Register a SA Forums Account here!
JOINING THE SA FORUMS WILL REMOVE THIS BIG AD, THE ANNOYING UNDERLINED ADS, AND STUPID INTERSTITIAL ADS!!!

You can: log in, read the tech support FAQ, or request your lost password. This dumb message (and those ads) will appear on every screen until you register! Get rid of this crap by registering your own SA Forums Account and joining roughly 150,000 Goons, for the one-time price of $9.95! We charge money because it costs us money per month for bills, and since we don't believe in showing ads to our users, we try to make the money back through forum registrations.
Honkbal?
Honk!
Honk.
Honk
This joke got old last WBC.
View Results
 
  • Locked thread
seiferguy
Jun 9, 2005

FLAWED
INTUITION



Toilet Rascal


Welcome to the World Baseball Classic. It's real baseball playing for some sort of prize!

What is the World Baseball Classic?

Since 2006, the International Baseball Federation decided to try and create their own version of the World Cup, where every 4 years they host a tournament and each country goes for the gold.

Nice. Who's Playing?

There's 16 teams divided into 4 pools:

Pool A (playing in Seoul):
South Korea
Chinese Taipei / Taiwan
Netherlands
Israel

Pool B (Playing in Tokyo):
Japan
Australia
China
Cuba

Pool C (Playing at Marlins' Park):
USA
Colombia
Canada
Dominican Republic

Pool D (Playing in Guadalajara):
Mexico
Italy
Puerto Rico
Venezuela

Top 2 teams from each pool will advance. 2nd Round will take place at the Tokyo Dome and Petco Park. My guess will be that Pool A sends Korea and Netherlands, B sends Japan and China, C sends USA and DR, and D sends PR and Venezuela. The finals will be at Dodger Stadium.

Who's Playing?

A lot of people! There's a lot of major league stars playing like Giancarlo Stanton & Robinson Cano playing. There's also a bunch of NPB players, Cuban League players, minor leaguers, and independent league players. There's also retired players that are coming out to play. Remember Eric Gagne? He won the MVP once! He's 41 and is going to pitch for Canada!

Where to Watch
In the USA, MLB Network is covering every game. If you have MLB.tv, each game will be streamed from there. In Canada, Sportsnet is covering it.

WBC Schedule
The first game is Israel Vs South Korea on March 6th. It will be at 4:30am EST, so if you wanna watch, you're gonna have to get up super early!

WBC Rosters

Fun people to note:
- Sam Fuld is playing for Israel
- Bruce Chen is playing for China
- John McClaren is managing China
- Jair Jurrjens is playing for Netherlands
- Ryan Rowland-Smith is playing for Australia
- Yoelkis Cespedes (Yoenis' younger brother) is playing for Cuba
- Ryan Dempster is playing for Canada. Actually, just look at Canada's roster. A lot of old dudes mixed in with minor leaguers. It's a cool makeup.
- Drew Butera and Pat Venditte are playing for Italy

Other stuff:
- There's a DH, always.
- Pitchcounts are enforced to protect pitchers' arms.

Predictions:
Japan so far has 2 victories. Dominican Republic is the defending champ, and Cuba / Korea have always played well each time. The USA has failed to finish above 4th so far, but this is probably the best team they've fielded. My guess is Japan, Netherlands, USA and Venezuela all make it to the finals. I predict Japan will be the USA in the finals, with Netherlands coming in 3rd, and Venezuela in 4th.

Adbot
ADBOT LOVES YOU

Inspector_666
Oct 7, 2003

benny with the good hair
I went and watched a couple of the qualifier games in Brooklyn last year and it was pretty great. I think Israel actually has a decent team and are in probably the weakest Pool, so maybe we'll get to see some :jewish: ball past the first round? (Realistic me thinks Korea wipes the floor with everybody in A.)

Team USA's rotation is a huge liability, but yeah, the roster is pretty good overall.

IcePhoenix
Sep 18, 2005

Take me to your Shida

Time to dust off the Netherlands hat I bought four years ago!

The Pussy Boss
Nov 2, 2004

So World Cup-style group play for the first two rounds, then single elimination for the final four teams?

At first I didn't like single elimination in baseball. It's so different from a 7-game playoff series. But it's also exciting as gently caress. WBC owns.

Also let's all root for no injuries so that MLB teams continue to allow stars to play in this thing.

ScottyJSno
Aug 16, 2010

日本が大好きです!
This is a super annoying time in Japan. The Japanese take this tournament super seriously. When they have won in the past I have had to endure months if not years of, "Japan is the best baseball country in the world" talk from my co-workers.

so Boo Samurai Japan. :colbert:

They do have :krad: logos tho...




Luigi Thirty
Apr 30, 2006

Emergency confection port.

Go Honkbal! :toot:

Peanut President
Nov 5, 2008



I'm gonna root for america because I'm boring a patriot. :911:

jabro
Mar 25, 2003

July Mock Draft 2014

1st PLACE
RUNNER-UP
got the knowshon


What's the over/under on Cuban defections?

I love WBC. The excitement of World Cup but with a sport that's actually fun to watch.

seiferguy
Jun 9, 2005

FLAWED
INTUITION



Toilet Rascal

jabro posted:

What's the over/under on Cuban defections?

