World Baseball Classic Championship Game.

by andromache on Mar 23, 2009 8:00 PM EDT Comment 75 comments

Oh Boy! Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy. Ok, so this is a little anticlimactic. I have the greatest respect for Japan and Korea's baseball organizations, and applaud their players for their hardwork. But seriously? This game? AGAIN? What are we going to see that we didn't see last game? Or the game before that. Or the three before that. Or the three from the last WBC.

Well, at least we know the teams are fairly matched. The four previous games were split evenly between the two teams, and in 2006, Korea beat Japan twice, before losing to their rival in the semi-finals.

Game Time: 9:00 PM ET

Probable Pitchers: Hisashi Iwakuma and Jung-Keun Bong. Iwakuma pitched very well in the Pool A seeding game against Korea, but took a 1-0 loss, in part because Korea's pitching, with Bong starting, was marginally better. Bong was fantastic again against Japan in their first Round 2 matchup, giving up 1 run on three hits in 5 1/3 innings. Yu Darvish threw fewer than 30 pitches last night, so he is available to enter the game in relief, and I would expect to see him if Iwakuma gets in trouble, or to close out the game like he did against the US. Suk-Min Yoon and Daisuke Matsuzaka, the semifinal starters, are unavailable for this game, and so is Takahiro Mahara - who threw exactly 30 pitches last night (Were the Japanese rule cards ALSO improperly translated? Jesus christ, WBC people. Get with it.)

Other: Although I mocked Jorge Cantu for calling Korea and Japan the same team, it's true that they have very similar strengths - pitching and defense. (Even Shin-Shoo Choo admits it). I'm sure this game will be very slap-hitty and fundamental-y. With Japan missing Shuichi Murata, I think Korea definitely has the advantage in power potential, but whether it'll show up or not against premium pitching (You'll notice that high-score against Venezuela came against Carlos Silva and Enrique Gonzalez on the mound,) is very much up in the air. I think Japan has the more reliable offense, but as we know, I am real crappy at predicting how games are going to turn out. (Baseball IS a little unpredictable...)

I'm still advocating the 'triple whale' play. I think it could revolutionize the game.

0 recs | Comment 75 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

They're excited about it in Japan

One of the Yankees blogs I follow has members who are Americans in Japan. They said people are insanely excited about the WBC there, and even before last night’s game was settled, they were running Japan vs. Korea promos on TV. Using Journey’s “Separate Ways” as a soundtrack.

All Things Bubba: Because how can you not love a baseball player named Bubba?

by BubbaFan on Mar 23, 2009 8:09 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Which is why we should all watch

the totally awesome video for Separate Ways.

We want to build long period of time. I didn’t come here for the shot run.

by Gray on Mar 23, 2009 8:36 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

holy cow

That hair!

All Things Bubba: Because how can you not love a baseball player named Bubba?

by BubbaFan on Mar 23, 2009 8:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I know...

it’s something, isn’t it?

We want to build long period of time. I didn’t come here for the shot run.

by Gray on Mar 23, 2009 8:56 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Oh man: Open to an empty field

Two measures later, the Japanese team appears, rocking out on air instruments
Two measures later, bats and gloves appear in their hands…and they’re still pretending to play them like instruments. Awesome.

Everybody's a jerk. You. Me. This jerk.

by andromache on Mar 23, 2009 9:56 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ken Marino and Steve Perry, separated at birth?

I miss the old days of the internet when men were men, hot girls were middle aged men, and hot underage girls were FBI agents.....

by jch24 on Mar 24, 2009 9:37 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'll turn it on once my sister stops watching some stupid TV show...

Preppy brats with perverse college guys… Gotta love those shows…

People Don't Kill People. Burning Couches Kill People.

by crolfer on Mar 23, 2009 9:14 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I guess it won't really start at 9.

We want to build long period of time. I didn’t come here for the shot run.

by Gray on Mar 23, 2009 9:17 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I scanned around the other ESPN channels

They’re showing the freakin’ 2001 World Series on ESPNCL. Arrrrghhhh.

All Things Bubba: Because how can you not love a baseball player named Bubba?

by BubbaFan on Mar 23, 2009 9:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

i feel like i'm about to watch a red $ox bankee$ game

well, i just hope it’s a good one. and i’d like to see korea win, if only because japan won last time.

i envy japanese right now. i wish baseball were the national pastime of my country and everyone went crazy for it.

