World Baseball Classic 2013

[JGX]

http://www.ibaf.org/en/article-detail.aspx?id=7c72c2b7-5ea7-4c51-9c79-25ecc4b05123

For the first time there will be qualifying tournaments, 16 teams will fight for the last 4 spots.

Teams invited for qualifiers:

Brazil
Canada
Chinese Taipei
Colombia
Czech Republic
France
Germany
Great Britain
Israel
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Panama
Philippines
South Africa
Spain
Thailand

Let the great Fil-Am baseball player hunt begin!

[CKR13]

Mariano Rivera of the Yankees could be spearheading the recruitment campaign for Panama. Local press stated that the National Federation of Panama is searching the NCAA D1 and D2 ranks for players.

The potential recruits could join the following national call ups:

Carlos Ruiz (Philadelphia Phillies)
Carlos Lee (Houston Astros)
Olmedo Saenz (Los Angeles Dodgers)
Manuel Corpas (Texas Rangers)
Mariano Rivera (New York Yankees)

Let the great Fil-Am baseball player hunt begin!

Got Tim Lincecum?

[Federoy]

http://www.ibaf.org/en/article-detai...9-25ecc4b05123

For the first time there will be qualifying tournaments, 16 teams will fight for the last 4 spots.

Teams invited for qualifiers:

Brazil
Canada
Chinese Taipei
Colombia
Czech Republic
France
Germany
Great Britain
Israel
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Panama
Philippines
South Africa
Spain
Thailand

Let the great Fil-Am baseball player hunt begin!

Even though I was disappointed by the lack of crowd support and media attention in the US in '09, I love what this tournament is doing for baseball globally and I fully support it. Spring is an awkward time to play the event since most Major Leaguers are still in off-season shape. Unfortunately, due to the length of the regular season, there really is no other time to play it unless the owners agree to shut down the season for three weeks in the summer, vis-a-vis what the NHL did during the 2010 Winter Games. But due to potential $$$ losses and the whiney public sentiment against "exhibition" tournaments, that will never happend. Great Britain has a NT!!!! Too funny. Aren't they still playing rounders over there?

[Mojado]

Biggest jokes were to me the Italo-American, Mexican and Dutch team that consisted of either U.S. Americans or Dutch Antilles players. Still a good thing to promote baseball around the globe.

[sinobball]

What's going on, China is in the Final 12 while Chinese Taipei has to play in the qualifiers??

[JGX]

and Dutch team that consisted of either U.S. Americans or Dutch Antilles players.

Most of the Dutch team was born in the Netherlands itself, but what's wrong with players from the Antilles? They're Dutch citizens too. I don't think they had any Americans on their team.

The Italian team was more of a joke, and I suspect that some of the new teams will be largely Americans as well.

What's going on, China is in the Final 12 while Chinese Taipei has to play in the qualifiers??

China finished ahead of Chinese Taipei in the last tournament. The four teams that finished bottom of their groups in 2009 have to play in the qualifiers.

[Gonzaka]

Yes! We are in!

I hope at least winning only one game.

[mvblair]

This is about the only time I might watch baseball (and the Little League World Series). I watched a few games one or two years ago and it was fun.

[sinobball]

Baseball world ranking

http://www.ibaf.org/en/world-ranking.aspx?type=1

1 Cuba
2 USA
3 Korea
4 Japan
5 Chinese Taipei
6 Netherlands
7 Venezuela
8 Canada
9 Mexico
10 Australia
11 Puerto Rico
12 Italy
13 Dominican Republic
14 Nicaragua
15 China
16 Panama
17 Spain
18 Thailand
19 Germany
20 Czech Republic
21 Great Britain
22 Netherlands Antilles
23 Philippines
24 South Africa
25 Pakistan
26 Hong Kong
27 France
28 Colombi
29 Sweden
30 Croatia

Even Hong Kong is in the top 30! Really, this sport isn't very popular worldwide.

LOL again @ Chinese Taipei having to play in the qualifiers. But this is unfair because the groupings in 2009 were based on geographical regions, and obviously the Asian group was the toughest (Japan and Korea both made it to the Final game).

[Farfiman]

Great Britain has a NT!!!! Too funny. Aren't they still playing rounders over there?

Israel has a NT as well.... hehe !

[Khalid80]

http://www.ibaf.org/en/world-ranking.aspx?type=1
1 Cuba
2 USA
3 Korea
4 Japan
5 Chinese Taipei
6 Netherlands
7 Venezuela
8 Canada
9 Mexico
10 Australia
11 Puerto Rico
12 Italy
13 Dominican Republic
14 Nicaragua
15 China
16 Panama
17 Spain
18 Thailand
19 Germany
20 Czech Republic
21 Great Britain
22 Netherlands Antilles
23 Philippines
24 South Africa
25 Pakistan
26 Hong Kong
27 France
28 Colombi
29 Sweden
30 Croatia

Even Hong Kong is in the top 30! Really, this sport isn't very popular worldwide.

LOL again @ Chinese Taipei having to play in the qualifiers. But this is unfair because the groupings in 2009 were based on geographical regions, and obviously the Asian group was the toughest (Japan and Korea both made it to the Final game).

Man there are even some names of ranked teams (most of which are Islands located somewhere in the Pacific or Atlantic Ocean ) who i've never heard of before in my life (Belau!!! And they're ranked in 34th place!!)

I used to play softball and then some baseball while I was in elementary and middle school and i'm sure if I assembled some Lebanese friends as well as Lebanese Americans who play the sport in the States i'm sure we can field a team that has a crack at qualifying to this list

[sinobball]

You know what's surprising though? India is not ranked. They must be able to find a dozen guys who can swing a stick and throw a ball, I mean it's not that different from their national sport! (I think....)

Also why on earth is Dominican Republic not even ranked in the top 10 in the world? Their national federation must be very sorry.

[thespywhozaggedme]

http://www.ibaf.org/en/article-detai...9-25ecc4b05123

For the first time there will be qualifying tournaments, 16 teams will fight for the last 4 spots.

Teams invited for qualifiers:

Brazil
Canada
Chinese Taipei
Colombia
Czech Republic
France
Germany
Great Britain
Israel
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Panama
Philippines
South Africa
Spain
Thailand

Let the great Fil-Am baseball player hunt begin!

Well, you'll have the best pitcher in the entire tournament, Tim Lincecum's mom is from the Philippines. Other Flip mlbers; Shane Victorino, Benny Agbayani, Jason Bartlett and Geno Torres

[abbasketball]

go Japan!!!! hope Ichiro can still play at 2013

[abbasketball]

http://www.ibaf.org/en/world-ranking.aspx?type=1
1 Cuba
2 USA
3 Korea
4 Japan
5 Chinese Taipei
6 Netherlands
7 Venezuela
8 Canada
9 Mexico
10 Australia
11 Puerto Rico
12 Italy
13 Dominican Republic
14 Nicaragua
15 China
16 Panama
17 Spain
18 Thailand
19 Germany
20 Czech Republic
21 Great Britain
22 Netherlands Antilles
23 Philippines
24 South Africa
25 Pakistan
26 Hong Kong
27 France
28 Colombi
29 Sweden
30 Croatia

very interesting.