World Baseball Classic

He isn't one of the top pitchers in the game. He is just a ****ed good lefty that will give you 220+ innings a year and keep you in ball games.

Think about it from boss's view. He can get hurt right? He can get worn out faster right? A bad habbit could develop right? Too many bad things can happen ESPECIALLY injuries. Who wants their top pitcher to get hurt before the season starts or more over at all? Enough said.

By the way...

GO CUBS!

Dominicana against the Venezuelan boys tonight on ESPN2 but I couldnt fint the US against Japan last night. BS <''>

what do u guys think of yuliesky gourriel of the cuba team....

Wild...

If he defects, he'll become an instant millionaire.

He is certainly performing very well on a world stage. His future would be almost guaranteed if he could get off that island. Very sad.

USA out, Viva le Mejico!

No, Mexico este muerte tambien.

Looks like we need to re-name the "World Series"!

Does anyone else see the difference in "passion" demonstrated by every team except the U.S.?

soxnole- I'm pretty sure if the White Sox played any of these teams instead of Houston last October in a best of 7 the Sox still would have won 4-0.

It was pretty frustrating watching the hitting and in typical A-Rod/Jeter fashion they went 0-6. I'll still be giving my remote a workout this weekend with the WBC and NCAA tourneys.

I agree with Soxnole. The USA had no edge...you can't beat anyone if you don't care and they are fired up. Blame everyone who wouldn't play, blame whoever was in charge of this team for putting so many mediocre players on the team, blame arrogance on the part of the whole group.

I'm down here in San Diego and the stinkin USA didn't even get here. How many peopela re going to buy tickets next time?

One more thing......"The greatest player in the world," A-Rod still has never won anything.

IL2008.

Your right...just as the Japan League champion would probably win VS these national teams.

Thing is...it's NOT about teams in MLB or the Japan league...it's about a national team.

The Dominicans are better.

The Japanese are smarter.

The Cubans are more fervent.

The Koreans are a little of everything.

The US is only better paid...which may be why it means so much more to the rest of the world.

You're right soxnole...our MLB is the Golden Ring...they're all real hungry!

It brings out the best in the others...isn't this a great country!

FastballDad....Check out the Asian teams.

They know how to play the game better than we do.

Next time, I understand, this WBC is scheduled to take place in Korea, Japan and Taiwan.

Our guys will probably whine and complain about that as well.

I think we need a couple of teams from Asia and the Carribean to join the AL and NL.

Maybe in 10 years or so this will happen.

Just watched the latest group of talented multi-millionaires lose to Cuba. While I decry Communism and the stranglehold it has on the people of Cuba, it was hard not to be rooting for them as the proverbial underdog. So refreshing to see a college-like, rah-rah attitude from their players.There will be a great championship game Monday night.

Rosy...I am down here in San Diego and saw both games. Just left Petco early with the rain delay and Japan up 5-0.

The Domnicans have picked up all the bad habits of Major League Baseball. The Cubans play with heart and in my opinion not a lot more. The Korea vs. Japan game was a revelation to attend. Both on the field and in the stands the passions ran very high. Where our players are too cool and selfish to help defend the honor of their country regarding the game we invented, the other teams are here to prove something. This is just like the NBA...the style of play promoted in MLB and The NBA has left us weak in terms of playing the game the right way.

It isn't about talent....both The USA and Dominicans hit the ball harder and throw the ball harder than the others, but we sure don't play the game well.

Next time we invent something (The World Baseball Classic) we better prepare as well as the others....the arrogant attitude we had coming into this ended up giving us the result we deserved.

By the way, a stadium full of Korean and Japanese fans was as loud and as energetic as any game I have ever attended. The fans may or may not know the game as well as soem of us do, but their passion and interest was way beyond what we have.

Soxnole, you are right.....the game between the Koreans and the Japanese was as crisply played game as you are going to see...players were where they should have been and virtually every time tried to execute.....no lazy running to bases, etc. The Japanese pitcher threw nearly 4 times as many strikes as balls...he really pitched.

I actually like watching the Koreans and Japanese play. Not only by their expressions can you tell they actually love to play, but just the way they play. The one thing I really noticed is they act like every play is one that could give up the game. They take no chances (example outfielders get under everything and always use 2 hands). It's how the game should be played in my eyes.

I purposely put the Korean vs Japan game on my schedule to watch last night. I watched the first 3 innings, threw the TV controller to my kid and went to bed. It was like watching two rockem-sockem robots, very deliberate, predictable, mechanical. Many of each teams players had similar or the same approach, stance in the box, it was rather boring. To watch the two Japanese batters in front of Ich swing it just like Ich, had me put off right away. W or L I'd rather watch the **** and Sox than either one of these two teams.

I saw a game on Classic sports, and do you know what hitter reminded me of Ichiro. Mickey Mantle??

Tuzi.....I'll watch Ichiro all day long. He has a purpose every time he gets in the box. Too many ML hitters are all too obviously clueless in the batter's box. Watch the NBA to see where ML Baseball has been the last 10 years...hopefully last season opened some eyes. The powers that be are responsible for promoting the long ball, etc. In my opinion MLB should be embarrassed that these foreign teams (except the Dominicans) can even stay close on the field.....given how much more physcial talent we have.....too many of our players really don't know how to play the game.