Blessed be baseball!

by Daedalus on Mar 23, 2009 9:35 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

1 hit through 1.5 innings, eh?

Exciting game.

We want to build long period of time. I didn’t come here for the shot run.

by Gray on Mar 23, 2009 10:06 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Is that The Bong pitching for Korea?

Smart money is on The Bong getting lit up as he always did for the Reds.

And Adam Dunn's spirit, ranging for revenge / With Ate by his side come hot from hell, / Shall in these confines with a monarch's voice / Cry 'Havoc,' and let slip the dogs of war...

by Paul Householder on Mar 23, 2009 10:18 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I can only imagine number of double entendres when he was with the team.

by ol Pete on Mar 23, 2009 10:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I remember a story at some point

That his minor league teammates had to explain why his uniform was soooooo popular.

I miss the old days of the internet when men were men, hot girls were middle aged men, and hot underage girls were FBI agents.....

by jch24 on Mar 24, 2009 9:40 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Wow.

This is almost Dusty-esque.

Men on 1st and 2nd nobody out, with one of your better hitters up (Johjima), and you’re bunting.

And Adam Dunn's spirit, ranging for revenge / With Ate by his side come hot from hell, / Shall in these confines with a monarch's voice / Cry 'Havoc,' and let slip the dogs of war...

by Paul Householder on Mar 23, 2009 10:29 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

That is how they do it in Japan

I think they must be the best bunters in the universe. They really like to bunt over there. Ties into their culture of self-sacrifice or something.

All Things Bubba: Because how can you not love a baseball player named Bubba?

by BubbaFan on Mar 23, 2009 10:33 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

That's racist.

We want to build long period of time. I didn’t come here for the shot run.

by Gray on Mar 23, 2009 10:39 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

I don't get it.

And Adam Dunn's spirit, ranging for revenge / With Ate by his side come hot from hell, / Shall in these confines with a monarch's voice / Cry 'Havoc,' and let slip the dogs of war...

by Paul Householder on Mar 23, 2009 10:44 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs

That's what she said.

We want to build long period of time. I didn’t come here for the shot run.

by Gray on Mar 23, 2009 10:50 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

Rec's for all

For putting together a great string of memes.

I miss the old days of the internet when men were men, hot girls were middle aged men, and hot underage girls were FBI agents.....

by jch24 on Mar 24, 2009 9:41 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

What about sabermetrics? The Book!

by ol Pete on Mar 23, 2009 10:44 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

When they had it translated into Japanese

It turned into “Super Macho Donkey Wrestler,” and the point was largely lost.

by Brendanukkah on Mar 23, 2009 10:59 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Before you know it, there’ll be a religion.

by ol Pete on Mar 23, 2009 11:02 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Are you sure you're not talking about 100 Years of Solitude?

Everybody's a jerk. You. Me. This jerk.

by andromache on Mar 23, 2009 11:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

As far as the Japanese know

The outside world has only ever written one book: the tale of an heroic man and the donkeys he wrestles for sport and profit.

by Brendanukkah on Mar 23, 2009 11:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Suddenly all anime makes sense.

Everybody's a jerk. You. Me. This jerk.

by andromache on Mar 23, 2009 11:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It's also a big deal to score first

Psychological edge and all that.

by ken on Mar 24, 2009 9:50 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I never noticed that the Korean flag

is basically a more complicated version of the Japanese flag.

We want to build long period of time. I didn’t come here for the shot run.

by Gray on Mar 23, 2009 11:02 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

That's racist.

And Adam Dunn's spirit, ranging for revenge / With Ate by his side come hot from hell, / Shall in these confines with a monarch's voice / Cry 'Havoc,' and let slip the dogs of war...

by Paul Householder on Mar 23, 2009 11:04 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

A lot of flags pretty much look the same.

Compare Cuba and Puerto Rico.

Everybody's a jerk. You. Me. This jerk.

by andromache on Mar 23, 2009 11:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

crolfer went to a protest once

and saw a flag that looked like a package of Oreos. And another that looked like a couch.

by Brendanukkah on Mar 23, 2009 11:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Oh, I know.

