What do y'all think of the World Baseball Classic now that they've released names of MLB players who have volunteered and been selected? I think it's a pretty good idea and gives that international flair that soccer has now with players from different clubs playing for their national team.

I can see a few countries dominating: USA, Cuba, Japan... but eventually, it'll start out like olympic basketball and the Dream Team... no challenge.

12/6/2005 11:12:44 AM

Take a look at the Dominican roster, then rethink that Dream Team statement. It's going to be CLOSE. I don't think we're going to see Dream Team-esque domination because there are already so many incredible players from so many nations, particularly the Latin American ones.

I'm pretty excited about it, though. It should be really fun to watch. Should be some unreal competition.

12/6/2005 11:25:04 AM

^^ I think Larry should ride the pines. His old ass is no match for David Wright.

12/6/2005 11:30:49 AM

I think it's going to be a fun event (as well as a way to spread western culture to those evil other countries... other meaning all the others without abbreviations of USA).

But dream team like status... if you take the aces of all the clubs in america (the American ones) you get a helluva staff. Clemens, Beckett, smoltz, even some of the lesser known ones Oswalt, Hudson, etc... you have a hell of a team. Add that to the bats and gloves and I don't know... it looks like it could be ours to lose.

12/6/2005 11:31:03 AM

The US won't be the favorite, & the Dominican is just better in my opinion.

[Edited on December 6, 2005 at 11:33 AM. Reason : ]

12/6/2005 11:32:18 AM

^^ Oh we'll be tough no doubt.

But have you SEEN the Dominican roster?

David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez, Vlad Guerrero, Albert Pujols, Alfonso Soriano, Miguel Tejada, Adrian Beltre, Robinson Cano, Pedro Martinez and Bartolo Colon.

They could conceivably have SEVEN guys who have hit 40 home runs in the starting line-up.

[Edited on December 6, 2005 at 11:37 AM. Reason : ]

12/6/2005 11:37:03 AM

http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/wbc/rosters.jsp

I love how the Italians are like all Catchers and second baseman. SLOWEST TEAM ON EARTH!

12/6/2005 11:38:58 AM

^ Yeah that Italian team is pretty horrible. Gotta like the offense that the Dominican is sending. Besides all of the big name guys, they've got sleepers like Pedro Feliz, Wily Mo Pena, Ronnie Belliard, and Placido Palanco which are all solid hitters.

The US squad is loaded. I especially like the fact that some of the young studs are there like Utley, Wright, Crawford, and Mauer - makes for a better future nucleus assuming this becomes a regular event.

12/6/2005 11:59:52 AM

I think its a stupid, ridiculous idea which will only result in something bad happening. Its a marketing strategy by MLB to market the game to other countries.

How can you have an interesting tournament when there will be pitch count limits and whatnot? The risks of injury are too great and the effort put forth by players will definitely be less than what it is during MLB play

I'd rather see players healthy and getting ready for something that really counts rather than playing a stupid world baseball classic

12/6/2005 12:03:10 PM

you could say the same thing about all the international soccer tournaments... but they go on and they're a huuge success. Injuries in soccer are MUCH higher than injuries in baseball.

12/6/2005 12:56:30 PM

Look at this pitching staff and tell me that the US is not favorite.

Buehrle, Mark United States CWS
Clemens, Roger United States HOU
Halladay, Roy United States TOR
Isringhausen, Jason United States STL
Leiter, Al United States -- NYY
Lidge, Brad United States HOU
Peavy, Jake United States SD
Pettitte, Andy United States HOU
Ryan, B.J. United States TOR
Sabathia, C.C. United States CLE
Sheets, Ben United States MIL
Smoltz, John United States ATL
Street, Huston United States OAK
Wagner, Billy United States NYM
Wells, Vernon United States TOR
Willis, Dontrelle United States FLA
Zito, Barry United States OAK

12/6/2005 1:16:49 PM

andruw jones is such a badass, mlb would make it andruw vs. the world. jokes aside, i think the usa and Dominican are the best. I also think a-rod should play for his birth country or be deported.

12/6/2005 2:25:43 PM

^^Chris Carpenter??? I sure hope he pitches, bit if he doesn't more rest so he can dominate for the Cardinals more.

Quote :

"Wells, Vernon United States TOR "

Not a pitcher dude, you are thinkin of fatass David Wells.

[Edited on December 6, 2005 at 3:15 PM. Reason : .]

12/6/2005 3:14:24 PM

^oops, forgot to delete him when I copied the master roster.

12/6/2005 3:20:57 PM

What the fuck is Al Leiter doing on that list? I have a better chance of getting some outs than his old ass. I bet they put him on the team as kind of a chemistry type guy since he is well liked, is a vetern, etc.

He better not actually pitch unless we have a 10+ run lead.

