The WBC is set to open on March 3rd. Here are the countries participating in the contest and the pools that they are divided into.

Pool A
China
Chinese Taipei
Japan
Korea

Pool B
Canada
Mexico
South Africa
United States

Pool C
Cuba
Netherlands
Panama
Puerto Rico

Pool D
Australia
Dominican Republic
Italy
Venezuela

From ESPN.com

NEW YORK -- Roger Clemens will be firing fastballs and splitters for the United States at the World Baseball Classic, testing whether his 43-year-old body can withstand another major-league season.

Roger Clemens
Clemens

Clemens, who led the majors in ERA last year, was among 30 players chosen Tuesday for the U.S. roster. He made his decision to play for the Americans only after he spent some time working out.

"I needed a couple of weeks to see where my body was going to be and get my mind right for this," Clemens said. "My arm feels good. My legs are taking a little bit longer than I expected to get in shape for this."

Clemens pitched for his hometown Houston Astros the past two seasons, helping them reach the World Series for the first time last year. Back problems and a torn hamstring hampered the seven-time Cy Young Award winner late in the season and forced him out of the World Series opener after two innings. Under baseball's rules, he can't re-sign with Houston until May 1.

The Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees and Texas Rangers have also expressed interest in signing the Rocket, and Clemens said he has met with several teams, without going into specifics. He would not respond to whether he met with Red Sox owner John Henry and team president Larry Lucchino.

"I had a number of teams come down once they heard I was getting ready for these world games," he said. "And they positioned themselves and told me what they thought, and so on and so forth. So I told them right now, like I have been expressing, was that I was getting ready for the world games. I'll see how that goes, how my body responds. I'll make my decisions accordingly, after the fact."

The 16-team tournament runs March 3-20. Randy Hendricks, Clemens' agent, has compared the pitcher's decision to a horse race.

"Like I said before, it is a five-horse race, with retirement in the lead," Hendricks said. "But I did not say the race was over. It is in the backstretch."

Last year was an emotional one for Clemens, whose mother died during the season. He said his decision about whether to sign with a major-league team would be based on "the same questions I have every year -- this year being a little bit larger because my mom's final wishes were, before she passed, she didn't want me to continue with this grind.

"I have that playing on my mind, and I know all the other scenarios that have been put forth right in front of me the last couple of weeks," he said.

Clemens was among four starters selected for a 14-man U.S. pitching staff, joined by Jake Peavy, Dontrelle Willis and C.C. Sabathia. Changes to the roster can be made through March 2, five days before the U.S. opener. A 10-man bullpen was chosen partly because of pitch-count limits.

Peavy is scheduled to start the opener against Mexico on March 7, with Willis to start the following day against Canada.

Clemens said U.S. players will be as motivated as those from other countries.

"Make no mistake about it, when we get second and third and there's one out, we're going to dial up a fastball that's quicker than we're normally throwing," he said. "It's not like spring training, where you can give up four, five runs."

The rest of the roster:

Relievers: Chad Cordero, Brian Fuentes, Todd Jones, Brad Lidge, Joe Nathan, Scot Shields, Huston Street, Mike Timlin, Billy Wagner, Dan Wheeler

Catchers: Michael Barrett, Brian Schneider, Jason Varitek

Infielders: Derek Jeter, Chipper Jones, Derrek Lee, Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira, Chase Utley, Michael Young

Outfielders: Johnny Damon, Jeff Francouer, Ken Griffey Jr., Matt Holliday, Vernon Wells, Randy Winn

Twenty-two players who were on the provisional 52-man roster were dropped. Among them were pitchers Jeremy Bonderman, Roy Halladay, Dan Haren, Tim Hudson, Brett Myers, Andy Pettitte, Ben Sheets, Al Leiter and Gary Majewski; catchers Paul Lo Duca, Joe Mauer and Chad Moeller; infielders Eric Chavez, Craig Counsell, Morgan Ensberg, Bill Hall, Jimmy Rollins and David Wright; and outfielders Lance Berkman, Barry Bonds, Carl Crawford and Luis Gonzalez.

Bonds and several others had withdrawn, citing their need to rehabilitate following injuries.

CLASSIC ADDITIONS

Toronto Blue Jays minor-leaguer Vince Perkins of Victoria and Detroit Tigers minor-league catcher Chris Robinson have been selected to Canada's World Baseball Classic team.

Perkins, 24, who is on the Blue Jays' 40-man roster, was 7-7 with a 4.03 earned-run average in 2005 with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats of the Double-A Eastern League.

He was selected in the 18th round of the 2000 draft and is ranked by Baseball America as the Jays' 10th-best prospect.