Anyone who has been paying attention knows that I'm a Cub fan, and I question just how talented the White Sox were last year. I'll stick with
that opinion, but clearly the Sox played better baseball than anyone else last year and that is why they won. One of the few ML teams last year that had a plan...and they stayed with it all year. I think they play baseball like that in Japan and Korea all the time.

Face it fella's (Tuzi).

FBDad is RIGHT ON THE MONEY.

I believe we should have 2 or 3 Japan League teams in MLB!

Maybe they would "show up" the NBA types and our "superior" athletes would get the message.

As it stands, get ready for a lot more Asian's in the bigs.

This thing was a MLB flop for all the reasons stated in this post. One other reason is that USA didn't come together as a team to practice and workout until a couple weeks ago. Japan and Korea have been working at it since January. Cuba never takes a rest. Next time around we need players on the roster that are willing to get after it a lot earlier than spring training. If this thing gets played in the summer or fall, the USA puts down a spanking. Asian ball, its hard to watch.

FBD and Soxnole,

You're both 100% right in your assesment of the Japanese and Korean teams. There is a reason that at the 15U CABA WS in Crystal Lake people are standing 5 deep (yeah, that's right) to watch the Japanese team take pre-game warmup! Their attention to fundamentals is so much more obvious than the way American's learn to play this game. It might look too mechanical to some but you win with execution. We've witnessed the European basketball players learn our game and take home the gold and the same thing can happen in baseball if we don't begin stressing disciple and a greater respect for the game we claim to love so much.

rosy, what part of the pregame warm-up by the Japanese at Caba? Running, stretching and light throwing? The 15 year old caba doesn't allow any infield or bp prior to the games except for the last day with the final 4 teams. I enjoyed watching the Japanese team play and also on the contest day their entire team showed up for the HR derby, outfield and infield competition where the rest of the teams only the boys participating showed up for that event. The last year we were there they also did some long ball hitting in fact one of their guys won the hd derby, they also had a player throwing about 91 92 pitching and a lot of pitchers throwing a ton of curvebals and I mean a ton. Great fundamentals yes but their team was from all over Japan since the year before they lost to a Jacobs pitcher named Pleteau and they didn't seem to enjoy that too much. Best fundamental team I saw there that year was the Seatle Stars, of course having Cam Nobels pitching for you doesn't hurt, also the Mac-n-sitez team team from KC had great infield fundamentals. jmo

lineshot,

I'm referring to an evening, highlight game where pre-game drills WERE allowed. This game was maybe on the 2nd day of the tournament and EnRico was using his bullhorn to invite fans to watch the pre-game.I know I'm getting old but I was there and enjoyed it.

Agree wholeheartedly about the Seattle Stars. They were like men among boys. BTW, Nobles committed to U of Washington.

Woulda, coulda, shoulda. The rest of the world has good athletes. They win these international tournaments both in basketball and baseball for many reasons. Americans always have excuses: let's send the pros instead of college kids in basketball, not enough major leaguers showed up for the WBC, it was played at the wrong time etc. The only time the US proved if they send their best they would dominate was the Dream Team.
We lose because Americans care about money and careers more than playing for our nation and national pride. It is what it is. We lose agian. Deal with it and stop with the excuses.

Fellow websters, I'm in San Diego at the same hotel as the Cuban team. The team looks young with lots of size. All are wearing bright red & white running suits. It looks like they are enjoying themselves.

Sorrry Rosy that must have been against the cyclones and I missed the pregame. We played them twice later in the tournament. They were an impressive team, I really enjoyed watching there 2b, great hands. I am not that much of a caba fan but I think Enrico does a great job. Good news on Nobles, he really impressed me as a player and as a good kid at the time, man could he throw for 15, so could the kids from japan. My son just remined me also of how dood the japan kids were at the plate, disciplined, with power.

Lineshot, which 15 Team did your son play for?

fball, I didn't have one playing I was just helping with some coaching for a team. Did your son play there at caba, the best thing about it is that it is close for the boys from illinois.

fball, I did have a son at the japan cyclones game but couldn't play in caba unless they allowed in one 25 year old, doubt he could have hit nobles either. It will be kind of fun to see how he progresses at the college level. Sure seemed like he was well coached with that seattle team.

fball, I saw where you said you were in San Diego at the games, I didn't get to watch too much has it been sold out? Are you staying for the final? I assume that is sold out.

FastballDad RU attending CompTel?

I'm pretty sure the WBC was a sellout. I think the seats were about 80-90% full for Cuba vs. Dominican Republic and a bit more full for The Korea- Japan game. I'm suprised at the attendance given the US didn't get here. I will be attending the final. Get back on Tuesday in time for the High School Opener on Weds.

Corky...I'm out here for Baseball, a round of Golf at Torrey Pines and a lot of expensive meals. Are you putting on a show or an exhibit? I'm sitting in section 122 row 35.....left field line.

FastballDad -- Yes to work