World Baseball Classic games

[Shumway]

Ballgame. Canada wins.

[IceCap]

Oh Canada, our home and native land!

Mexico, you're next

[jkrdevil]

Well it's 8-6 now, Veritek Grand Slam.

Even if the US loses they still are in good shape. They got South Africa friday, they win that they advance. It's Mexico in trouble if Canada hangs on.

Yeah but you don't care, or did you forget?

I never said I didn't care. I said I'm getting a spring training feel for it. I'm not real excited like I was for the World Cup of Hockey where I watched all the games (that were on tv) and was excitied about. I'm not going out of my way to watch the games but I am wathcing some of it. It is better than regular spring training games but I feel it could be better.

Again it's a good idea but poorly executed.

How is it poorly executed? Because you aren't "into it"?

I wouldn't expect the U.S. fans to be into a tournament like this for baseball... at first... a couple of WBC championships to latin america and japan and you'll suddenly be looking forward to it so you guys can win it and prove you are indeed the best baseball country in the world.

You liked the world cup of hockey more probably because canada was favoured to win it and not the u.s.... just a theory.

Here's how it's poorly executed.

1. The games are being played in minor league stadiums. Bud wants this to be a huge tournament have all of the games played in major league size stadiums. There are plenty of southern or domed stadiums that can be used. The smallest should be the Puerto Rico Stadium and that should be a round 1 stadium.

2. Theres too many teams. 16 teams is too much. There are some teams that have more of a shot at not winning a game than moving on. This tournament could have gone on with 10 or 12 teams.

3. You got guys playing for countries they are not even from. Just because you're parents are from a country doesn't mean you are if you have never lived any signifigant time in that country. I don't even know if half of team Italy has even been to Italy.

Here's how you fix it.

1. Have it before spring training in February when there is a down time in sports. It is warm enough in southern US and Latin America to play baseball. In Japan you have a dome. Because you are having it early have the a spring training for the WBC that way pitchers can still work their arms to try to prevent injury. Have the camp last for about 3 weeks. Again in Florida it is warm enough in late January early Feb. to play baseball. If any one get hurt there is still a full month to recover before the season. This would also allow major league managers to be involve. Although that would only effect the US, Venezuala, and maybe Canada. Imagine team USA lead by Joe Torre or Bobby Cox or Venezuala led by Ozzie Guillen. That is better than Buck Martinez being manager.

2. Major League size stadiums.

3. Cut down the number of teams. This way blowouts decrease.

4. Have the players actually represent the country they are from. Of course if you cut down the number of teams this pretty much goes away.

BTW, Go Canada beat Mexico.

[Gamingboy]

NOoooooooooooooooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooooooooOooooooooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Those Stupid Canucks beat us!

You know what this means..

My fellow Americans......

Let's annex Canada.

Force them to accept us,

As their American masters.

Let's invade Canada.

Let's annex Canada.

Let's force them to play for us.

If that doesn't work. Then we'll

Nuke 'em.

Nuke 'em.

Let's go and nuke 'em!

FORCE THEM TO ACCEPT US, AS THE TRUE NORTH AMERICANS!

HOORAH!

HOORAH!

HOORAH! HOORAH! HOORAH!

Let's Send in the MARIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNESSS!

Let's Bomb Ottawa.

Let's raze Montreal (especially the dome there).

Obliterate Oshawa.

Vaccuum Out Vancouver.

Wipe Out White Horse!

Catastrophize Calgary!

Hammer Hamilton!

Give Medicine Hat,

a taste,

of,

it's,

own....

MEDICINE!

Let's invade Canada!

Annex Canada!

So our message to the Canadians is,

The Mounties will not Save you!

Le Mounties ne vous épargnera pas!

So prepare for war

AND Surrender Pronto,

Or we'll level Toronto.

INVADE CANADA!

[IronChefShark]

Viva Mexico!

[Gamingboy]

Viva Mexico!

Iron, actually, (assuming USA beats SA), Canada beating Mexico would qualify USA for Round 2... Where we can have... REVENGE!

[DEAD!]

Now how can a team with well known nicknames like A-Rod and D-Train lose to a team that has a player named Stubby?

[rams80]

Well, obviously Dontrelle has already decided to mail it in this year (shoot, the management did, who can blame him?)

Also, sorry folks, but this can't stand and as advanced in a couple of earlier posts-our glorious American army has already crossed the borders. Vancouver has fallen, Winnpeg is in the process of being taken, we have swept through Windsor, London, and Hamilton and should be in Toronto in two hours, Alberta and its oil fields will be ours in 24 hours. Montreal, Ottawa, and Quebec should be taken in the next 12 hours. Don't worry, nothing much will change, we will appoint Harper and his lackeys to be temporary governors of the occupied provinces of Canada.

j/k

[KevinMcD]

Now how can a team with well known nicknames like A-Rod and D-Train lose to a team that has a player named Stubby?

