World Baseball Classic 2009

[J-Mart]

WARNING - High Dose of Spam

Group A at Tokyo Dome, Japan
Japan*
China
Taipei
Korea*

Group B at Foro Sol Stadium, Mexico
Mexico*
Cuba*
South Africa
Australia

Group C at Rogers Centre, Canada
Canada
United States*
Venezuela*
Italy

Group D at Hiram Bithorn Stadium, Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico*
Dominican Republic
Panama
Netherlands*

Best two of each group advance to the next phase, which will consist of 2 pools.
Pool A (Groups A and B) at Petco Park in San Diego, California
Pool B (Groups C and D) at Dolphin Stadium in Miami, Florida

The Final Four will be played in Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California

Favs are the defending champs Japan, USA, Dominican Republic, Cuba and Puerto Rico

First pitch, March 5

[Khalid80]

Josean, It seems others r spamming on ur thread and attempting to out spam u

Back on topic, i'm not a big baseball fan but what I do know is that the following teams r really good if i remember correctly and they should be competing for the title:

Japan, Cuba, United States, Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic

[Mojado]

There is a lot of promo in the US for this event right now. US, Dominican Rep, Japan and Mexico are the front-runners in this campaign. I thought for a second about buying the baseball jersey of Mexico but they wanted 80 bucks for it at Footaction (?).
How good are the Latin American countries anyway ? Cuba is probably the best team around, but what about PR, DR and MEX ? Panama ? Venezuela ?
Stars from this countries ?

[mvblair]

There is a lot of promo in the US for this event right now.

You're right. This tournament is being sold and I think most US baseball fans are responding. They want to watch the games, because many of the international players are in the MLB. It's getting a better response from fans than international basketball gets.

US, Dominican Rep, Japan and Mexico are the front-runners in this campaign.

That's what I hear, but I don't really follow baseball.

How good are the Latin American countries anyway ? Cuba is probably the best team around, but what about PR, DR and MEX ? Panama ? Venezuela ?
Stars from this countries ?

From what I know, Venezuela and DR are very, very strong. I think, but don't know, that Mexico and PR are a step below.

Here are the rosters on Wikipedia. There are a lot of teams with players in the MLB, which doesn't necessarily indicate the best teams (take the case of Cuba). Looking at those names, I am really surprised at the number of international players in the MLB, even from Italy and Holland.

[Terps54321]

I like this tournament but last time my Orioles sent a few pitchers and then they claimed that it made them tired for the beginning of the season . The O's stink anyway

[mvblair]

I like this tournament but last time my Orioles sent a few pitchers and then they claimed that it made them tired for the beginning of the season . The O's stink anyway

Is it the Orioles or the city that stinks?

[Terps54321]

Is it the Orioles or the city that stinks?

I like the smell of dirty bay water

[Lewis]

dind't I post here berofe ????DejaVu

weird,

anyways this is a silly event and a risk for many players.
why would you want your team super-stars to play in a meaningless event when the next season is almost there. I mean, the GM's that let their players participate in this joke oughta be ashamed (I'm talking bout'ya Michael Hill!!!!!), what is one of our super-star get injured (Hanley Ramirez), without him the Marlins are nothing

We gotta put in perspective what's most important, WINNING THE WORLD SERIES for your team or this joke of event.

I rather seem Hanley preparing for the upcoming season in spring straining, than getting injured, and for what???? representing his country??? Is that a joke !!!!! thisd is not FIFA this is not soccer, in baseball players should be proud to represent their team who pay them so much money not their countries!!!!!!!!!!!!

but anyway since only the Asian teams, Venezuela and Puerto Rico have their teams a little compete and the other teams lacking of their super-stars, this won't generate that much attention for the media, and hopefully will be canaled FOREVER!!!!!!

[J-Mart]

dind't I post here berofe ????DejaVu

weird,

anyways this is a silly event and a risk for many players.
why would you want your team super-stars to play in a meaningless event when the next season is almost there. I mean, the GM's that let their players participate in this joke oughta be ashamed (I'm talking bout'ya Michael Hill!!!!!), what is one of our super-star get injured (Hanley Ramirez), without him the Marlins are nothing

We gotta put in perspective what's most important, WINNING THE WORLD SERIES for your team or this joke of event.

I rather seem Hanley preparing for the upcoming season in spring straining, than getting injured, and for what???? representing his country??? Is that a joke !!!!! thisd is not FIFA this is not soccer, in baseball players should be proud to represent their team who pay them so much money not their countries!!!!!!!!!!!!

but anyway since only the Asian teams, Venezuela and Puerto Rico have their teams a little compete and the other teams lacking of their super-stars, this won't generate that much attention for the media, and hopefully will be canaled FOREVER!!!!!!

on the other side...
there are a lot of us who dont give a s... about MLB and their teams

[mvblair]

I like the smell of dirty bay water

Hah, hah!! Well, come to Dayton and you can enjoy dirty river water.

I like all international tournaments. I don't know if this World Baseball Classic is an MLB-sponsored/promoted event, but it's international, so it's fun.

They should have 100% doping tests though...you know, to really make it international.

[Lewis]

on the other side...
there are a lot of us who dont give a s... about MLB and their teams

Dude I was being sarcastic

but you say that cuz your team is one of the few ones that actually has all its players, how lucky u are

I mean imagine this team:
1B - Lance Berkman/Mark Teixeira / Derrek Lee
2B - Chase Utley / Ian Kinsler / Dustin Pedroia
3B - David Wright / Evan Longoria / Chipper Jones
SS -Jimmy Rollins / Stephen Drew / J.J. Hardy / Troy Tulowitzki / Ryan Theriot (TOO TOUGH TO PICK ONLY 3 OR 2 HERE )
RF - Josh Hamilton/ Nick Markakis / Matt Holliday
CF - Grady Sizemore / Curtis Granderson / B.J. Upton
LF - Ryan Braun / Carl Crawford
UTILITY:Kevin Youkilis
DH: Ryan Howard

obviously the PR is one of the favorites cuz they are not missing a lot of players, as well as venezuela, but if the US had brought a team like that, eh!! no one would'va been a significant contender to them, not even the dominicans with Manny and all their other missing stars

[Lewis]

They should have 100% doping tests though...you know, to really make it international.

players are tested before every game, and a week before the event starts

[JGX]

It's a quality tournament. Baseball isn't like basketball or american football where the players need to be with their clubs in the preseason to practice their plays.


Compared to world championships in most other sports, a high percentage of teams in the WBC have a realistic chance of winning, which also makes it exciting.

[Lewis]

Compared to world championships in most other sports, a high percentage of teams in the WBC have a realistic chance of winning, which also makes it exciting.

that's because of the lack of stars.

if the Americans keep refusing to play, Even China'll have a chance.

[J-Mart]

I dont know much about baseball, I consider others sports besides basketball a spam, but, im Puerto Rican and the press have been giving a lot of attention to the classic, and since that's the only interesting thing happening right now in my sports microworld, Im interested

PR is missing Piñeiro, Posada, Lowell and other pitcher i cant remember. I dont know if they are big names but we are missing some pieces.