2013 World Baseball Classic

[awhom111]

Next spring will see the return of the competition that leads Major League Baseball fans to hope that none of their starting pitchers are selected. This thread is starting now because two of the qualifiers are starting this week. In Germany, the hosts will compete with Great Britain, the Czech Republic, and Canada (who must have angered the powers that be to get shipped across the ocean for one of the qualifiers that play during the Major League season) for one spot. Here are the details and links to the rosters:
http://web.worldbaseballclassic.com/...und=qualifier2

The other group is playing in Jupiter, Florida and will include France, South Africa, Spain, and Israel. This pool may be of greater interest to Duke people because four former Blue Devils are playing. Chris Manno, who has been in AA for the Reds, will be pitching for Spain. For Israel, Jeremy Gould, who played part of the season in A ball, Jake Lemmerman in AA with the Dodgers, and Nate Freiman at AA for the Padres, will all be trying to get the team to next spring, where they theoretically could boost their team with a few major leaguers, although we now get to see if Shawn Green has anything left. Here are the details of that group with links to rosters:
http://web.worldbaseballclassic.com/...und=qualifier1

Apparently the two finals that decide the two berths will be on MLB network (5:00pm ET on Sunday and 1:00pm ET on Monday with all games streaming on the World Baseball Classic website. Two more qualifiers are set for later in the year.

[JasonEvans]

Seems insane to have qualifying matches during the baseball season. Canada must play without Joey Votto. Not very fair. Why not wait a couple weeks until at least the regular season is over.

-Jason

[Blue in the Face]

No one can say Team Israel doesn't have a staff that can do deep into games:

Shlomo Lipetz, 33, a thick-bearded right-hander, pitched in both ends of a doubleheader [in the european championships], throwing 214 pitches as Israel split the pair with Britain.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/19/sp...r=1&ref=sports

[awhom111]

Pitch count limits will put a stop to that sort of thing here.

I figure that Israel, Canada, and Taiwan are three teams that they want in the next round with a toss-up between Panama and Colombia for the other one, so I can see why they split the pools the way that they did. The scheduling still does not make sense by any obvious explanation although they might not want to long of a break between the minor league season and the qualifiers, especially for minor league pitchers.

The first game started with a bang as Duke's own Nate Freiman, hitting third, blasted the first pitch he saw over the left-field fence. He hit another home run late as Israel beat South Africa 7-3. Jake Lemmerman hit 9th, but went 0 for 4. Here is the boxscore:
http://web.worldbaseballclassic.com/...int_1&mode=box

[throatybeard]

A thick-bearded right-hander, mid 30s? A kindred soul.

Or demographic compeer, I suppose.

[awhom111]

No Duke guys were involved today as the games were not all that exciting. In Germany, Canada exploded in the bottom of the 7th to get a walk-off mercy rule win (15 run margin after 5 or 6 innings or 10 run margin after 7 or 8 innings) 11-1. Spain beat France 8-0 in Florida. Germany and the Czech Republic, the other two teams in their group play tomorrow at 1:00pm ET. Spain and Israel face off at 1:00pm ET in Florida for one direct spot to the final game while France and South Africa square off at 7:00pm ET and try to avoid elimination.

[awhom111]

Jim Sumner already posted it on the main board, but I was going to wait until the end of the last game of the day to post. Unfortunately, France and South Africa seem to be locked in terrible rain delays, so I will just post the boxscores of the other two games.

Nate Freiman was responsible for all 4 runs in Israel's 4-2 win over Spain after hitting two two-run home runs. Jake Lemmerman also was involved and went 1 for 4. Israel will move on to Sunday's game (4:00pm Eastern on MLB Network and the World Baseball Classic website) in a winner-take-all contest for a spot next spring. Here was today's boxscore:
http://web.worldbaseballclassic.com/...int_1&mode=box

Germany got a walk-off hit batsman in the bottom of the 6th to use the 15-run version of the mercy rule to beat the Czech Republic 16-1. Tomorrow they will face elimination against Great Britain while Canada and Germany fight for one spot in the final game. Here is that boxscore:
http://web.worldbaseballclassic.com/...int_1&mode=box

[awhom111]

South Africa finished off France 5-2 after the resumption of the suspended game:
http://web.worldbaseballclassic.com/...int_1&mode=box

Then they lost to Spain 13-3 in the late game:
http://web.worldbaseballclassic.com/...int_1&mode=box

That means Israel will face Spain at 5:00pm Eastern on Sunday.