I just hadn’t noticed the similarity before.

We want to build long period of time. I didn’t come here for the shot run.

by Gray on Mar 23, 2009 11:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Or Texas-Chile

mmmmmmmm……Texas chili.

I miss the old days of the internet when men were men, hot girls were middle aged men, and hot underage girls were FBI agents.....

by jch24 on Mar 24, 2009 9:43 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Speaking of food...

…CNN is running a story about the Fifth Third Burger this morning – a hamburger to be sold at the minor league West Michigan Whitecaps games.

It’s 5/3 lbs (1.66) of beef with lettuce, tomato, salsa, sour cream, chili and Fritos on an eight-inch sesame seed bun.

They’re hoping it will be so popular that people will buy a ticket just to eat dinner at the stadium, even if they don’t like baseball.

All Things Bubba: Because how can you not love a baseball player named Bubba?

by BubbaFan on Mar 24, 2009 9:51 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hhhhmmmm

I’m not sure how I feel about that. I’d probably give it a run without the sour cream.

I miss the old days of the internet when men were men, hot girls were middle aged men, and hot underage girls were FBI agents.....

by jch24 on Mar 24, 2009 9:59 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Correct!

The answer is “yes, hold the sour cream and salsa.”

You won 46 Pimp Points.

It's all fun and games until someone gets herpes. - Fox 4 News

by PeteyHendrix on Mar 25, 2009 2:38 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I like sour cream with beef

Not sure about the Fritos in the sandwich. Though I’ve eaten tuna sandwiches with potato chips in them, which is sort of the same idea.

Sporting News thinks it’s an evil plot by Bud Selig to kill fans and sell their organs on the black market.

All Things Bubba: Because how can you not love a baseball player named Bubba?

by BubbaFan on Mar 25, 2009 11:01 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

actually, funny story about Cuba's flag

the Cuban flag was created by Narciso López and his filibuster movement, a group of clandestine Americans (mostly southerners and many later went on to play important roles in the confederate army) who tried, against the America’s official wishes, to conquer Cuba and make it a state.

As you probably know the Cuban flag has a single star on it, the filibusters placed the star on the Flag, in the idea that it would be taken off the Cuban flag and added to the American flag once Cuba gained statehood.

So even in the ultimate irony Cuba’s flag is an American creation.

"Oedipus ruined a great sex life by asking too many questions!"- Dr. Stephen T. Colbert DFA.

by justin007000 on Mar 24, 2009 12:32 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

how do you know all this?

have you been there or something?

My millions are unconventional!

by Charlie Scrabbles on Mar 24, 2009 12:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

you have a BA in history too

"Oedipus ruined a great sex life by asking too many questions!"- Dr. Stephen T. Colbert DFA.

by justin007000 on Mar 24, 2009 3:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

true

but i didnt learn or anything. i only went to class to meet women.

My millions are unconventional!

by Charlie Scrabbles on Mar 24, 2009 5:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

you have a silly doctorate in philosophy

"Oedipus ruined a great sex life by asking too many questions!"- Dr. Stephen T. Colbert DFA.

by justin007000 on Mar 24, 2009 5:33 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

nah

just an M.A. and not a very good one, either.

My millions are unconventional!

by Charlie Scrabbles on Mar 24, 2009 7:12 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

i swore you had a ph.d in philosophy, which sounds really redundant.

do we have any Ph.Ds on this board? In about 8 years could I be the first ph.d redreporter (assuming i still have time to be a redreporter).

"Oedipus ruined a great sex life by asking too many questions!"- Dr. Stephen T. Colbert DFA.

by justin007000 on Mar 24, 2009 7:45 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I know Gray is pretty close to one, according to Twitter

"How big IS your magic wand?"

by Slyde on Mar 24, 2009 9:49 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

HAVOC

At the WBC!!

And Adam Dunn's spirit, ranging for revenge / With Ate by his side come hot from hell, / Shall in these confines with a monarch's voice / Cry 'Havoc,' and let slip the dogs of war...

by Paul Householder on Mar 23, 2009 11:16 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

if only they could muster some excitement

by ol Pete on Mar 23, 2009 11:20 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Home runs are exciting!!!!!!111111111111111

We want to build long period of time. I didn’t come here for the shot run.

by Gray on Mar 23, 2009 11:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hey...

