The Official World Baseball Classic Thread

[Blarg]

7 hours ago, gotbeer said:

What's with the Eagle?  Did the tournament need some freedom or something?  It just seems odd and out of place. 

Pedro Cerrano took the last chicken with him when he cleared out his locker.

[yk9001]

Second highest rating of anything in MLB Network history.

http://awfulannouncing.com/mlb/world-baseball-classic-ratings-buzz-attendance-baseball-2017-success.html

[Lou]

lol

congrats on beating High Heat 

[WeatherWonk]

I thoroughly enjoyed the games. So much more interesting that watching "regulars" in ST play three innings and then head to the golf course. 

There was real emotion by all...............except the ostrichs that refused to see or even hear about the games, because this is supposedly something less than full-tilt MLB.

Yet, lots of these same people will go on and on about guys in the AFL or A ball. Like that's more interesting. Go figure.

That DR team would probably finish ahead of the A's. Padres, Braves, Phillies, Brewers or even the Angels. 

The WBC is riding a forming wave of popularity right now. I cant see it changing even  when baseball gets re-instated into the Olympics. That will occur during the regular season and even fewer MLB players will join the Olympic team.

[yk9001]

Carlos Correa of PR:

“It’s as simple as this: If you ask Angel Pagan, if you ask Yadi Molina if it feels better than a World Series, they would say yes,” Correa said. “If you ask one of the American guys, they will say, ‘No, not even close.’ So that just tells you the way we play when we represent our country is a lot different than when they play. A lot of their guys say no to the baseball classic. None of our main guys say no to the baseball classic.”

[yk9001]

9 hours ago, Lou said:

lol

congrats on beating High Heat 

They've broadcast MLB playoff games for five years.

[Troll Daddy]

[Stradling]

1 hour ago, yk9001 said:

Carlos Correa of PR:

“It’s as simple as this: If you ask Angel Pagan, if you ask Yadi Molina if it feels better than a World Series, they would say yes,” Correa said. “If you ask one of the American guys, they will say, ‘No, not even close.’ So that just tells you the way we play when we represent our country is a lot different than when they play. A lot of their guys say no to the baseball classic. None of our main guys say no to the baseball classic.”

This is great.  I loved what I watched, but I had no idea they had THAT MUCH passion for the tournament.  I went to Japan versus Korea in the original baseball classic at Anaheim and it was an amazing experience.  The atmosphere was incredible.  I also went to US versus Mexico that year, I remember watching the US team and thinking this was the closest I would come to going to an All Star game.  Little did I know I would later go to two All Star games.  

Is it an exhibition, sure I guess, just like Olympics are an exhibition for the professional athletes that participate in them.  That being said the quote above tells you all you need to know about how other players feel about it.   

[Troll Daddy]

Exhibitions are fun to watch. The game is played as it's purest form. 

[Inside Pitch]

2 hours ago, yk9001 said:

Carlos Correa of PR:

“It’s as simple as this: If you ask Angel Pagan, if you ask Yadi Molina if it feels better than a World Series, they would say yes,” Correa said. “If you ask one of the American guys, they will say, ‘No, not even close.’ So that just tells you the way we play when we represent our country is a lot different than when they play. A lot of their guys say no to the baseball classic. None of our main guys say no to the baseball classic.”

Pretty sure if an American takes pride in his country or preaches it's exceptionalism it's considered a bad thing.  The term Nazis is often used...    Rest of the world..   Totally okay.

Not trying to be political, but when you grow up hearing how being too into your country is a bad thing .vs a place where National pride is a huge thing and love of country is the norm..   Well..

[yk9001]

I don't understand the delineation of "exhibition".

 

What about a Champions League soccer match?

What about an NBA regular season game where 6 of the 10 starters are sat for coach's decision?

World Poker Tour event in Choctaw, Oklahoma?

Beef O'Brady's Bowl?

CBI college basketball tournament?

[Stradling]

Because we are idiots @Inside Pitch  We actually have people that don't like the National Anthem played before the game.  

[Stradling]

Just now, yk9001 said:

I don't understand the delineation of "exhibition".

 

What about a Champions League soccer match?

What about an NBA regular season game where 6 of the 10 starters are sat for coach's decision?

World Poker Tour event in Choctaw, Oklahoma?

Beef O'Brady's Bowl?

CBI college basketball tournament?

I would assume Lou and Blarg define it as something that isn't in a league where they make money or differs from their normal league they play in.  So that would include the Olympics and just about everything else, not NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB.  

[Troll Daddy]

[AngelsLakersFan]

The US winning was a big deal. So many have brushed it aside because top teams have been bounced early.

So how do they take it to the next level and grow the tournament further?

One thing I notice is that the games between the top teams are farrrrr more interesting the matchps between, say Australia and Taiwan. It was unfortunate that by the time the field had narrowed to a group of really good teams the tournament goes to single elimination. Being eliminated while in a three way tie after 3 games is pretty rough too. 

[Lou]

4 hours ago, Troll Daddy said:

Exhibitions are fun to watch. The game is played as it's purest form. 

with pitch count limits and mercy rules, just as Abner Doubleday intended 

[AngelsLakersFan]

23 hours ago, Lou said:

with pitch count limits and mercy rules, just as Abner Doubleday intended 

I decided I actually like the pitch count limit. The last thing I want to see is a Madison Bumgarner or similar pitcher prove he had an Italian grandmother and end up pitching his team to the title while throwing 90% of their innings. 

The pitch count limit relieves some of the issues related to short series.

[Homebrewer]

On 3/24/2017 at 2:24 PM, Lou said:

with pitch count limits and mercy rules, just as Abner Doubleday intended 

Abner Doubleday was a mostly made-up story. He had little if anything at all to do with "inventing" the game.  

[arch stanton]

I wonder who invented the jaded naysayer who likes to nitpick everything into oblivion? Seems like his work has taken the board by storm. What's not to like about high level competitive baseball played in March?

[Sam Sanchez]

On 3/23/2017 at 7:50 AM, Troll Daddy said:

Thank you Ben Foster!

[Blarg]

On 3/25/2017 at 2:06 PM, AngelsLakersFan said:

I decided I actually like the pitch count limit. The last thing I want to see is a Madison Bumgarner or similar pitcher prove he had an Italian grandmother and end up pitching his team to the title while throwing 90% of their innings. 

The pitch count limit relieves some of the issues related to short series.

So it is an exhibition not a do everything you can to win a championship.