Because Canada has 2 O's players Bedard & Loewen and the USA has none

[jkrdevil]

Well, obviously Dontrelle has already decided to mail it in this year (shoot, the management did, who can blame him?)

Also, sorry folks, but this can't stand and as advanced in a couple of earlier posts-our glorious American army has already crossed the borders. Vancouver has fallen, Winnpeg is in the process of being taken, we have swept through Windsor, London, and Hamilton and should be in Toronto in two hours, Alberta and its oil fields will be ours in 24 hours. Montreal, Ottawa, and Quebec should be taken in the next 12 hours. Don't worry, nothing much will change, we will appoint Harper and his lackeys to be temporary governors of the occupied provinces of Canada.

j/k

You honestly think we would go through Windsor if we attacked Canada. Going through Windsor would delay the troop movement.

[IronChefShark]

what's Windsor?

when I think of border cities, I think of Tijuana and Cuidad Juarez

[Seadragon76]

Well, doesn't Windsor have like a crapload of strip clubs and bars and everything that's good in our world today and to add that you would avoid that supposedly nasty Mexican water.

I saw the game on TV, and to say that Canadians can't play baseball is sorely wrong. I just wished they would of used Eric Gagne at the end there. There's a reason why it's 'Game Over' when Gagne hits the mound.

Now, the US has so much pressure to beat the craptastic South Africans or else every sports writer in America will tear them a new a-hole.

[DEAD!]

You honestly think we would go through Windsor if we attacked Canada. Going through Windsor would delay the troop movement.

Before you do that you at least have to find Windsor.

[FiddySicks]

Canada's about to blow it big time against South Africa.

Big thanks to Paul Quantrill and Chris Reitsma for two absolutely terrible innings.

That Canada-South Africa game was the most brilliant game i have ever seen!!!

God when Canada cant hit pitching because its too slow, ha, now thats baseball. Pitchers tossing in the mid 70s and sometimes dropping as low as in the high 60s? God i love it!!!

But then those damn leaf blowing Canucks had go go beat the USA 8-6!!!!!!!

FU*K!!!!

Well, i can tell you this much, if Mexico wins its next two and somehow the USA is eliminated in the first round, you might as well just end the tournament right there. If the USA is eliminated that early, TV ratings will hit the bottom of the ocean and ticket sales will probably be cut in half. If the USA doesnt move on (which i think they will, no way theyre losing to South Africa, so its looking good that we'll move on, and hopefully go undefeated from here on) and loses in the first round, its lookin like the WBC will be classified as a one year flop. Why do i say this? Because look at how Americans viewed hockey at this years olympics. The USA wasnt competitive, ratings were WAY down. If we lose in BASEBALL, AMERICAS PASS TIME, the WBC will be shunned.

[IronChefShark]

Well, doesn't Windsor have like a crapload of strip clubs and bars and everything that's good in our world today?

Tijuana has all that too, plus brothels

[jkrdevil]

I saw the game on TV, and to say that Canadians can't play baseball is sorely wrong. I just wished they would of used Eric Gagne at the end there. There's a reason why it's 'Game Over' when Gagne hits the mound.

Gagne isn't on the Canadian roster. He skipped the WBC in order to rest up for the season since he was hurt last season.

This loss isn't that embarrassing. Canada does have some Major Leaguers. Now losing to South Africa would be an embarrassment. There are certainly worse teams in the tournament than Canada.

[Gamingboy]

We should still invade you. Especially cause I had such a cool song up.

[IceCap]

Especially cause I had such a cool song up.

I have a better song:

O Canada!

Our home and native land!

True patriot love in all thy sons command.

With glowing hearts we see thee rise,

The True North strong and free!

From far and wide,

O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

God keep our land glorious and free!

O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

Mexico's next, and Canada will be (for the time being) the undefeated baseball masters of North America.

[Mr.Burns]Excellent...[/Mr.Burns]

[NJTank]

Personally Im more intersted in how Beltran, Delgado, and Reyes do and avoid injury then who wins any of these games, which is why it does not work for me. I would like it to be in Novmeber personally when they do the Japan series this way you open it up to more ballparks, like Texas, Atlanta, and domed stadiums like Seattle, and Toronto

[rams80]

You honestly think we would go through Windsor if we attacked Canada. Going through Windsor would delay the troop movement.

Before you do that you at least have to find Windsor.

Our glorious army of occupation headed south of Detroit to occupy the puny Canadian town of Windsor before continuing its swift advance to the northeast through London and Guleph to Toronto.