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WBC - 1st Round

Frayed Knot Mar 06 2017 01:39 PM

Team Israel -- consisting of some players who may or may not have been to Israel at some point in their lives -- is tied with host Korea 1-1 in the 10th in the opening game of this year's tourney.

Frayed Knot Mar 06 2017 02:00 PM Re: WBC - 1st Round

And Israel is your surprise 2-1 winner in 10 innings

Edgy MD Mar 06 2017 03:38 PM Re: WBC - 1st Round

2016 Met Ty Kelly started at third and batted second for the Maccabeans, and took the collar. The real Metly heroism came when 2016 B-Met and Las Vegan (but currently a free agent) Josh Zeid came on to pitch the last three innings, getting in and out of trouble, giving up a hit and two walks in the first two innings, but putting them down in order in the 10th, striking out the last two. The host Koreans are somehow trying to win this thing while fielding a Metless roster, and they paid for it.

A Boy Named Seo Mar 06 2017 04:07 PM Re: WBC - 1st Round

Jason Marquis went 3 scoreless for Israel. I always feel like he was a Met for like a month. Almost said ex-Met Jason Marquis. Israel, btw, wore the dark gray, sleeveless roadies. Uggo. Highlights, story -> http://m.mlb.com/news/article/218142144 ... bc-opener/

Frayed Knot Mar 06 2017 04:54 PM Re: WBC - 1st Round

Edgy MD wrote: The real Metly heroism came when 2016 B-Met and Las Vegan (but currently a free agent) Josh Zeid came on to pitch the last three innings, getting in and out of trouble, giving up a hit and two walks in the first two innings, but putting them down in order in the 10th, striking out the last two. The odd story about that outing by Zeid is that there's a 50 pitch ceiling for pitchers in this opening round. They're allowed to pass that limit but, if so, they're not permitted to pitch for the remainder of that round. Zeid got the 'K' to end the game on pitch #49 meaning that, if Israel should find itself in a must-win game to possibly move on to the next round, Zeid remains eligible to pitch. Whether he would have been yanked had he NOT retired that final batter may go forever unknown.

Ashie62 Mar 07 2017 12:21 AM Re: WBC - 1st Round

This tournament may be worse than the NBA all-star game.

Frayed Knot Mar 07 2017 04:30 AM Re: WBC - 1st Round

Ashie62 wrote: This tournament may be worse than the NBA all-star game. The WBC may be an exhibition tournament with little tradition and not always attended by the best players, but at least, aside from a handful of pitcher restrictions, they're playing real games out there. The NBA ASG on the other hand, which is a star-driven league where the (24?) best and best-known players in the world are on hand, has somehow managed to turn their mid-season showcase into something that no one wants to watch. Shit ... Michael Wilson, who shills for the NBA more than maybe any writer alive and for years referred to the whole weekend as 'Black Thanksgiving, admits that the game now sucks to the point where he no longer attends. The only thing keeping the NBA ASG from being the worst sporting event on television is the NFL Pro-Bowl.

Edgy MD Mar 07 2017 04:47 AM Re: WBC - 1st Round

Izzy breaks out with four runs in the first and is leading 6-0 over Chinese Taipei midway through five. Israel thirdbaseman Ty Kelly is 2-3 with a double and a run scored. Chin-lung Hu may not be the first guy you think of when you think of "designated hitter." In fact, he may not be in your top 1,000. But there he is, dh-ing and leading off for the Taiwanese, where he is currently 0-for-2. Israel is taking a more traditional approach to the DH, starting Ike Davis there, and enjoying his two hits in three trips, and his run scored and two RBI.