I love WBC. The excitement of World Cup but with a sport that's actually fun to watch.

I dunno, but Yoenis' younger brother looks ripe for a defection. It's a shame defectors can't play. There's enough of them that they could probably form their own team if they wanted.


They actually have a decent team this year. Plus we might get some Wlad dingers too.

Ice To Meet You
Mar 5, 2007

As always, I will be rooting for my main men, the Detroit Venezuelas.

R.D. Mangles
Jan 10, 2004


i am pretty sure the requirement for making it onto Team Italy is to have a name that ends in a vowel

ScottyJSno
Aug 16, 2010

日本が大好きです!
drat Taipei is thumping Japan.

abelwingnut
Dec 23, 2002


who is john mclaren

Elitist Bitch
Sep 13, 2007



Honkbal represent.

I've been rooting for the Netherlands since Greg Halman played for them in '09. Although I do also adore the Hyphen so I'll likely be cheering for Aus as well.

I wonder if there will be another WBC since baseball is coming back to the Olympics.

The Pussy Boss
Nov 2, 2004

Cueto won't pitch in the first round, as he only reported to Giants camp today. He's been in the D.R. caring for his dad, who is pretty sick :( He'll join the Dominican team if they advance to the second round.

Josh Harrison replaces Matt Carpenter (back tightness) for Team USA.

seiferguy
Jun 9, 2005

FLAWED
INTUITION



Toilet Rascal

Abel Wingnut posted:

who is john mclaren

He coached the Mariners for a year and a half.

will_colorado
Jun 30, 2007

go America :patriot:

also Honkbal.

Bob James
Nov 15, 2005

by Lowtax
Ultra Carp
I'm awake for this. It better be good.

The Pussy Boss
Nov 2, 2004

what kind of maniac is awake this late watching baseball??






go korea

Bob James
Nov 15, 2005

by Lowtax
Ultra Carp
Israel scores first with a bases loaded walk.

Ice To Meet You
Mar 5, 2007

Finally, I'll be able to root for Korea, the land of esports.

Ice To Meet You
Mar 5, 2007

Folks, Korea is famous for their LOL play - but the only LOL in Korea today is them being shut down by Jason Marquis.

The Pussy Boss
Nov 2, 2004

korea's leadoff hitter has an epic leg kick

poly and open-minded
Nov 22, 2006

In BOD we trust

I hecka want an arm sleeve that says ISRAEL on it

New Concept Hole
Oct 10, 2012

東方動的

poly and open-minded
Nov 22, 2006

In BOD we trust

I just explained the sacrifice fly rule to my aunt-in-law in Korean. Go Israel

Inspector_666
Oct 7, 2003

benny with the good hair
Just woke up and there's live baseball to watch, that's cool.

Guess I'm wearing my Team Israel hat today.

EDIT: Ike Davis first to third on a single :stare:

Inspector_666 fucked around with this message at 14:35 on Mar 6, 2017

New Concept Hole
Oct 10, 2012

東方動的
Israel vs Korea has been a competently played game and that's a shame because I wanted CHAOS

Inspector_666
Oct 7, 2003

benny with the good hair
Zeid strikes out Lee with his 49th pitch of the game. The count limits sure add some drama.

tadashi
Feb 20, 2006

Holy poo poo, what an upset.

Popete
Oct 6, 2009

This will make sure you don't suggest to the KDz
That he should grow greens instead of crushing on MCs

Grimey Drawer
Chinese Taipei, lets do it!

The Pussy Boss
Nov 2, 2004

I went to sleep around the 5th inning but Korea gave that one away. Chang pitched sooo cautiously when Israel got a runner on. Three walks in the 2nd, including a RBBI? Israel's best hitter is a rule 5 guy who got released by the A's. Make them hit the ball.

DTaeKim
Aug 16, 2009

I can't believe Korea got clowned by Jason Marquis of all pitchers.

The Pussy Boss
Nov 2, 2004

Looks like MLB is uploading games to Youtube after they're over. No need to stay up all night if you don't wanna

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ikB_kkye-M

Duke Pukem
Oct 23, 2010

Three cheers for dark beer!


New Concept Hole posted:

Israel vs Korea has been a competently played game and that's a shame because I wanted CHAOS

I wouldnt call 13 walks and 2 HBPs competently played

New Concept Hole
Oct 10, 2012

東方動的

Care Bear Stairs posted:

I wouldnt call 13 walks and 2 HBPs competently played

That's too competently played compared to the chaos of 13 runs, or 13 home runs, or 13 errors.

R.D. Mangles
Jan 10, 2004


team israel's mascot is the "mensch on the bench"

UZR IS BULLSHIT
Jan 25, 2004
Wait, what's this deal about the dudes from Taiwan boycotting the tournament?

will_colorado
Jun 30, 2007

Hu is at DH for Taipei.

Who?

Yes, Hu?

No, Who???

HU, GODDAMNIT.

Adbot
ADBOT LOVES YOU

R.D. Mangles
Jan 10, 2004


lol what the gently caress is this insne techno klezmer music

  • Locked thread