Perkins, who played as a youth with Rich Harden of the Oakland Athletics, can throw as hard as 96 miles an hour.

Robinson of Dorchester, Ont., will replace catcher Russell Martin, who decided to withdraw from the tournament to concentrate on spring training with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Robinson, 21, hit .353 with eight home runs for the University of Illinois in 2005 and was solid defensively, leading the Big 10 with seven pickoffs.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20060222.JAYSSIDE22/TPStory/TPSports/

I hope that he does well for his country. And the expierence should serve him well.

Maggs appears to be pulling out of the tournament. Sounds like he doesn't want to suck it up in the tournament if he's not ready by then?

http://www.mlive.com/tigers/stories/index.ssf?/base/sports-1/1141038612118610.xml&coll=1


Ordonez backs out of WBC to focus on season
Monday, February 27, 2006
By Danny Knobler

LAKELAND, Fla. -- Magglio Ordonez wanted to play in the World Baseball Classic, but he's about to turn down that chance in order to better prepare for his second season with the Detroit Tigers.

Ordonez said Sunday that he needed to talk with Venezuelan manager Luis Sojo, but he left little doubt that he intends to pull out of the WBC, which begins this week.

"I'm focusing on the season,'' he said. "These people here made a big commitment to me. I owe them something.''

The Tigers' commitment was a five-year, $75 million contract that Ordonez signed before last season. He developed a sports hernia during spring training and was limited to 82 games last season, but reported to camp this year fully healthy for the first time in two years.

"I feel good,'' he said. "But I don't want to take a chance.''

In the first couple of days of live batting practice, Ordonez has looked healthy but rusty. He's not nearly ready to play in a game that counts.

"That's why we have spring training,'' Ordonez said.

Ordonez contrasted his situation with that of fellow Venezuelan Carlos Guillen, the Tiger shortstop. Guillen played almost 30 games in the Venezuelan winter league, and is much closer to being game-ready.

"He wanted me to go (to the WBC),'' Ordonez said. "Believe me, I want to go.''

It appears now he won't. Ordonez could still reconsider, and teams are allowed to change their rosters between rounds of the WBC.

But for this week, it seems Ordonez is out.

Wagner, Sabathia withdraw from WBC

New York Mets closer Billy Wagner and Cleveland pitcher C.C. Sabathia withdrew Wednesday from the U.S. roster for the World Baseball Classic and were replaced by Washington right-hander Gary Majewski and Yankees left-hander Al Leiter.

Leiter becomes the fourth player from the Yankees on the 30-man roster, joining shortstop Derek Jeter, third baseman Alex Rodriguez and center fielder Johnny Damon.

Two other Nationals are on the team: closer Chad Cordero and catcher Brian Schneider.

The roster for the first round, initially announced Feb. 14, has to be finalized by noon EST Wednesday.

"Although I would love to pitch in the inaugural World Baseball Classic and am proud to represent my country, I will not be ready to pitch in a competitive-game environment when play begins on March 7," Sabathia said in a statement released by the Indians.
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/5372172

And just like that, Ordonez is back in.


Ordonez to play in World Classic

He points to intense interest in his home country, Venezuela, but will get in 3 exhibitions.

Tom Gage / The Detroit News

LAKELAND, Fla. -- He's going to play in it, after all.

Torn between fulfilling the expectations of his Venezuelan countrymen and a desire to get ready for the regular season -- to focus primarily on having the big year for the Tigers he didn't have last year -- Magglio Ordonez has made his decision.

He's going to play in the World Baseball Classic, after all. But he's not going to miss as much time as some because he doesn't have to leave right away.

Todd Jones, for instance, departs today for Phoenix to join Team USA. Ordonez, who will train in Clearwater, Fla., about an hour's drive from Lakeland, will be able to participate in the Tigers' games as late as Sunday.

What it came down to for Ordonez, who seemed ready to pull out earlier, is the way Venezuela looks at the first WBC.

He was getting one call after another, including from his wife and mother, urging him to play.

It was also an influence to have Tigers teammate and fellow Venezuelan Carlos Guillen saying things like "he better play."

After the Tigers beat Florida Southern, 4-3, Wednesday with a run in the ninth inning, winning the game that annually kicks off their exhibition season, Ordonez discussed the pressures he felt.

"Melvin (Mora of the Orioles) decided not to play," Ordonez said, "and they're killing him in Venezuela. It's hard because people won't forget. This is very important to them. It's like (soccer's) World Cup.

"This is the first time they'll see their best players together. They're very excited about that."