Frayed Knot Mar 07 2017 02:27 PM Re: WBC - 1st Round

Israel now 2-0 after beating Taipei and host Korea falls to 0-2 (good thing they're not scheduled to host 2nd round games) after losing to the Netherlands. Japan knocks off Cuba to start off 'Pool B' play

Nymr83 Mar 08 2017 12:43 AM Re: WBC - 1st Round

Frayed Knot wrote: Israel now 2-0 after beating Taipei If you want to know how sloppy WBC play can be, I've never seen this in all the years i've watched MLB - bases loaded up by 5 and Israel drops down a suicide-squeeze attempt... the Pitcher and 1st Baseman both charge the ball but the Catcher picks it up and makes a strong throw to the First Base Bag... where nobody is covering. the 2nd Baseman isn't even in the frame. 3 runs score. [crossout]Batter[/crossout] Bunter to 3rd on the play.

Ashie62 Mar 08 2017 01:17 AM Re: WBC - 1st Round

You would have to pay me to watch this crap, or offer only soccer.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Mar 08 2017 04:15 AM Re: WBC - 1st Round

That's great-- what a conversation starter! Why don't you post some more about how you don't care about this? As for me, well, give me more 7-foot Nederlander relievers, please. And holy hell, Korea's pretty much done after getting Dutched, no?

Edgy MD Mar 08 2017 04:23 AM Re: WBC - 1st Round

Between multiple and redundant posts about not caring about the WBC, and multiple posts about not caring about Tebow, I'm finding it overwhelming how much folks care about what they don't care about.

Edgy MD Mar 08 2017 04:50 AM Re: WBC - 1st Round

Bruce Chen: hasn't pitched professionally in two years, can't crack 85 with his fastball, took the mound in what looked like dress shoes, throwing 2 2/3 scoreless against the mighty Cubans. Unfortunately, he did it for China. Would've been far better if it brought that grizzle on behalf of his native Panama.

Frayed Knot Mar 08 2017 12:27 PM Re: WBC - 1st Round

Chen had pitched in previous WBCs for Panama but for some reason decided to cast his lot for China this year, the country of his parents' birth. He wound up getting pulled before he hit his 50 pitch 1st round limit, but China got rolled by the Cubans 11-6. Cuban RF Yoelquis Cespedes has 4 hits in Cuba's first two games. And if you don't want to watch, or even follow, the WBC then don't. But I missed the part where ST is so exciting that a once every four year wrinkle added to it is so upsetting to folks that they act like they're insulted that it even exists.

Frayed Knot Mar 08 2017 01:51 PM Re: WBC - 1st Round

- 1st round play isn't over yet (it hasn't even begun in Pools C & D) but in Pool A, Israel & the Netherlands, on the basis of both being 2-0 with only each other to play, will advance to the 2nd round at the expense of winless Korea and Taipei who will finish 1-2 and 0-3 depending on their remaining head-to-head game. - a bit odd that they call it team Korea rather than South Korea? I guess in the Olympics they have to distinguish because the North sends a separate (if nominal) team. But I find it interesting that there's no distinction here and that kind of thing doesn't happen for no reason when diplomats and national sports commissions get involved. - if you're a good sub for Team Israel are you a 'mensch from the bench'? - do Australian submariner hurlers get described as throwing from 'down under'? I mean, don't ALL Aussie pitchers throw from down under?

MFS62 Mar 08 2017 02:07 PM Re: WBC - 1st Round

Frayed Knot wrote: - if you're a good sub for Team Israel are you a 'mensch from the bench'? Literally LOL! Later

Fman99 Mar 08 2017 05:06 PM Re: WBC - 1st Round

MLB network had live coverage starting at 10 PM last night. I was in bed by then.

Frayed Knot Mar 09 2017 03:58 AM Re: WBC - 1st Round

Fman99 wrote: MLB network had live coverage starting at 10 PM last night. I was in bed by then. Well that's what happens when half the games in this round are being played in east Asia. Israel jumps out with 3 in the 1st vs Netherlands. Both teams will move on but the winner of this game will determine seeding in the 2nd round.

Nymr83 Mar 09 2017 04:07 AM Re: WBC - 1st Round

Israel & Netherlands basically advance on the strength of an AWFUL 'pool' designed to give the host country some wins that they couldn't find anyway. Still, I think Israel was 200-1. If you knew they'd escape the first round wouldn't you have put your $10 down?

