World Baseball Classic thread

[G-Snarls]

Ouch 12-1

 

Cry

[Stangstag]

Yeah pitcher injury risk is just too great to ever get true top notch international baseball competition.

 

This is about as good as we'll get. And bc North America has their own MLB teams, I just don't see fan interest from Americans or Canadians ever getting as crazy as it does for the other countries.

 

Yeah and fair enough. We are spoiled with having the luxury of watching the best baseball players in the world on any given day. Just head over to the dome after work for $30

[G-Snarls]

Yeah pitcher injury risk is just too great to ever get true top notch international baseball competition.

 

This is about as good as we'll get. And bc North America has their own MLB teams, I just don't see fan interest from Americans or Canadians ever getting as crazy as it does for the other countries.

 

DR and Japan are all in and passionate as Hell

 

Ohtani pitches in this thing

 

So do Alcatra, Valdez and Javier

[Spanky__99]

DR and Japan are all in and passionate as Hell

 

Ohtani pitches in this thing

 

So do Alcatra, Valdez and Javier

 

I still don't see your point. It's up to the player and team.

[Stangstag]

DR and Japan are all in and passionate as Hell

 

Ohtani pitches in this thing

 

So do Alcatra, Valdez and Javier

 

Baseball is more the #1 or at least #2 sport in those countries tho

 

People in Canada and US don’t give a s*** about baseball… at best its the 4th most popular sport.

[Terminator]

DR and Japan are all in and passionate as Hell

 

Ohtani pitches in this thing

 

So do Alcatra, Valdez and Javier

 

Yep, as I said I don't see Americans or Canadians ever getting as crazy for the WBC as those other countries do for the reasons previously stated. That will drive player/pitcher participation for those other countries in a way that won't happen in America or Canada.

[Pendleton]

[JaysAllMighty]

Big game tonight for our 19 years old starting pitcher Mitch Bratt!

 

Poor kid.

[Grant77]

DR and Japan are all in and passionate as Hell

 

Ohtani pitches in this thing

 

So do Alcatra, Valdez and Javier

 

Players in the DR and Japan will get roasted in the media if they don't participate. It's important for the fans and players.

[Laika]

Here is the list of notable non-attendees as far as I can tell:

 

Completely get it

Guerrero Jr (not really Canadian)

Paxton (health)

Soroka (health)

 

Sort of get it

Pop (MLB bubble player with realistic shot to make team)

 

Traitor!

Romano

Taillon

Votto

Pivetta

Charles Leblanc

Josh Naylor

Rowan Wick

Adam Macko

 

Can't really think of any other minor league players who would have helped all that much. Balazovic is a mess. Am I missing any, say, top 200 or 300 prospects who are Canada eligible?

[Stangstag]

Didn’t Naylor say his knee isn’t 100%?

 

Also I understand someone like Taillon that just signed with a new team opting to stick around for spring training

[Grant77]

Here is the list of notable non-attendees as far as I can tell:

 

Completely get it

Guerrero Jr (not really Canadian)

Paxton (health)

Soroka (health)

 

Sort of get it

Pop (MLB bubble player with realistic shot to make team)

 

Traitor!

Romano

Taillon

Votto

Pivetta

Charles Leblanc

Josh Naylor

Rowan Wick

Adam Macko

 

Can't really think of any other minor league players who would have helped all that much. Balazovic is a mess. Am I missing any, say, top 200 or 300 prospects who are Canada eligible?

 

I'm a little surprised that Tyler Black isn't there, but it's possible he just didn't make the roster. Votto gets a pass from me, I'm not sure he's completely healthy and he has always been a steadfast contributor.

[Laika]

Didn’t Naylor say his knee isn’t 100%?

 

Also I understand someone like Taillon that just signed with a new team opting to stick around for spring training

 

If Taillon gets a pass then everybody gets a pass. He just reached the financial finish line - secure for life after a massive FA contract. He's on easy street.

[Laika]

I'm a little surprised that Tyler Black isn't there, but it's possible he just didn't make the roster. Votto gets a pass from me, I'm not sure he's completely healthy and he has always been a steadfast contributor.

 

I guess, but at 39, in the last year of his contract, and with the Reds having nothing to play for this year... you'd think he'd have been game for one last try.

 

But I just looked up his spring stats and am only seeing 2 AB. Looks like they are doing the Brandon Belt slow roll with him. Probably his idea.

[Brownie19]

I don't understand why you are watching or commenting if you don't care about these baseball games.

 

That's just fine, go to bed or watch something else. I do care and I want the players to care about their country. Just leave it at that.