So much so that Ordonez didn't want to let them down by not playing.

"It's real important," he said. "We represent our country, with a chance to face the best players from other countries. I think it's going to be interesting."

What Ordonez feels good about is the thought he's not running out on the Tigers before playing in some exhibition games. He'll play today in the exhibition opener today Cincinnati in Lakeland, on Friday against the Reds in Sarasota and again Sunday for the Tigers in Lakeland.

He also feels good about the fact his phone is going to ring a lot less now.

"I was getting calls from everywhere, from everybody," he said.

"They're really into this. I have a satellite from Venezuela, and all they're talking about is the Classic. This morning I saw on the news how mad they are at Melvin."

Ordonez didn't want anyone mad at him.

But the only way anyone was going to be was if he didn't play. The Tigers said they'd be fine his decision either way.

There was no pressure from them to turn down the opportunity.

In the end, there were more -- and louder -- reasons to play, than not to. So he's going to.

Pedro pulls out of World Baseball Classic

Pedro Martinez confirmed Thursday he will not pitch in the World Baseball Classic because of his sore toe, leaving the Dominican Republic without three of its biggest stars.

All-Star sluggers Manny Ramirez and Vladimir Guerrero also recently withdrew from the Dominican team, expected to be one of the strongest at the inaugural, 16-nation tournament.

Martinez is behind schedule at spring training because of an injury to his right big toe that has hampered him since last season. The New York Mets ace threw from the top of a mound Thursday for only the second time this spring.

"They're better off finding someone who can help them rather than taking me, out of shape, risking my career," Martinez said. "It would be totally unfair to the Dominican. I haven't even thrown a breaking ball yet."

Martinez and Dominican Republic manager Manny Acta had hoped the right-hander would be able to join the Dominican team sometime after the first round of the WBC. But the three-time Cy Young Award winner decided against it, saying he did not want to waste a spot on the 30-man roster.

"I actually reported early to try to do something. That was my main goal, to play for the Dominican. They know I would like to be there, but I cannot do it," Martinez said.

The Dominican Republic plays its first game March 7 against Venezuela in Kissimmee.

"I know he would have loved to play and a lot of people would have loved to have seen him play," Mets general manager Omar Minaya said. "But if you're not physically ready, you're not, and these things happen."

Martinez has been wearing a special Nike shoe designed to alleviate the persistent pain in his toe. He threw 35 pitches Thursday - all fastballs - at what he deemed was 60 percent.

Paul Lo Duca, the Mets' new catcher, caught Martinez for the first time this spring.

"It was a good session. He's getting in shape," Lo Duca said. "I'm looking forward to working with him when he gets to full strength."
http://msn.foxsports.com/other/story/5375054

Fuck this tournament. I can't believe this shit will be on espn, espn2, and espn deportes so the chelsea/barcelona game won't be shown live. Match of the year and we have to watch a bullshit tournament that nobody cares about.

Taiwan trounces China to pick up first win

Leadoff hitter Chen Yung-Chi hit a grand slam in the fourth inning Sunday to lead Taiwan to a 12-3 win over China in the World Baseball Classic.

Chen's homer gave Taiwan a 5-0 lead at Tokyo Dome en route to its first win of the tournament. Taiwan improved to 1-2 while China finished 0-3 in Group A.

"I knew it was gone the second I hit it," Chen said. "It was great to take a little pressure off and get some breathing room."

Chen, a minor league prospect for the Seattle Mariners, was 4-for-6 with four runs scored and five RBIs. He had three doubles to go along with his grand slam.

China gave up a total of 40 runs while scoring six over three games and finished last in Group A.

"I think our players were a little nervous today," China manager Jim Lefebvre said. "But dealing with pressure is part of being a professional."

Lefebvre, hired to get China's baseball team prepared for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, said his players gained a lot from playing teams such as Japan and South Korea.

"This was the highest level of baseball these guys have ever been exposed to," Lefebvre said. "You only improve by playing against better teams and this was a great experience for our players."

Starter Pan Wei-Lun earned the win for Taiwan after giving up two hits and striking out four in four scoreless innings.

Japan and South Korea, set to play later Sunday in the final Group A game, already qualified for the second round of the 16-nation tournament and will play the top two teams from Group B, which includes the United States, Mexico, Canada and South Africa.
http://msn.foxsports.com/other/story/5382836


South Korea upsets Japan in Tokyo

Ichiro Suzuki never expected to lose to South Korea.

"I feel ashamed of this defeat," the Seattle Mariners star said Sunday after the South Koreans upset Japan 3-2 to win Group A in the first round of the inaugural World Baseball Classic.

Lee Seung-yeop hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the eighth inning of a game that mattered little because both nations were assured of advancement.

Suzuki's game-ending flyout left him 1-for-3 Sunday and 3-for-11 (.273) in the three Group A games.

"If I was satisfied with my performance, I should quit baseball," Suzuki said.

Dae-Sung Koo, whose contract was sold last week by New York Mets to a South Korean club, pitched two scoreless innings of relief to get the victory as the South Koreans overcame a two-run deficit.

Chan Ho Park of the San Diego Padres pitched the ninth for the save. After he retired Suzuki for the final out, South Korean players ran on to the field and mobbed the pitcher.

South Korea (3-0) and Japan (2-1) will travel to Arizona for exhibition games against major league teams, then go to Anaheim, Calif., for the second round, to be played from March 12-16. Their second-round opponents will include the top two teams from Group B, which has the United States, Canada, Mexico and South Africa.

Lee, who holds the Asian record of 56 homers in a season, signed with the Yomiuri Giants in the offseason after spending the last two seasons with the Pacific League's Chiba Lotte Marines. The game was played before a crowd of 40,353 in the Tokyo Dome, his new home ballpark.

"I was just trying to stay focused," Lee said. "Japan is a very strong team and, hopefully, we'll be able beat them again in the United States."

Lee, who led the Marines with 30 homers last season, hit a pair of homers in South Korea's 10-1 win over China on Saturday.

Japan went ahead in the first when Tsuyoshi Nishioka scored from third on an infield grounder by Nobuhiko Matsunaka, and Munenori Kawasaki's second-inning homer made it 2-0. Lee Byung-kyu hit a sacrifice fly in the fifth.

With the bases loaded and two outs in the fourth, South Korean right fielder Lee Jin-young made a fully extended diving catch to grab Nishioka's sinking liner. South Korean fans in left field gave him a standing ovation, and Japanese fans gave him polite applause.

There were boos in the bottom of the seventh when South Korea's Bae Young-soo drilled Suzuki in the back. Suzuki was 1-for-3 Sunday and had only three hits in the three games.

In Sunday's first game, Chen Yung-Chi's fourth-inning grand slam helped Taiwan beat China 12-3. Chen, a minor league prospect for the Seattle Mariners, was 4-for-6 with four runs scored, three doubles and five RBIs.
http://msn.foxsports.com/other/story/5383008

This reeks of futility.

Is anyone following this thing? I don't even have a clue when a game worth watching will be on, and I'm a baseball fan.

Holy shit, I was just coming to post that. This is pretty gay so far.

Dominican Republic vs Venezeula

tomorrow on ESPN

Should be a great game.

Jake Peavy is an American Hero.

Oh great, we're getting smoked by America Jr. Wacksauce.

I loved the Breaking News line on ESPN News:

Upset in the making - Canada 8 USA 6

2006 Miracle on Grass (no it wasnt a Snoop Dog flick)

Go Canada

2006 Miracle on Grass (no it wasnt a Snoop Dog flick)

Go Canada


.... and then they get bitched by Mehico.

Bwah hahahahahahahaah.

Korea beats Japan, 2-1. Team Korea clinches semi-finals berth.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/worldclassic2006/news/story?page=260317909_WBC_06

Yeeeeeeeeah, baby!

Looks like the Korean contingent was in full effect:


The game was played before an announced crowd of 39,679 at Angel Stadium, with most of the fans pulling for Korea. They chanted and banged their blue and white Thunderstix, often cheered even when a Korean hit a foul ball, and booed enthusiastically every time Japanese star Ichiro Suzuki came to the plate.

When the game was over, with the crowd waving Korean flags, the winners took a victory lap around the stadium.

"I was aware of the fact that there were a lot of Koreans living in this area," Jong Beom Lee said. "I didn't know there were that many. I was very touched by their cheering.

U.S. eliminated at WBC

Three-hit loss to Mexico eliminates U.S.

Roger Clemens was looking for a much better finish to his brilliant career.

Clemens pitched well Thursday night, but a lineup loaded with All-Stars couldn't get the job done for the United States.

Oliver Perez and seven relievers combined to pitch a three-hitter to lead Mexico past the Rocket and Team USA 2-1 on Thursday night, eliminating the Americans from the inaugural World Baseball Classic and putting Japan in the semifinals.

When it was over, Clemens implied that he had thrown his final pitch.

"For me, right now, it's goodbye," he said in a brief statement issued through Team USA. "I felt great tonight and my body responded well. I'm very thankful for the opportunity to participate in this event. It made all the work I did in the last six weeks worthwhile."

Clemens, who has won 341 games and struck out 4,502 batters in 22 big-league seasons, wasn't at his best. The 43-year-old right-hander allowed six hits and two runs in 4 1-3 innings with no walks and four strikeouts. He threw 73 pitches - seven below the maximum for the second round.

The outcome was a stunner, especially considering the offensive firepower on the Americans' roster even without Derrek Lee and Johnny Damon, sidelined with sore left shoulders.

Team USA scored only eight runs in three second-round games.

"It's a tough bite to chew," catcher Michael Barrett said. "The expectations on us to win and getting upset is a credit to their style of play and their pitching. We put everything we had into this in such a short time, and didn't get it done."

South Korea had a 3-0 second-round record in Group One, with Team USA, Japan and Mexico all going 1-2. Japan earned the second semifinal berth from the group by allowing the fewest runs in games between the tied teams.

Japan, which has already lost twice to South Korea in the Classic, faces its archrival in Saturday's second semifinal game in San Diego, with the Dominican Republic meeting Cuba in the daytime opener. The winners play Monday for the championship.

"You're never prepared for defeat. We always prepare to win," Team USA manager Buck Martinez said. "It's a disappointing loss, for sure. We never really exploded with the bats.

"The quality of the pitching we saw in this tournament was certainly much better than I expected on a consistent basis."

Martinez said Clemens didn't object to being removed from the game.

"Rocket looked at me and looked fatigued," Martinez said. "He says, 'What do you got out there?' That was a sign that he felt like I did. We probably had a better shot with a fresh arm out there."

Scot Shields entered with runners at first and third and one out, and Jorge Cantu's grounder drove in what proved to be the winning run.

"My perfect scenario would have been that I come in for Roger and clean up his mess," Shields said. "I got the chance and I didn't do it, and that hurts. That run that scored was the winning run and it eliminated us. It's pretty hard to take."

Perez allowed only one hit in three scoreless innings, and the Mexican bullpen retired 12 straight batters until Chipper Jones drew a one-out walk off Jorge De La Rosa in the ninth. Luis Ayala then walked Alex Rodriguez, but David Cortes needed only one pitch to get Vernon Wells to ground into a game-ending double play.

"We came here to win, and that is how we performed this evening," Mexico manager Paquin Estrada said through a translator.

Regarding Clemens, Estrada said: "He's a person that I respect, and I've kept the lineup as a souvenir to this occasion."

Mexico took a 1-0 lead off Clemens in the third on a leadoff double by Mario Valenzuela and a two-out single by Jorge Cantu.

But it wasn't that simple.

A television replay showed Valenzuela's fly ball hit the right field foul pole at least 10 feet off the ground and bounced back onto the field. However, first base umpire Bob Davidson didn't see it that way, and Valenzuela wound up at second.

It was Davidson, umpiring behind the plate, who ruled that Japan's Tsuyoshi Nishioka left third base early in the eighth inning Sunday to negate a sacrifice fly that would have snapped a 3-3 tie in a game Team USA won.

The Americans tied it in the fourth off Francisco Campos when Jones doubled, took third on a fly ball and scored on Wells' sacrifice fly, barely beating right fielder Valenzuela's throw to the plate.

Valenzuela opened the fifth with a single, took second on a sacrifice and third on a single by Alfredo Amezaga before Shields relieved and Cantu drove in the winning run.

"This was for Mexico, so everyone can know in our country - everyone can know what we're doing here so we can leave here with our heads held high," Cantu said, adding it was an honor to face Clemens.

The Americans blew an opportunity against Edgar Gonzalez in the top of the fifth, when Jeff Francoeur opened with a double and Barrett was hit by a pitch. Francoeur strayed off second when Michael Young squared to bunt, and was caught in a rundown. Gonzalez then retired Young and Derek Jeter on ground balls to end the inning.

Thanks to exceptional work by relievers Ricardo Rincon and Oscar Villareal, Team USA wouldn't have another baserunner until the ninth.

The game was played before an announced crowd of 38,284 at Angel Stadium. Among those attending was commissioner Bud Selig, a proponent of the Classic.

"The intensity has been just remarkable," Selig said. "In the end, the beneficiary of all this will be baseball all over the world. I mean, who knows, long after I'm gone, this event will be big. But more importantly than this event will be big is what it's going to do for baseball, including American baseball."
http://msn.foxsports.com/other/story/5420026

This time, an American team can't blame parties on their private yacht.

The problem -- no Angels on the team.

If a tree falls in the forest......

See what I'm getting at here?

BTW, USA baseball blows.

just thought I would let you know.