Edgy MD Mar 09 2017 05:54 AM Re: WBC - 1st Round

That Dutch team seems to be what a Dominican team might have looked like 25 years ago. All shortstops. Andrelton Simmons is (amazingly) DH-ing. Jurickson Profar is in center. Xander Boegarts is at third. The guy actually playing short is Didi Gregorius. I don't know, but among those guys, he might've been my fourth choice.

G-Fafif Mar 09 2017 01:59 PM Re: WBC - 1st Round

Mensch on a Bench is totally a thing. https://mobile.twitter.com/Scoreboard_c ... 08/photo/1 So are Ike, Ty and the Israelis, now 3-0.

Nymr83 Mar 10 2017 06:27 AM Re: WBC - 1st Round

G-Fafif wrote: Mensch on a Bench is totally a thing. https://mobile.twitter.com/Scoreboard_c ... 08/photo/1 So are Ike, Ty and the Israelis, now 3-0. the American Jews are 3-0! how abnormal are the WBC's eligibility rules? i know they are stretching things because there are only a dozen or so countries that legitimately play baseball, but where are other international sports on this? Soccer's international rules allow anyone who establishes residency (but not citizenship) for 5 years to play OR anyone whose grandparent, parent, or self was born there. that second criteria is both stricter and looser than the WBC's - I'd be eligible to play for Israel in the WBC but not Soccer. Who would FIFA let me play for if one grandparent was born in territory that has variously been part of Russia, Poland, the USSR and Belarus?

Edgy MD Mar 10 2017 12:13 PM Re: WBC - 1st Round

One big difference is that FIFA gives you one chance to make a commitment to which team you hope to play for. If you are a German kid whose father emigrated from the United States, you might choose to play for the less competitive US at 19, and if you make it to the top of your peers by the time you are 25, you can't decide to suddenly represent Germany. You are an American for life with FIFA. With the World Baseball Classic, Bruce Chen can apparently go shopping for a different team each tournament.

Frayed Knot Mar 10 2017 01:41 PM Re: WBC - 1st Round

Didn't see any of them but it sounds like there were some fun games last night. - Australia just missed advancing by losing 4-3 to Cuba. All of Cuba's runs came on a 5th inning Grand Slam. The Aussies scored one in the 7th plus one more in the 8th but couldn't tie it in the 9th. - Italy scored [u:1sfe1iuk]5 in the 9th[/u:1sfe1iuk], all with no outs, to stun Mexico 10-9 in that pool's opening game. Starting CF and leadoff hitter Brandon Nimmo (Wyoming is, I believe, a suburb of Turin) singled in the tying run after Mexico brought in Ollie Perez to pitch to him.

Edgy MD Mar 10 2017 03:34 PM Re: WBC - 1st Round

Here's hoping Nimmo gives Ollie the same treatment a few more times in 2017.

Frayed Knot Mar 11 2017 04:03 AM Re: WBC - 1st Round

- Adam Jones is today's All-American hero, singling in the walk-off run in the 10th for the U.S. win over Colombia. - In a game still going, Seth Lugo started for Puerto Rico and tossed 5-1/3 innings of one-hit ball vs Venezuela before running up against the 1st round pitch-count limit (65). 3-0 in favor of PR in bottom 6th

bmfc1 Mar 11 2017 03:25 PM Re: WBC - 1st Round

In the WBC, you can have a walk-off HR to win the game 11-0 (because of a "slaughter" rule). That's our TJ Rivera: http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/31426364/v ... eending-hr

Mets Willets Point Mar 12 2017 12:16 AM Re: WBC - 1st Round

If you want hope for the future of the WBC, my 9-year-old is totally obsessed with these games. Or maybe he's just jonesing for baseball.

Mets Willets Point Mar 12 2017 12:20 AM Re: WBC - 1st Round

Also, Marlins Man has grown a beard.