 

I wasn't watching it Grant. I was just trolling on here to get a rise out of you and others. Not everyone is a patriot to this country.

[glory]

Baseball has lost popularity in the US, but I don't think that's why the WBC is not a big deal to most US fans. Baseball is a regional driven game. Yankees fans will watch Yankees games, but not really care about anything else. I think that applies to most baseball fans. I very rarely come across just "baseball" fans. I come across a lot of basketball fans who don't necessarily root for a team but they'll watch games. In baseball it's "I'm a (insert team) fan" and that's it. The only way the WBC gets viewers in the US is if they can get the 'Merica crowd who wants to see Team USA win for national pride, but I don't think the WBC has that sort of impact on the general audience. If every superstar in MLB competed in this I don't think it would make that big of a difference. Maybe if it was the actual Olympics more people would care. I can't speak on Canada's behalf but I'm sure it's the same there.

[The Cats Ass]

I guess, but at 39, in the last year of his contract, and with the Reds having nothing to play for this year... you'd think he'd have been game for one last try.

 

But I just looked up his spring stats and am only seeing 2 AB. Looks like they are doing the Brandon Belt slow roll with him. Probably his idea.

 

Votto will play in 2027. He'll be missing baseball and come out of retirement for the tournament.

[Jonn]

Here is the list of notable non-attendees as far as I can tell:

 

Completely get it

Guerrero Jr (not really Canadian)

Paxton (health)

Soroka (health)

 

Sort of get it

Pop (MLB bubble player with realistic shot to make team)

 

Traitor!

Romano

Taillon

Votto

Pivetta

Charles Leblanc

Josh Naylor

Rowan Wick

Adam Macko

 

Can't really think of any other minor league players who would have helped all that much. Balazovic is a mess. Am I missing any, say, top 200 or 300 prospects who are Canada eligible?

 

Lack of representation from the Canadian players has always been brutal.

 

I remember Russell Martin said he would only play if he could play SS and not Catcher. Canada said no so he didn’t play.

[Laika]

Lack of representation from the Canadian players has always been brutal.

 

I remember Russell Martin said he would only play if he could play SS and not Catcher. Canada said no so he didn’t play.

 

To be holistic, Canada did really well this year at getting most of the best minor leagues to commit.

At least there is a strong position player core. Freeman is amazing to have. The top portion of Canada's lineup can hang with anybody.

[The Cats Ass]

To be holistic, Canada did really well this year at getting most of the best minor leagues to commit.

At least there is a strong position player core. Freeman is amazing to have. The top portion of Canada's lineup can hang with anybody.

 

I don't think going winless and only 3 runs scored last time helped with the recruiting. If they can make the 2nd round it would help for next tournament I think.

[Laika]

I don't think going winless and only 3 runs scored last time helped with the recruiting. If they can make the 2nd round it would help for next tournament I think.

 

Yeah

 

Anyway, to be serious, the key point is getting more player filtering into the ranks. It doesn't actually help IMO to shame the non-commits.

 

If there were more quality Canadians in the league and in the minor leagues then the replacement level would be better. We wouldn't see Aumont, Loewen, and Axford on the roster. We wouldn't see the 19 year old guy barely out of rookie ball with a 91 mph fastball. There will always be non-commits but it just sucks so be replacing them with seniors and babies.

 

The Blue Jays winning a World Series would probably do more for Team Canada Baseball on a ten year timeframe than anything else.

[jaysthebest]

Yer a dumn troll... post history tells a tale.

 

I am sorry I am stating you facts...

[Terminator]

Traitor!

Romano

Taillon

Votto

Pivetta

Charles Leblanc

Josh Naylor

Rowan Wick

Adam Macko

 

I'd probably jail them all except for Romano as Canada's other team needs him in order to win the AL East.

[John_Havok]

Votto is hurt right now, he had some kind of surgery in August last year dealing with rotator cuff and bicep or something.

 

I dont think he's even played in a spring game yet.

[John_Havok]

Almeida looks like he has pretty decent stuff. Suprised he's not in someone's minor league system.

 

He's definitely wild, i think they need to just wait him out.

[Laika]

nice

[Terminator]

great pick and tag by Lopez

[John_Havok]

Impressed by Skirrow so far. Need this outing from him too, Canada could easily lose this game.

[Laika]

Canada and Colombia seem evenly matched. I'm guessing Colombia's issue is also pitching, like Canada's?

 

Their bats might be better than ours. A bit deeper.

[Terminator]

Decades of hair dye have seeped into Ernie Whitt's brain and he's now calling for bunts in the 4th inning in a must win game