In the other group, Great Britain eliminated the Czech Republic 12-5.
http://web.worldbaseballclassic.com/...int_1&mode=box

Canada exploded late to beat Germany 16-7. They will play the winner of Sunday's Great Britain-Germany game at 1:00pm Eastern on Monday. Here was that boxscore:
http://web.worldbaseballclassic.com/...int_1&mode=box

[awhom111]

It was an epic game (with the replay probably still running on MLB network), but Spain prevailed 9-7 in 10 innings as all sorts of crazy things happened. Jake Lemmerman was hit by a pitch in his first three appearances of the game and he scored one run. Nate Freiman was hit once, walked once with the bases loaded, intentionally walked once, and had a single and also scored a run. Unfortunately, it does not look like we will get to see the full Israel team with all of its major leaguers. Here is the boxscore:
http://web.worldbaseballclassic.com/...int_1&mode=box

Germany will face Canada for the other spot tomorrow after they mercy-ruled Great Britain 16-1 after 7 innings. Here is the boxscore:
http://web.worldbaseballclassic.com/...int_1&mode=box

[awhom111]

Canada had a mercy-rule walkoff win 11-1 over Germany in 8 innings. Now they get to assemble their major leaguers for next spring. Here is the boxscore:
http://web.worldbaseballclassic.com/...e=box&c_id=mlb

The rest of the qualifiers come in November.

[awhom111]

The other two qualifiers are this week. Taiwan hosts Thailand (featuring Johnny Damon), New Zealand, and the Philippines. Panama hosts Colombia, Nicaragua, and Brazil.

Here are some rosters, which may or may not be complete depending on whether Thailand plans on having any infielders or not.

Taiwan:
http://web.worldbaseballclassic.com/...pe&team_id=791
Thailand:
http://web.worldbaseballclassic.com/...ha&team_id=930
New Zealand:
http://web.worldbaseballclassic.com/...zl&team_id=880
Philippines:
http://web.worldbaseballclassic.com/...hi&team_id=894

Panama:
http://web.worldbaseballclassic.com/...an&team_id=890
Colombia:
http://web.worldbaseballclassic.com/...ol&team_id=792
Nicaragua:
http://web.worldbaseballclassic.com/...ca&team_id=881
Brazil:
http://web.worldbaseballclassic.com/...ra&team_id=776

The first few games include Thailand and the Philippines at 10:30pm Eastern tonight and New Zealand and Taiwan at 5:30am Eastern tomorrow as well as Brazil and Panama at 8:00pm Eastern tomorrow and Nicaragua and Colombia at 8:00pm Eastern on Friday. I do not know if the website will be streaming these games as well.

[awhom111]

The Philippines defeated Thailand 8-2:
http://web.worldbaseballclassic.com/...int_1&mode=box

Taiwan mercy-ruled New Zealand 10-0 after 7 innings:
http://web.worldbaseballclassic.com/...int_1&mode=box

[awhom111]

Taiwan is the site of more mercy-rule games as New Zealand defeated Thailand and first baseman Johnny Damon 12-2 after 8 innings:
http://web.worldbaseballclassic.com/...int_1&mode=box

The hosts took care of the Philippines 16-0 in 7 innings:
http://web.worldbaseballclassic.com/...int_1&mode=box

The other site had more drama as Brazil stunned hosts Panama 3-2:
http://web.worldbaseballclassic.com/...int_1&mode=box

Colombia beat Nicaragua 6-1:
http://web.worldbaseballclassic.com/...int_1&mode=box

Now New Zealand and the Philippines are battling each other for the chance to get beaten by Taiwan on Sunday. Colombia and Brazil square off at 2:00pm Eastern on Saturday for one spot in the final game as Panama and Nicaragua try to avoid elimination at 8:00pm Eastern. It looks like the games in Panama are all available to stream on the World Baseball Classic website.