MFS62 Mar 12 2017 12:49 AM Re: WBC - 1st Round

bmfc1 wrote: In the WBC, you can have a walk-off HR to win the game 11-0 (because of a "slaughter" rule). That's our TJ Rivera: http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/31426364/v ... eending-hr Earlier in the game, he hit a ball to the centerfield wall that was caught. Homey's showing some power. Later

Frayed Knot Mar 12 2017 04:21 AM Re: WBC - 1st Round

Andrew Miller clearly hates America

G-Fafif Mar 12 2017 11:06 AM Re: WBC - 1st Round

Team Israel is real. Ty, Ike and the gang took it to Cuba, 4-1.

MFS62 Mar 12 2017 06:01 PM Re: WBC - 1st Round

G-Fafif wrote: Team Israel is real. Ty, Ike and the gang took it to Cuba, 4-1. Did any of the Cuban players defect to Israel? Later

John Cougar Lunchbucket Mar 12 2017 08:20 PM Re: WBC - 1st Round

Awesome Houdini by Robles. Tied in b9th, 2 on, 0 out. Got 2 double plays. First wasn't turned making 1st and 3rd 1 out then a bang bang 7-2 play to end the inning that to put it mildly upset the Columbians

Frayed Knot Mar 12 2017 08:27 PM Re: WBC - 1st Round

Not quite sure what the Colombians were all nuts over, the dude was clearly out. Had to send him though, even though the FO wasn't that deep.

d'Kong76 Mar 12 2017 08:44 PM Re: WBC - 1st Round

I'm tuned in since the 7th or so, fun stuff. Yeah, no idea what the hub bub was over play at the plate... cool slow-mo hi-def replay stuff, gets better and better each year. The funny thing was in the 8th or so the talking-head in the booth says he's not sure the Colombian fans in the stands grasp (paraphrasing, I forget how he put it) the importance of the game. I was like, wuh??, you saying Colombian fans are stupid bro? It was funny, you had to be there maybe...

Ashie62 Mar 12 2017 08:50 PM Re: WBC - 1st Round

Saw something about Yadier Molina complaining about security in the Mexico's players families section. So much so the team allegedly wanted to fly out pronto. It may be the WBC but they are still mostly millionaires and fear kidnapping and such I assume.

d'Kong76 Mar 12 2017 09:39 PM Re: WBC - 1st Round

Feel bad for Colombia, and their under-informed fans...

Centerfield Mar 12 2017 11:04 PM Re: WBC - 1st Round

Nimmo goes down with a hamstring injury. Out several weeks. I feel bad for him, but you have to question the judgment of leaving spring training when you are on the brink of the bigs, to play for a country that you kinda sorta are connected to. Hope those games were worth your shot at the Show.

Frayed Knot Mar 12 2017 11:11 PM Re: WBC - 1st Round

Of course guys can and do get hurt in regular ST games as well, so Nimmo just as easily could have pulled his hammy chasing a fly ball in Pt St Lucie as he did while playing the OF for Italy.

Centerfield Mar 12 2017 11:24 PM Re: WBC - 1st Round

Sure, but if I'm the organization I view it differently if a kid gets hurt while hustling to make the team, versus getting while playing in an exhibition tournament. And I give deference to the actual foreign players who face pressure back home to represent. But guys like Lugo and Nimmo? I just shake my head. In the end it probably won't make a difference. If the talent is there eventually he'll be in the bigs. But it just boggles my mind that a minor leaguer on the cusp would have anything else on his mind. I will now stop my old man rant.

Frayed Knot Mar 13 2017 01:00 AM Re: WBC - 1st Round

I dunno, I can't see the teams holding it against players because, once every four years, a couple of guys do a portion of ST off campus, so to speak. If anything, guys like Nimmo & Lugo probably gave the team extra looks this past week (even if only on TV although they likely also have scouts on site) while not taking playing time from other guys in camp. There was even an article in one of the papers (maybe Saturday) about how Lugo's stellar outing for Puerto Rico helped out his case for maybe making the rotation. On to other more important WBC news: Christian Yelich's mom, interviewed from the stands a few minutes ago ... thumbs up!! It helps that she looked no more than maybe five years older than him. oe: and as if on cue, newly signed (to the tune of $70 million) Ian Desmond gets hit by a pitch in Rockies camp today and is out with a broken hand

Fman99 Mar 13 2017 01:34 AM Re: WBC - 1st Round

I'm warming to these games. They're on in prime time and the fans give a hoot. It doesn't have all the lazy nonchalance of spring training baseball.