Has anyone heard from BLee2525 lately? I think he might be batting now.

Gotta love the name, though. “Bum Ho Lee.”

And Adam Dunn's spirit, ranging for revenge / With Ate by his side come hot from hell, / Shall in these confines with a monarch's voice / Cry 'Havoc,' and let slip the dogs of war...

by Paul Householder on Mar 23, 2009 11:23 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Was that runner safe?

by ol Pete on Mar 23, 2009 11:24 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Dunno, but it's more HAVOC nonetheless.

And Adam Dunn's spirit, ranging for revenge / With Ate by his side come hot from hell, / Shall in these confines with a monarch's voice / Cry 'Havoc,' and let slip the dogs of war...

by Paul Householder on Mar 23, 2009 11:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Replay shows him safe. Its just like MLB.

by ol Pete on Mar 23, 2009 11:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

This game is really exciting.

And I’m going to bed. ’night all.

by Brian B on Mar 23, 2009 11:33 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

How can you walk out on such excitement?

The HAVOC index is already at +3.

And Adam Dunn's spirit, ranging for revenge / With Ate by his side come hot from hell, / Shall in these confines with a monarch's voice / Cry 'Havoc,' and let slip the dogs of war...

by Paul Householder on Mar 23, 2009 11:44 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

And it keeps coming. I wonder if Dusty is watching. He’s probably got some of those thunder sticks too.

by ol Pete on Mar 23, 2009 11:48 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

nice DP

by ol Pete on Mar 23, 2009 11:53 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I can not stand no more of such excitement.

G’night folks.

And Adam Dunn's spirit, ranging for revenge / With Ate by his side come hot from hell, / Shall in these confines with a monarch's voice / Cry 'Havoc,' and let slip the dogs of war...

by Paul Householder on Mar 24, 2009 12:04 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

can anyone explain

why there was wbc in 06 and 09 and the next isn’t until 13, so three years between the first two and four between the next? or did jon miller mess up?

Blessed be baseball!

by Daedalus on Mar 24, 2009 12:19 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

It's entirely possible that they couldn't count...

But now they’re saying it will be every four years. Starting now, I guess.

We want to build long period of time. I didn’t come here for the shot run.

by Gray on Mar 24, 2009 12:22 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

that's what i thought it was supposed to be and was surprised it was this year

strange

Blessed be baseball!

by Daedalus on Mar 24, 2009 12:44 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

WBC

They rushed it on the scene in 2006, but now they want to get it on a four year cycle so that it does not come in the same year as the summer olympics (optimistic that baseball will return I guess) and not conflict with the winter olympics (same time of year, generally).

by Brian B on Mar 24, 2009 9:03 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Free exhibition baseball!

We want to build long period of time. I didn’t come here for the shot run.

by Gray on Mar 24, 2009 1:07 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Hey, Ichiro's finally hitting...

and I’m the only one still here.

We want to build long period of time. I didn’t come here for the shot run.

by Gray on Mar 24, 2009 1:24 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Wow

Looks like this was quite a game. I just couldn’t stay up that late.

Ichiro with the winning hit.

And Yu Darvish closes another one.

His posting fee is going to dwarf Matsuzaka’s…

All Things Bubba: Because how can you not love a baseball player named Bubba?

by BubbaFan on Mar 24, 2009 7:09 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Darvish

And he’s a dwarf, which is weird.

by Brian B on Mar 24, 2009 8:59 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

He looks more Elfish

Watched the last couple of innings this morning. Holy shit that was a great game.

by ken on Mar 24, 2009 9:54 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think "Darvish" looks more like "Dwarvish" than "Elvish"

by Brian B on Mar 24, 2009 12:35 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I vote that he becomes a whirling dervish

I miss the old days of the internet when men were men, hot girls were middle aged men, and hot underage girls were FBI agents.....

by jch24 on Mar 24, 2009 1:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

i would like to ask everyone

to raise their glasses for a moment in honor of andromache’s work this past month or so on the WBC. she’s done a hell of a job on this and richly deserves a rousing round of applause. in honor of her efforts, i would like to present to her, on behalf of all of us here at RR, this picture of Yu Darvish with his shirt off: