Gamingboy Posted: March 18, 2013 at 11:39 PM (#4390934)

Dashenko Ricardo. One of the most fun names to say.

86. Tschingsch Posted: March 18, 2013 at 11:46 PM (#4390937)

I was a little bummed during the announcements that Tjerk Smeets' name isn't pronounced the way it looks...

87. Tschingsch Posted: March 18, 2013 at 11:51 PM (#4390938)

We need some Honkbal magic here...

88. Meatwads stronger now, ready for the house Posted: March 18, 2013 at 11:51 PM (#4390939)

This is the last chance for the dutch to do any big damage, top of the order due up.

89. Gamingboy Posted: March 18, 2013 at 11:57 PM (#4390941)

Balentien up...

90. Gamingboy Posted: March 19, 2013 at 12:00 AM (#4390942)

...and Baltentien down. And Rodney, not Marmol, will be coming out of the 'pen.

91. Gamingboy Posted: March 19, 2013 at 12:06 AM (#4390944)

SEAGULLLLLLLLS!

92. Bitter Calculus Instructor Posted: March 19, 2013 at 12:08 AM (#4390947)

La Republica Dominicana esta tres fueras de los finales!

93. Gamingboy Posted: March 19, 2013 at 12:13 AM (#4390952)

Lol, Seagulls getting in way of camera.

94. Gamingboy Posted: March 19, 2013 at 12:15 AM (#4390955)

Remember, everyone, when the Seagull rebellion started, it started tonight.

95. Bitter Calculus Instructor Posted: March 19, 2013 at 12:16 AM (#4390956)

Injury delay? Explain!

96. Gamingboy Posted: March 19, 2013 at 12:18 AM (#4390957)

Carlos Santana was briefly a little shaken up by a foul tip. He stayed in.

97. Gamingboy Posted: March 19, 2013 at 12:21 AM (#4390960)

VIVA DOMINICANA!

...But I'm sure the Netherlands WILL RETURN!

98. beer on a stick Posted: March 19, 2013 at 12:23 AM (#4390962)

One of these years the Dutch are gonna win this thing. Good show.

99. Bitter Calculus Instructor Posted: March 19, 2013 at 12:23 AM (#4390963)

And tomorrow the Dominican Republic goes for not only the title but the first perfect performance in WBC history, the big 8-0.

100. Tschingsch Posted: March 19, 2013 at 12:23 AM (#4390964)

Honkbal Hoofdklasse season starts 4/11...

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World Baseball Classic Semi-Final Number 2 OMNICHATTER

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