Fundertaker
El Dandy
Hideo Kojima should direct every ending ever!
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Post by Fundertaker on Mar 6, 2017 10:59:55 GMT -5
Well, the closest thing to a "Baseball World Cup" started already, with a nailbitting surprise win by Israel against Korea in the 10th! Considering that this may be the most star-studded WBC yet (mainly because Team USA actually has established all-stars like Stanton, Cutch, Posey, Goldschmith, etc. instead of 3 name guys and a few on the rise ones, and non-Asian nations bringing in their big names (Japan and Korea don't bring in their major leaguers once again, aside from Nori Aoki in Japan and Seung-Hwan Oh in Korea)) and people start giving a damn about it, this should be a great tournament with actual competition behind it instead of regular old spring training. Go Samurai Japan!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 6, 2017 13:12:39 GMT -5
I'm sticking with spring training, thank you very much.
The WBC is a joke.
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Fundertaker
El Dandy
Hideo Kojima should direct every ending ever!
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Post by Fundertaker on Mar 7, 2017 7:45:52 GMT -5
That's a nice, flawless and well argued sentiment. While I do agree that it could be better, the WBC can only improve if the MLB (both the league and the teams) allow it to, although that doesn't seem like something they're interested in doing (as it would be an Olympics-like situation for a full month). For what we have, though, I think it's very good and the amount of talent that gets to shine on an international stage that they would otherwise never have, in conjunction with the teams that actually try to win it (aka: everyone but the US) makes for a way more interesting affair than seeing ST daily, IMO. Anyway, Israel continues to surprise with a win over Chinese Taipei. Right now Japan/Cuba and Netherlands/Korea are going on.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 7, 2017 8:01:14 GMT -5
They can't agree on consistent dates for the event, which needs to be something ironed out that will encourage interest by having regular intervals, instead of sporadic timetables. Same problems plagued the Hockey World Cup.
And, while its good they have qualifying matches, that's usually for the weak sisters instead of the established powers. I'm also against the slaughter rule in these games, where it's official after one team is thoroughly embarrassed.
Lastly, baseball is still lagging in most countries, so it'll boil down to Japan, the Dominican Republic, the USA, and maybe Cuba or Taiwan for a long time.
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Fundertaker
El Dandy
Hideo Kojima should direct every ending ever!
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Post by Fundertaker on Mar 7, 2017 9:43:35 GMT -5
They can't agree on consistent dates for the event, which needs to be something ironed out that will encourage interest by having regular intervals, instead of sporadic timetables. Same problems plagued the Hockey World Cup. And, while its good they have qualifying matches, that's usually for the weak sisters instead of the established powers. I'm also against the slaughter rule in these games, where it's official after one team is thoroughly embarrassed. Lastly, baseball is still lagging in most countries, so it'll boil down to Japan, the Dominican Republic, the USA, and maybe Cuba or Taiwan for a long time. I don't think that the dates changing is that much of a problem because they barely changed, they're always in March starting at the beginning and ending around the 20th. Also, they're always 4 years apart aside from the 1st-to-2nd which were 3 years apart, so that part seems to be already solved. I agree with the qualifying aspect, though. I would make it so that the continental champions/last WBC/Premier 12 (so that one as some sort of purpose) champion get auto qualification and everyone else needs to go through the qualifying pools. And yes, baseball is lagging a lot in 90% of the countries... but so was soccer before the first World Cup and that was one of the first steps to the sports globalization. It's these kinds of world tournaments that generate interest where there was little/none before and it's that interest that make the gaps between countries close. Weather that takes 5, 10 or 50 years.
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Fundertaker
El Dandy
Hideo Kojima should direct every ending ever!
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Post by Fundertaker on Mar 9, 2017 17:30:22 GMT -5
Meanwhile, pool A ended with Israel going undefeated by beating the Netherlands and clinching the 1st place in the group, with the Dutchmen getting the 2nd, leaving behind favorites Chinese Taipei and pool host Korea. Japan also clinched their ticket to the 2nd round after beating Australia yesterday, who defeated China today and now has to face Cuba with the winner accompanying Japan.
