WBC 2023--We'll Be Seeing You Later

[A Boy Named Seo]

Holy shit, Japan! What a game!!

[Frayed Knot]

Terrific game. Sets up what could be an exciting final.

[Edgy MD]

What an incredible game.

And posting this for all to revel in

That's what they mean by acting like you've been there before.

[metirish]

I watched Japan tie it up, then Mexico take the lead again, went to bed and was stunned to see Japan had won , it really was a great game , Japan had their chances all game

[A Boy Named Seo]

Bottom 8 was so tense for Mexico. Japan loaded em up and they were trying to somehow escape without facing Ohtani. And they did!

Then he just leads off the 9th with a double anyway.

[G-Fafif]

Jeff McNeil happy to be there.

“Obviously, you wish you were playing more,” McNeil said while standing in the dugout on Sunday, before the United States toppled Cuba, 14-2, to advance to Tuesday’s final against Japan. But McNeil wasn’t exactly complaining when he uttered those words.

“That’s just how good this team is,” he continued, citing Anderson, the Chicago White Sox shortstop who shifted to second base for the tournament. “We’re playing good baseball right now and we’re facing a lot of left-handed starting pitching as well. T.A. has been doing great out there, so keep rooting for him. The overall experience has been fantastic.”

That, ultimately, is what has given McNeil perspective throughout the W.B.C. Sure, he might not be playing as much as he is used to or the Mets may want, but McNeil said he had still learned from his time in pressure-packed games in which he was surrounded by stars.

“All of these games — especially the Mexico game and Venezuela game — have been somewhat what I imagine the World Series would be like with the kind of atmosphere,” he said. “You see that and get used to playing in that and I think it helps down the line.”

[…]

McNeil wanted to play. In fact, he sought out Manager Mark DeRosa to express interest, and was asked to join when Boston Red Sox second baseman Trevor Story underwent elbow surgery in January. McNeil had to alter his usual preparation for the season, but he insisted he was happy.

“I’ll be fine,” he said, and then pointed to the 2022 preseason shortened by a labor stoppage. “We had three weeks of spring training last year and I won a batting title. I don’t need that much time.” When he returned to the Mets, he said, he might go to the back fields at their spring training facility in Port St. Lucie, Fla., and get extra at-bats in simulated or minor-league games.

[…]

But it’s not just the players. The United States coaching staff is full of former stars, including five-time World Series-winning pitcher Andy Pettitte and the Hall of Fame outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. So while McNeil had only 19 plate appearances over six spring training games with the Mets before he left for the W.B.C. — and has had even fewer since — he said he valued working on his hitting with Griffey, who is serving as the team’s hitting coach.

McNeil said he had talked to Griffey about a few minor things in his swing and later felt “really good” during batting practice and in the batting cages. “We’ll see if they translate to a game,” he added.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/20/spor ... eview.html

[A Boy Named Seo]

McNeil seemed like a fantastic fit as the nine hitter in that lineup. But slow start got his ass behind Tim Anderson quick and, yeah, that lineup is tough to crack back into. I'm guessing he'll be pinch hitter extraordinaire again tonight with a lefty on the hill for team Japan.

[Frayed Knot]

Bottom 8 was so tense for Mexico. Japan loaded em up and they were trying to somehow escape without facing Ohtani. And they did!

Then he just leads off the 9th with a double anyway.

And just think, if that was the 9th inning where they successfully avoided him, he'd have been on 2nd to start the 10th ... only instead of needing a double he simply would have materialized there automatically via the retard rules.
Much more exciting than a leadoff double!

[Edgy MD]

Ken Griffey, Jr. decides that the best way to coach is to step in and show how it's done.



I like that, at 53 years old, he is still constitutionally unable to take batting practice with his hat on forward.

[A Boy Named Seo]

Nothing like gray hairs in the beard of Ken Griffey Jr. to remind you that life is a very fast moving train.

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

Mets are bench jockeys again

[Frayed Knot]

Schwarber as your DH vs LHP [200 OPS pts lower for career] with Pete on the roster is a tough choice to defend.

[A Boy Named Seo]

Lets hope Trea Turner goes stone cold in a Phillies uniform, but dammit , you cannot keep the man in the yard in a USA kit

[A Boy Named Seo]

Munetaka Murakami is 22 years old and hit 56 bombs last year. Post him NOW!!!!

[A Boy Named Seo]

Quick hook for Merrill Kelly, but probably a good call. The starting rotation for US was always kinda suspect but the bully is deep (and pretty well rested).

[A Boy Named Seo]

Our old pal Aaron Loup limits the damage, 2-1 Japan. I suspect he'll be slugging down Busch beer regardless of the outcome.

[A Boy Named Seo]

Kyle Freeland pitching like he's in midseason form in Coors and gives up a bomb. 3-1 Japan.

[A Boy Named Seo]

20-year old kid almost takes out Mike Trout's knees then strikes him out. Japan keeps squirming out of trouble but the US bats are gonna wake eventually, right? Right??

3-1 top 5. US trying to make noise.

[A Boy Named Seo]

Also thank you for coming to my one man show entitled "Seo live tweets the WBC finale on a message board". The Village Voice gave it 1.5 stars.

[A Boy Named Seo]

Team USA gets two on and Schwarber pops up to end the rally because he's a warm bag of Philly shit. 3-1 Japan!

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

I'm rooting for Japan

[kcmets]

I'm rooting to stay awake.

[A Boy Named Seo]

I'm rooting for Japan

Hard not to, they're very lovable. And Trout with his big-ass American flag looked like he got lost on the way to the monster truck show.

[A Boy Named Seo]

JEFF MCNEIL ALERT

Pull the splinters out of your ass, son, and get a hit

[Frayed Knot]

Or a four pitch walk, either way.