Baseball, hockey, basketball.

It's hard to care that much when our top athletes don't care enough themselves to even participate. Might as well send the amateurs.

I actually watched the game between Cuba and DR last night.

Two great teams with country pride going at it. I'll probably watch the finals as well.

Japan beats Cuba, wins World Baseball Classic

Forget beisbol. This was yakyu at its best, and the inaugural World Baseball Classic belongs to Japan.

Ichiro Suzuki and his less-famous countrymen beat Cuba 10-6 in the championship game Monday night, ripping a page out of Cuba's scorebook by winning a major international tournament.

On a festive night when Cuban and Japanese fans danced to "Surf City" and Sadaharu Oh escorted Hank Aaron - there's 1,623 home runs between them - onto the field, Japan won the 16-nation tournament that showed baseball in March can matter.

The Classic's slogan is "Baseball Spoken Here." In this case, it's yakyu, which in Japanese means "field ball."

Suzuki doubled, singled and drove in a run. He also scored three times, including in a four-run first inning that proved Cuba's pitchers are vulnerable, after all.

When big league reliever Akinori Otsuka got the final out, he was mobbed near the mound by his teammates. The Japanese then tossed Oh, their manager, into the air twice.

"I'm unbelievably happy," Suzuki said. "To be honest, I never imagined we'd get there. We had a great team, the best. I hope we showed everyone what a great sport baseball is."

Two Cuban players posed with Suzuki for a photo.

"My players showed me a fantastic performance tonight. I know they're doing it for Japan," Oh said.

Cuba's fans perked up when their team, wearing its lucky red uniforms, pulled to 6-5 on a two-run homer by Frederich Cepeda with one out in the eighth. Otsuka, the former San Diego Padres reliever now with Texas, came on and retired the side.

Suzuki singled in the ninth to score Munenori Kawasaki on a close play at the plate and make it 7-5. Kawasaki slid, turned and stuck his right hand just inside of catcher Ariel Pestano's left foot to - perhaps - touch the plate. Japan broke it open on a two-run single by pinch-hitter Kosuke Fukudome and a sacrifice fly by Michihiro Ogasawara.

Otsuka allowed a run in the ninth before closing it out for a save.

With the United States failing to make it out of the second round and the Dominican Republic losing to Cuba in the semifinals, Suzuki, the Seattle Mariners' star, was the only major leaguer in the starting lineups. Otsuka is the only other big leaguer on Japan's roster.

The Cubans consider themselves amateurs, although Miguel Tejada and Albert Pujols, who played for the Dominican Republic, said leading up to the semis that most of the Cubans could be in the majors.

But for as good as the Cubans are - they had won 22 of 24 games in international competition and have dominated the globe for decades - they cracked at the worst possible time.

Japan took a 4-0 lead in the top of the first while hitting the ball out of the infield just once.

Cuba starter Ormari Romero was on a short leash to begin with, but was yanked after throwing 23 pitches. He retired leadoff hitter Kawasaki, then loaded the bases on infield singles by Tsuyoshi Nishioka and Nobuhiko Matsunaka, and a walk to Suzuki.

Vicyhoandry Odelin came on and hit Hitoshi Tamura on the left elbow with a pitch to force in the second run, then walked Ogasawara with two outs to bring in another before Toshiaki Imae hit a sharp, two-run single up the middle to make it 4-0.

Eduardo Paret hit a leadoff homer for the Cubans in the first, but they didn't score again until the sixth, when they made it 6-3. One of Cuba's two runs that inning was unearned due to an error by shortstop Kawasaki, who earlier in the game made two brilliant plays.

Japan took a 6-1 lead by scoring twice in the fifth on three straight hits - Suzuki's leadoff double and singles by Matsunaka and Tamura.

At first, communist Cuba was denied a permit to participate in the tournament due to decades of political animosity with the U.S. government. And Japan kept a stiff upper lip after it appeared to be deprived of the go-ahead run in a 4-3 loss to the United Sates on March 12 in the opener of Round 2.

The tournament was considered a success, coming not long after baseball was booted from the Olympics effective in 2012.

Petco Park, the San Diego Padres' downtown ballpark, hasn't seen such a festive night since it opened in 2004.

Fans from both countries waved flags, blew horns and banged cowbells.

The San Diego Symphony Orchestra played the national anthems of Japan, Cuba and the United States. The Japanese players bowed after their anthem was played.

Oh, the Japanese hero who hit 868 homers and now manages the national team, escorted Aaron to the third-base line. Aaron, whose 755 homers are the most in major league history, went to the mound by himself to throw the ceremonial first pitch to Pestano, who had Aaron autograph the ball.

