world baseball classic

[hotfoot]

us opens with mexico. i can't wait.

[JVO]

I wonder if Vinny Castilla is playing for Mexico? Once upon a time, he was one of my favorite players.

Gonna try to find the rosters.

[False Alarm]

I wonder if Vinny Castilla is playing for Mexico? Once upon a time, he was one of my favorite players.

Gonna try to find the rosters.
hell yeah joe vinny representin. love mario valenzuela too he always be tryin out with the chisox and gettin cut the last week. i mean, mexico won't be a favorite, but their pitchers are good enough to make em dangerous. i hope they do well.

from baseball america:

MEXICO

Outfield: Mexico will be thinnest here, with Karim Garcia as the most reliable producer. The former big leaguer played last season in Japan, batting .307-21-60 for the Orix Buffaloes. He'll likely be joined by Mexican League veterans Mario Valenzuela, who hit .360-31-103 for Saltillo last season, and Luis Garcia, a 30-year-old who hit .353-17-63 for Veracruz.

Infield: A core of big leaguers or near-big leaguers will provide the strength of Mexico's team through the infield. Veteran Vinny Castilla (Padres) winds down his career by getting the chance to play third base for his country, while Erubiel Durazo (Rangers) will be in the lineup either at first base or DH. But the star of the team could be Jorge Cantu, who emerged with a .286-28-117 rookie season for the Devil Rays last year. He'll be at second base, with Benji Gil likely to win the shortstop job.

Catcher: A trio of big leaguers will compete for time, with the Humberto Cota the likely starter. Cota, who is expected to share time with Ryan Doumit in Pittsburgh this season, batted .242-7-43 in 297 at-bats in Pittsburgh last year, and he's a cut above backups Miguel Ojeda, who was traded to the Mariners over the winter, and Geronimo Gil (Orioles).

Bench/DH: Durazo could get time at DH if Mexico wants to give first base to Adrian Gonzalez (Padres), who would provide much better defense. Another DH or pinch-hitting candidate is ageless wonder Matias Carrillo, who hit .360-23-92 in the Mexican League last season and just celebrated his 43rd birthday.

Starters: Lefthander Rigo Beltran, the winning pitcher when Mexico knocked the United States out of the Olympic qualifying tournament in 2004, will be on the staff, but he'll be overshadowed on this team by righthanders Esteban Loaiza (Athletics), Rodrigo Lopez (Orioles) and Ismael Valdez (Marlins) and lefthander Oliver Perez (Pirates). A hot performance by any of those pitchers could make Mexico a pain in any game.

Relievers: Mexico has weapons here too, with righthanders Luis Ayala (Nationals) and Oscar Villarreal (Braves) the likely candidates for closer. Antonio Osuna (Nationals) could provide another useful arm if he's healthy. Ricardo Rincon (Cardinals) will be the team's main lefthanded reliever.

Outlook: Mexico has obvious strengths (infield offense, starting pitching) along with some glaring weaknesses (outfield chief among them), much like the Canadian squad they'll be fighting for the second berth out of the pool that should be won by the United States. The nation has little international baseball history but could write a big chapter by making it to the second round.

[JVO]

I went to a Rockies game a few years back on "Mexican American Night". When Vinnie was introduced the place went absolute ape shit. Everyone had signs and Mexican flags and started singing some Mexican song. It was really cool.

[duckplucker]

everybody is talking about the dominicans.

my $$$ is on venezuela. i think they have the best pitching staff.

[False Alarm]

everybody is talking about the dominicans.

my $$$ is on venezuela. i think they have the best pitching staff.
trudat. and vlad the impaler dropped out for the dominicans.

[JVO]

Alright so I am totally addicted to the World Baseball Classic (good thing too since I was starting to freak out without Curling!). Watched the end of Canada v. US. America had a couple of great opportunities in the 8th but just could not drive anyone home. I am glad they at least came back to make it interesting. If Canada had scored two more runs they would have stopped the game because of the mercy rule. How embarrasing would that have been?!?!? Also watched Puerto Rico v. Netherlands. Never thought about Andrew Jones being Dutch. I decided that I am rooting for Puerto Rico. Yadier Molina is a pick off machine (he has two already!).

viva baseball classic.

[duckplucker]

pedro is out for the doms 2. i think vlad is the best player in the world. cards just got juan encarnacion who is dom so maybe encarnacion will bond will albert and the redbirds will benefit.

i am rooting for puerto rico and pat arni said he is too. molina and coach oquendo!

even though the doms beat venezuela the other day, i dont think its over. colon might have out dueled santana on that day but over the course of the touney the balance of vens staff will have them right in the thick of it.


cant wait for the redbirds!!

[False Alarm]

viva! (http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/news/060310wbcmexcan.html)

much love for esteban.

[hotfoot]

so, i'm confused. why does the u.s. advance with a victory and canada doesn't. both will have won two games and canada won the head to head.

[False Alarm]

cuz it'll actually be a 3-way tie of 2-1 teams, so the tiebreaker's not head to head, it's runs allowed. and canada "would lose a three-way tiebreaker because it yielded 15 runs in games among the tied teams, compared to Mexico (3) and the United States (8).

mexican pitching, bitches!

[hotfoot]

that's why i made loaiza a keeper last year. i thought we were counting the wbc.