[awhom111]

New Zealand won 10-6 so they get a second crack at Taiwan:
http://web.worldbaseballclassic.com/...int_1&mode=box

Panama eliminated Nicaragua 6-2:
http://web.worldbaseballclassic.com/...int_1&mode=box

That leaves them facing Colombia with both teams facing elimination after Brazil surprised again with a 7-1 win:
http://web.worldbaseballclassic.com/...int_1&mode=box

[awhom111]

Taiwan qualified as expected, but New Zealand did make them go all 9 innings before losing 9-0:
http://web.worldbaseballclassic.com/...int_1&mode=box

Panama eliminates Colombia 9-7 so they get their second chance against Brazil:
http://web.worldbaseballclassic.com/...int_1&mode=box

[awhom111]

Brazil beats Panama again, this time in a 1-0 thriller:
http://web.worldbaseballclassic.com/...int_1&mode=box

There will probably not be too much to discuss for a few months until countries start naming their teams and clubs try to get their pitchers not to participate. I wonder which country Alex Rodriguez wants to play for this time?

[awhom111]

Preliminary rosters are filtering out for the 16 teams. Duke's own Chris Manno is in the squad for Spain. Here is what is currently out there:

Australia:
http://web.worldbaseballclassic.com/...us&team_id=760

Brazil:
http://web.worldbaseballclassic.com/...ra&team_id=776

Canada:
http://web.worldbaseballclassic.com/...an&team_id=784

China:
http://web.worldbaseballclassic.com/...hn&team_id=790

Taiwan:
http://web.worldbaseballclassic.com/...pe&team_id=791

Cuba:
http://web.worldbaseballclassic.com/...ub&team_id=798

Dominican Republic:
http://web.worldbaseballclassic.com/...om&team_id=805

Italy:
http://web.worldbaseballclassic.com/...ta&team_id=841

Japan:
http://web.worldbaseballclassic.com/...pn&team_id=843

Netherlands:
http://web.worldbaseballclassic.com/...ed&team_id=878

South Korea:
http://web.worldbaseballclassic.com/...r&team_id=1171

Mexico:
http://web.worldbaseballclassic.com/...ex&team_id=867

Puerto Rico:
http://web.worldbaseballclassic.com/...ur&team_id=897

Spain:
http://web.worldbaseballclassic.com/...sp&team_id=920

United States:
http://web.worldbaseballclassic.com/...sa&team_id=940

Venezuela:
http://web.worldbaseballclassic.com/...en&team_id=944

Feel free to pre-emptively moan about your team's starting pitchers being picked for this to ruin their 2013 seasons.

[awhom111]

This starts tonight in Taiwan. Most games are on MLB Network. Here is the schedule:
http://web.worldbaseballclassic.com/...e_and_tickets/

The United Stats starts in a week. Prepare all of your lucky charms for when your Major League team's pitchers start warming up.

[Olympic Fan]

I hate, hate, HATE this event.

As you say, no fan wants to see one of his team's pitchers picked. These guys only have so many iinnings in their arms.+ I was so happy when Pettitte pulled out of this event. We don't need a fragile 40-year-old putting himself at risk in this nothing event.

But it's not just pitchers. Tonight Mark Teixiera sprained his wrist at the WBC and will be sidelined at least two weeks (and who knows how much or whether this screws up his swing heading into the season.

With Granderson, Hughes, A-Roid and now Tex sidelined -- not to mention Jeter, Sabathia, Rivera, Pineda, Gardner, Nova and who knows who else coming off injuries it hasn't been a fun spring fo us Yankee fans. I expected some of our old guy to have physical problems, but we're loing all our in-their-prime stars too.

And just yesterday, GM Brian Cashman suffered a broken leg skydiving!

[awhom111]

Teixeira's injury was one that could have happened during the course of regular spring training, so I am not sure it can be blamed for that. The pitching thing is a big worry as it has seemed to have an effect on both the starters and the relievers in the past two events even for players who seemed to be completely healthy. Interestingly, neither Japan nor South Korea picked any of their Major League players.

For those who want to know how the competition is going, the United States will debut on Friday, but four teams have already qualified for the next round and four have been eliminated. Taiwan and the Netherlands are going on, eliminating Australia and somewhat surprisingly South Korea, which has done well in the past two editions. Japan and Cuba have both advanced and will only play for placement, with China and Brazil (which nearly shocked Japan under the leadership of Barry Larkin, using a collection of players that include Brazilians from Japan and ethnic Japanese from Brazil).