After streamers were shot from the upper deck, it was time for beisbol ... and yakyu.
http://msn.foxsports.com/other/story/5430944

I was hopin Cuba could pull it out at the end. They made a great 2 inning come back.

Poor Cuba players.

WBC was all they had going for them. Now it's back to being overworked and underpaid in communist Cuba.

World Baseball Classic a hit after all

Cuban players in those lucky red uniforms sprinted to the mound for an exhilarating embrace. A South Korean band pounded drums right outside the ballpark. Dominican fans danced to a merengue beat, the Venezuelans draped themselves in bright yellow flags.

And Thunder Stix were replaced by pots and pans as the preferred noisemaker.

All the chants, cheers and national pride provided exactly the kind of international spirit Bud Selig envisioned all along for the World Baseball Classic.

The inaugural 16-team tournament showed that making baseball count in March isn't such a bad concept after all - even if there are plenty of kinks to be worked out before the next one in 2009.

"This was not perfect so far," said Seattle Mariners star Ichiro Suzuki, one of only two major leaguers in Monday night's championship game between Japan and Cuba. "But I believe a lot of people in the whole world paid attention to baseball."

Fans stayed up late to watch on television, even after the star-laden squads from the United States and Dominican Republic made early exits. Supporters remained in the seats at Petco Park - where a sign in left-center reads "America's Pastime" - to wait out a 45-minute rain delay Saturday night and watch Japan eliminate its previously unbeaten rival, South Korea.

The Classic captured attention in the midst of NCAA March Madness, and that's saying something.

Cuba wasn't even sure it would be allowed to play at all. Now, the communist Caribbean nation is hinting it would like to be a WBC host down the road.

"From the very beginning, we said that we were going to play baseball," Cuban outfielder Frederich Cepeda said. "The uncertainty as to whether Cuba was going to be part of it or not in baseball, as we say in Cuba, 'The ball is round.' We have done it now."

Dominican general manager Stan Javier, a 17-year major leaguer, questioned the timing of the tournament and suggested it be held at the end of spring training next time - delaying the start of Major League Baseball's 162-game schedule by a week.

Selig has said he and his colleagues not only in the commissioner's office but all around international baseball will evaluate every aspect of the WBC as they plan for 2009. Some involved with the Classic believe its success might persuade Olympic organizers to think about bringing back baseball on that level.

During first-round games in Arizona, Selig personally thanked players who took part, leaving the comfort of their spring training camps for the uncertainty of a new event.

"It was a great human experience," Selig said, echoing sentiments he heard from major leaguers. "I thanked each one of them and each one of them said, 'We need to thank you."'

One thing is clear: The interest is there.

Moises Alou, a 39-year-old outfielder for the San Francisco Giants, said he heard from several of his countrymen who wished they had joined him on the Dominican team and plan to play three years from now.

Ken Griffey Jr. rejoined the Cincinnati Reds on Monday in Sarasota, Fla., wishing he and the U.S. team were still alive in the WBC.

"The guys who showed up were awesome," Griffey said. "Not just for me to be out there with my dad and my son but just for the guys to represent their country. It says a lot for everyone there."

A day after Mexico's 2-1 win over Team USA last week that allowed Japan to advance, Japanese manager Sadaharu Oh was quick to give credit to the Mexican team, which easily could have let down because its players knew they were headed home anyway.

"We respect that they fought their heart out to show the best game ever," Oh said.

For Ichiro, who had a seven-game WBC hitting streak entering the title game, the defeat of the American team of All-Stars - featuring Johnny Damon, Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez of the Yankees to name a few - was a sign that this had become a true world tournament.

"That's the reason the WBC event is held," he said, "to show something like this."

San Diego Padres catcher Mike Piazza left his new club because he was eager to play for Italy in the WBC.

"This was an honor for me," he said. "We didn't make this decision lightly, this was something very special for us to play for the country of our fathers and mothers and forefathers and foremothers, and again, that's something we really take seriously. We believe baseball can continue to grow in Italy."

And, Selig hopes, in places such as Australia, South Africa, and the Netherlands, too.
http://msn.foxsports.com/other/story/5429658

Final thoughts from a magnificent WBC

So the first World Baseball Classic (WBC) is over and done.

It was full of surprises, upsets and injustices — as any good sport tournament should be. But now it's time to reflect upon the spectacle we've just witnessed. So what follows are a gaggle of semi-random WBC-flavored observations.

It was a great time, right? So let's talk WBC:

• Coming into the WBC, there were plenty of reasons for skepticism: dubious scheduling, sub-optimal rosters, widespread kvetching among major league organizations. However, we had some genuinely great moments, and it was a joy to see hotly competitive baseball in the month of March. Fits and starts? Absolutely. Imperfections? Indubitably. Worth it? Oh yeah.

• It's not necessarily a good thing that the Americans failed to make the finals (or even the semis), but it was nevertheless gratifying to watch players in the later rounds, whose prevailing objective was something other than "don't get injured." We were treated to lots of spirited baseball, and that might not have been the case if the auto-piloting U.S. squad had gone deep into the WBC.

• The fact that Cuba made the finals should remind us how brazenly idiotic (and cynical) the Treasury Department's attempt to ban them from the WBC proved. Here's why.

• Speaking of Cuba, if you throw the Olympics, World Cup and International Cup into the fray, this makes the 37th consecutive time the Cubans have made the finals of an international baseball tournament. The last time they finished worse than second was in 1951.

• Continuing to speak of Cuba, what about Yulieski Gourriel? Coming into the final matchup against Japan, he was hitting a robust .286 AVG/.364 OBP/.571 SLG. If you watched the WBC, you saw just what Gourriel is capable of. The 21-year-old second baseman, with his bat speed and the way he rips pitches on the inner half, calls to mind Alfonso Soriano — but with a much better glove, a much better idea of the strike zone and a bit less recalcitrance. It's a shame we won't get to see much more of him.

• Going into the WBC, not many would've anticipated that the finals would've included a total of two major leaguers — Ichiro Suzuki and Okinori Otsuka of Japan.

• As you probably know, legendary slugger Sadaharu Oh was the manager of the Japanese club. Japan's major league circuits have, generally speaking, hitter-friendly parks and pitching a notch or two better than what you'd find at the Triple-A level in the U.S. Still, fathom Oh's career numbers: .301 AVG/.445 OBP/.634 SLG, 868 homers, 2,786 hits, 2,390 walks. In exhibitions versus U.S. major leaguers he went for the following: 338 at-bats, .260 AVG/.413 OBP/.524 SLG, 25 homers, 88 walks. So, yeah, the guy could rake. And now he's skippered the Japanese to top honors in the WBC.

• The Next Big ThingTM in terms of import talent is probably Japanese pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka, who started for Japan in the WBC finals and eventually claimed the tournament MVP award. The 25 year old has a 3.07 career ERA in seven seasons in the Japanese Pacific League, and in 2004, Matsuzaka tossed a complete game victory against a U.S. All-Star team. To boot, his stuff is already legendary. You see, Matsuka is sorta kinda rumored to throw the "gyroball" — a pitch so fabled and legendary it ought to have elf ears. Anyhow, read more on gyroball lore if you wish. Just know that Matsuzaka, whatever he's throwing, gets results.

Matsuzaka won't be eligible for free agency until after the 2007 season, but once he is you can expect a frenzied derby for his services.

• Next time, the tiebreaker system needs to be revised. For the inaugural WBC, teams allowing the lowest number of runs-per-inning won the tiebreaker, but this one-sided setup lends itself to all kinds of silliness. A better idea would be to crack ties according to run differential, which depends upon the offense and the pitching-and-defense corps.

• OK, that play at home plate in the top of the ninth of the finals? Perfect baseball on both sides. Cuban catcher Ariel Pestano executes a textbook block of home, but Munenori Kawasaki slips his foul-side hand in and nicks the tip of the plate. Great play.

• If you're looking for an objective lesson in the differences between baseball in the Western and Eastern Hemispheres, you need look no further than the WBC finals. In the top of the first, Japan has runners on first and second with — and this is important — two outs. What does outfielder Norichika Aoki do? He lays down a drag bunt. Yes, two outs, lead runner on second, and he taps a bunt. Not even Mike Scioscia, even in his most risk-averse moments, would do something like that.

• Worth noting: Korea may have "lost" the WBC, but they finished with a 6-1 record for the tourney and rather easily the best record of any participant. Likewise, the Dominicans tallied a 5-1 record in the WBC, but, like Korea, they failed to make it past the semis.

• If you noticed any of the overarching spirit to the WBC, then you probably concluded it was worth the trouble. The visible enthusiasm of the Dominicans and Venezuelans was inspiring, and seeing those shots of the Cuban fans watching the finals from Parque Central was an inspiriting display. In America, the WBC may have been rather tepidly embraced, but that wasn't the case in points east, west, north and south of here.

In closing, viva la WBC!
http://msn.foxsports.com/other/story/5430988

I thought it was a great idea, just poorly advertised.