G-Fafif Mar 13 2017 01:46 AM Re: WBC - 1st Round

While certain players are still distasteful based on ongoing associations (i.e. Molina, every 2015 Royal), I like that I don't have anything against any of these temporary teams. Even the opponents of those I'm rooting for seem admirable in the WBC context. It helps to have Jeter uninvolved.

Frayed Knot Mar 13 2017 12:46 PM Re: WBC - 1st Round Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Mar 13 2017 01:03 PM

Team Israel's streak is about to end as they're on the short end of a 10-2 thumping from the Netherlands in the 8th inning of their second game of the 2nd round. And they're not happy in Mexico. Though three teams from that group -- Mexico, Venezuela, and Italy -- all finished the opening round with a 1-2 record, Mexico has been eliminated on the basis of most runs allowed per inning but they don't like how the math was done. Their biggest problem goes back to their opening game when they allowed 5 runs in the 9th inning to Italy because not only did they lose the game but, since all those runs occurred without Mexico recording an out, the runs got added to the total but not the inning. That kicked up their RA/inning figure just enough to where it'll be Italy & Venezuela in a one-game playoff (later today) to determine who, along with undefeated Puerto Rico, will advance from that group. No word whether anyone in the Trump administration was involved in the decision.

Lefty Specialist Mar 13 2017 12:51 PM Re: WBC - 1st Round

Saw that 'start the inning with runners on first & second' rule in the DR/Colombia game. I hated it in the abstract, but hated it even more seeing it in action. It's a mind-bogglingly stupid idea. After a tight, hard-fought game, they give up 6 runs in an inning. Absurd.

Frayed Knot Mar 13 2017 01:01 PM Re: WBC - 1st Round

Sure, although I can understand why they want to use it in a short tournament such as this when you're dealing with not only pitching limits but also a strict schedule and sometimes international travel between rounds. It's come up twice so far in this tourney and in both cases the visiting team scored multiple runs in the top half of the inning while the home team got shut-out in the bottom half trying to match.

Mets Willets Point Mar 13 2017 02:23 PM Re: WBC - 1st Round

Hup, honkbal!

Edgy MD Mar 13 2017 02:44 PM Re: WBC - 1st Round

Frayed Knot wrote: Sure, although I can understand why they want to use it in a short tournament such as this when you're dealing with not only pitching limits but also a strict schedule and sometimes international travel between rounds. It's come up twice so far in this tourney and in both cases the visiting team scored multiple runs in the top half of the inning while the home team got shut-out in the bottom half trying to match. Which sort of makes sense. If you're in an extra inning tie, and the first two batters reach base, your instinct is going to be to try and make perfect pitches to achieve a shutout inning, and if trying to be too cute risks the big inning, so be it. You're playing with your back against the wall. You've got to stop those baserunners from scoring. Hold the runners, pitch for strikeouts, play the infield in as soon as a runner gets to third. In the bottom of the inning, with several runs home, the visiting team is not particularly worried about the baserunners, and will just pitch to get outs. I think the home team has to adopt a difficult new mindset, taking the field in the top half of the inning concentrating on outs also, not worrying too much about the runners, knowing that they will have the same automatic rally-starter in the bottom of the inning and a damn good chance to get even.

Mets Willets Point Mar 13 2017 05:01 PM Re: WBC - 1st Round

Just realized that the remaining USA games and the championship round are in California and will be late starts in the Eastern Time Zone. Not good for my 9 y.o. who is inordinately excited about this tournament.