Why is the US sooooooooooooooooooooo anti Cuba ( i know about the missile issue already) but so pro China? They are both communist governments. I just don't get it.
Cuba will be allowed to play. http://www.forbes.com/business/commerce/feeds/ap/2006/01/20/ap2464987.html
Well, instead of making this a D&D destined thread, why not just make it a Baseball Classic topic? I'm pretty psyched to watch this. link I'm pulling for the USA, but outside of our team, I'm really hoping Japan goes far - they are going to own their bracket, which includes Korea, China and Chinese Taipei. Cuba is obviously a baseball powerhouse, as well as the other Central and South American teams. I'm not sure what the Netherlands is doing in there, but whatever. Going to be an exciting series to watch!
If they lose and they don't catch as much crap as the US Basketball teams caught I'm going to be confused.
Expectations. The Baseball guys haven't been carrying around years of unbeaten "Dream Teams" in International competition. In fact, you look at the rosters and the Dominicans would probably be the favorites.
There was a fun little feature on the news last night about Willie T hoping to get on to the Dominican team. Apparently he's hoping that his proximity during Spring Training might give him an in.
Not so much anymore. Why? For one thing, Cuba's international domination was on the amateur level, rarely beating anyone but college-age prospects and career minor leaguers. More importantly, that domination was in the past. ... Baseball may still be Cuba's national pastime, but its game has been in decline thanks to an exodus of talent and a stifling of competitive opportunity. Granted, Cuba won the gold medal at the 2004 Olympics, but that's primarily because the Americans weren't there. The Cuban team was a shadow of its former self in Athens. Cuba struggled against Australia in the gold medal game, in which it was aided by a controversial call. Heck, Cuba needed three relievers in the ninth inning just to beat Greece, a team that included a 35-year-old mortgage broker from Florida. I saw only two players on that 2004 team who impressed me as possible major leaguers. ... When they had Omar Linares, Orestes Kindelan and aluminum bats in the 1996 Olympics, the Cubans launched towering home runs into the upper deck of Fulton County Stadium and walked away with the gold medal. But those days are gone. Since dropping aluminum for wood bats, the Cuban team has shown a distressing lack of power. I've seen it in person in the Olympics and in the Cuban league in Havana. ... Perhaps the national team's decline has been partially because Castro is too afraid of defections to send its best players abroad. ... Fortunately, there's a very easy way for the current administration to shut him up and also embarrass him: Let Cuba play and get beat. Let Fidel and the world see how far his sport has fallen. http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=caple/offbase/060118 I'd say it'll be very, very difficult for anyone to beat the US & the DR. Should be fun regardless, assuming we get to see any of it on TV.
My money's on the Dominican Team DOMINICAN REPUBLIC C—Miguel Olivo (Mariners) 1B—Albert Pujols (Cardinals) 2B—Alfonso Soriano (Rangers) 3B—Aramis Ramirez (Cubs) SS— Miguel Tejada (Orioles) LF—Manny Ramirez (Red Sox) CF—Jose Guillen (Nationals) RF—Vladimir Guerrero (Angels) DH—David Ortiz (Red Sox) SP—Pedro Martinez (Mets) SP—Bartolo Colon (Angels) SP—Odalis Perez (Dodgers) SP—Daniel Cabrera (Orioles) RP—Francisco Cordero (Rangers) Manager: Felipe Alou (Giants) Skinny: Though they're thin at catcher, the Dominicans match up with Team USA as well as anyone. Like Puerto Rico and Venezuela, the Dominican has never made a splash on the international scene before now because of disorganized national baseball federations. That all changes with this tournament, where the talent comes out. Anyone want to bet against Pedro in one game for all the marbles? http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/news/050511worldcuprosters.html
Baseball=America's past time, and Americans aren't expected to win? I guess. When I looked at the roster of the last basketball olympic team I didn't think they would win, but the media pushed them as dominating favorites to the point where they would be damned if they win or lose. This tournament isn't even a big deal for some reason, I already know it's not going to be a big deal if they lose, and I think that's wrong.
Just saw that Cheo is managing the Puerto Ricans. Very cool. Also, watch Japanese catcher Keniche Jojima, he's supposed to be a stud & there was talk about him coming over to MLB this year, but the $$$ wasn't enough. I'll put the O/U on Cuban defections at 3.5
I'm also really pumped about this. The Dominican's lineup is flat out sick. I'm still optimistic that the US can best them with better pitching, though. The US lineup is certainly nothing to scoff at with Barry Bonds, A-Rod, Johnny Damon, Derrek Lee, Chipper Jones, Berkman, Jeter, etc. Clemens, Halladay, Sheets (could be an amazing closer, imo, with 100 mph heat), Peavy, Pettite, Wagner, Lidge, Dontrelle, Hudson and Sabathia can all get the job done on the hill. Look out for the Netherlands to win a few games with Mark Mulder and Sidney Ponson, along with Shea Hillenbrand, Andruw Jones and Rice Owl David Aardsma!
I assume that you mean Kenji Jojima, who has signed a three-year contract worth about 17 mil. dollars with Seattle Mariners and will play for them this year. He's supposed to be the best pure hitter in Japan right now.
Pool D is going to have an incredible game between Venezuela and the Dominican. Venezuela has a great team, with Johan Santana, Carlos Zambrano, Freddy Garcia, Miguel Cabrera, Bobby Abreu, and Magglio Ordonez, among others. Even the Dominican lineup could face a tough time beating Santana or Zambrano. With the bullpen of the US, we may be better served using the starter only 5 innings and then going to Lidge, Wagner, Cordero, Nathan etc to close it out. At this point, I would want either Roy Halladay or possibly Dontrelle Willis starting the game against the Dominican, if it occurs. I'm wondering where Chipper Jones will play, now that A-Rod is going to be a part of the team and likely playing third base. If Bonds is not back 100% from his injury, I'd put Chipper at DH. Here is my proposed lineup: Carl Crawford - CF Derek Jeter -- SS Barry Bonds -- DH Alex Rodriguez -- 3B Derrek Lee -- 1B Lance Berkman - LF Ken Griffey Jr -- RF Michael Young - 2B (used to play 2B when A-Rod was a SS for Texas) Jason Varitek - C Rotation: Halladay Willis Pettitte Clemens Hudson Bullpen Sheets (middle innings) Sabathia (middle innings / lefty specialist) Cordero (setup) Nathan (setup) Lidge (closer) Wagner (closer) Leading Pinch Hitters: Mark Teixeira Morgan Ensberg Johnny Damon
The World Baseball Classic is a totally stupid idea. How the hell can you have Mike Piazza playing for the Italian team, Mark Mulder playing for Netherlands, and Choke-Rod intially wanting to play for the Dominican team, then changing his mind a billion times--when they are Americans by birth? Makes no sense at all! And you wonder why America is such a balkanized country racially; there is no unity, loyalty for this country--only division. And what the hell is Netherlands, Italy, and South Africa doing in this tournament as well? Do those countries even play Baseball? This smells like another effort by MLB to make money from the fans in order to enhance their fat paychecks!
WBC is a terrible idea. I hope America plays their 2 games, lose, and none of my players gets hurt. This is meaningless.