Also, the other 2 pools will start today/tomorrow, with the REIGNING, DEFENDING, UNDISPUTED WORLD BASEBALL CLASSICS CHAMPIONS the DOOOOOOMINICAN REPUBLIIIIC~! facing Mexico NorthCanada in a little while kicking off pool C (the US play tomorrow against Colombia), with Mexico and Italy opening the hostilities in pool D as well.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 9, 2017 20:29:02 GMT -5
More international baseball is good.
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tenshi
Patti Mayonnaise
Probably more memorable than a Charlotte title reign
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Post by tenshi on Mar 9, 2017 22:48:19 GMT -5
Australia vs Cuba is going on in an elimination game at the Tokyo Dome. Someone must wonder how many stars they'll get from Meltzer after the game is over.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 10, 2017 13:43:52 GMT -5
Italy rallied in the 9th to beat Mexico 10-9 last night.
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fw91
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Post by fw91 on Mar 10, 2017 21:42:54 GMT -5
Man the Colombia pitcher threw a poorly timed meatball to Jones. A little worried that Colombia was such a challenge
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tenshi
Patti Mayonnaise
Probably more memorable than a Charlotte title reign
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Post by tenshi on Mar 11, 2017 10:03:17 GMT -5
Puerto Rico beat Venezuela by stoppage after a 11-0 score in 7 innings. If they beat Mexico tonight, PR is in and Mexico is out of the next round.
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tenshi
Patti Mayonnaise
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Post by tenshi on Mar 12, 2017 1:59:42 GMT -5
OK. Puerto Rico is in the second round but here's a question. If they beat Italy and Mexico beats Venezuela, who moves to the second round with them?
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 12, 2017 9:07:48 GMT -5
Japan/Dutch right now tied in the bottom of the 9th.
Game going to the 11th. Runners on bases rule will finally come to effect.
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Rican
Bill S. Preston, Esq.
July 17, 2011 - HHHe called it
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Post by Rican on Mar 21, 2017 14:13:12 GMT -5
Puerto Rico playing in the final means I'm watching baseball for the second time in several months. This is huge for me haha.
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Post by burdette25159 on Mar 22, 2017 15:56:39 GMT -5
USA is in the finals tonight airing on the MLBN and ESPNdeportes (ESPND feed will be simulcast on ESPN2)
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tenshi
Patti Mayonnaise
Probably more memorable than a Charlotte title reign
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Post by tenshi on Mar 22, 2017 17:41:14 GMT -5
Puerto Rico vs United States 2: Revengeance has potential to be a hell of a game.
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Post by burdette25159 on Mar 22, 2017 20:13:49 GMT -5
It's almost starting
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tenshi
Patti Mayonnaise
Probably more memorable than a Charlotte title reign
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Post by tenshi on Mar 22, 2017 20:52:38 GMT -5
So Ian Kinsler said that he wanted the kids from the USA to watch Team USA play because they don't play like Puerto Rico and that they were "raised differently"... Well, screw you too, Kinsler.
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BRV
Bill S. Preston, Esq.
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Post by BRV on Mar 22, 2017 20:54:54 GMT -5
Above all else, I'm defined by my passionate love of all things America. If you slap the stars and stripes on literally anything, the odds of me being interested in that goes up ten-fold. And even with the United States playing in the World Baseball Classic championship tonight, I give zero f***s.
The World Baseball Classic was a cool idea when it debuted in 2006 but it's failed to gain any sort of interest in its four incarnations. I love the sport of baseball and at this time of year, when football is over and hockey and basketball are slogging through the end of 82-game seasons, my interest in baseball is at its highest level. Yet I can only vaguely remember a handful of individual moments from past WBCs. I recall Netherlands (I think) having a few impressive upsets in 2009, I remember Canada and Mexico brawling in 2013, I remember Israel having a giant "Mensch on a Bench" as their mascot this past year, and that's about it. I couldn't even tell you which countries won the WBC in 2006, 2009, or 2013.
I don't know what they need to do to get people interested in the product, but they need to do something in a hurry, because it's been four tries so far and the WBC is 0-for-4 in gaining any sort of international attention or interest.
Also, with the final being United States vs. Puerto Rico, no matter who wins tonight's game, the U.S. can still claim the championship, right?
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 22, 2017 21:25:22 GMT -5
Would it help if we were exposed to more international baseball? Like if MLB Network showed Nippon Professional Baseball or the European Baseball Championship, would that raise interest?
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