12/6/2005 4:10:39 PM

Quote :

"Look at this pitching staff and tell me that the US is not favorite."

because any of those pitchers have to face the dominican lineup, which features...
Adrian Beltre, Vlad, Manny, ARod, David Ortiz, Tejada, Alfonso Soriano, Ron Belliard, Pujols, Robinson Cano, etc...

we're talking about he greatest batting lineup of all time. and they still have Pero and Bartolo Colon to pitch.

12/6/2005 6:24:10 PM

ARod can go to hell. What the fuck. If you can't play for your birth country, then GTFO.

12/6/2005 7:04:28 PM

^i said that about 6 post up

12/6/2005 7:12:56 PM

^ I was agreeing two posts ago.

12/6/2005 7:57:41 PM

Curious,

If the USA don't win, will you take this competition seriously?

12/6/2005 9:38:59 PM

I will. I think it's a fantastic idea. It's about time that we drop the name "World Series" when only 2 countries participate. I'm curious to see how other nations shape up.

12/7/2005 10:08:04 AM

Quote :

"It's about time that we drop the name "World Series" when only 2 countries 1 country participates."

12/7/2005 11:20:02 AM

Canada?

Oh I gotcha. They're not a real country. When 90% of your population lives within 10 miles of another country and 90% of your land is tundra, you don't deserve 'nation' status.

12/7/2005 1:04:47 PM

I as watching outside the lines last night and the topic was on this. It is said that since it is a world sanctioned event that it would use olympic drug testing. Do you think that selig is doing this to get the big time players together so he will be able to test them tougher then mlb does or is it to just celebrate the game.

12/7/2005 2:04:06 PM

^ I doubt Olympic drug testing is his ulterior motive. Obviously that is a side benefit to Selig and the owners. I really believe Selig is trying to market baseball to the countries where it is gaining in popularity like the hispanic countries and asian countries since it is not growing much in the States anymore.

Did anyone read that ESPN article in the mag about steriods in baseball - good read.

[Edited on December 7, 2005 at 2:50 PM. Reason : o]

12/7/2005 2:49:38 PM

^i feel the same way. It is mainly for the baseball, but selig has a hidden motive in the testing

12/7/2005 3:22:09 PM

Quote :

"NEW YORK - Cuba won't be allowed to send a team to next year's inaugural World Baseball Classic, the U.S. government told event organizers Wednesday."

Weak. Ok, I'm not supporting this at all. Fuck that. That's fucked up. Let them play.

12/14/2005 9:55:13 PM

is this format similar to the world cup with pools and such?

12/14/2005 10:00:12 PM

I actually don't know... don't really care either. I'm boycotting.

12/14/2005 10:03:02 PM

wonder who will replace cuba, i vote for england just because it would be hilarious to watch them get slammed

12/14/2005 10:05:38 PM

^^^

yes it is similar in the fact that there are pools followed by a single elimination tournament for the top 8 teams

12/15/2005 3:50:12 AM

MLB said they'll appeal the Cuba exclusion, which means they're going to be giving out some money.

MLB will probably invite someone like Nicaragua if Cuba remains kept out.

12/15/2005 7:08:42 AM

Cuba has one of the better teams... if you leave them out, you really can't call it a "World" baseball classic.

It'll be like playing the Colts in the Super Bowl while Manning is out hurt. Yeah, you might win, but did you really?

12/15/2005 9:22:12 AM

Quote :

"I also think a-rod should play for his birth country or be deported."

USA vs Dominican, the finals in this thing are going to be sick

[Edited on December 15, 2005 at 12:19 PM. Reason : .]

12/15/2005 12:15:42 PM

I saw on Fox Sports that A-Rod has decided to sit out in order to not offend either country. He is such a pussy and is afraid to offend anyone. Curt Schilling should give him some lessons on how to not be a bitch.

In other news, apparently Mexico wants Nomar and Horacio Rameriz to play for their team because both player's parents are Mexican citizens. I never took Nomar for a Mexican.

[Edited on December 16, 2005 at 12:20 PM. Reason : s]

12/16/2005 12:20:23 PM

ahahha

horacio ramirez

aren't there ANY mexican pitchers

12/16/2005 12:37:35 PM

gee, i always thought he was italian [/savedbythebell]

12/16/2005 1:02:45 PM

^^ What Baseball America came up with (at the All-Star Break):

SP—Esteban Loiaza (Nationals)
SP—Oliver Perez (Pirates)
SP—Rodrigo Lopez (Orioles)
SP—Elmer Dessens (Dodgers)
RP—Luis Ayala (Nationals)

Other than Cubans that live in Florida that vote, what reason is there to not allow Cuba in this tournament but yet allow China?

[Edited on December 16, 2005 at 8:55 PM. Reason : .]

12/16/2005 8:52:19 PM

looks like a-rod wants to play now

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2280183

1/4/2006 3:58:21 PM

Quote :

"NEW YORK - Cuba will be allowed to play in the World Baseball Classic, after all. ADVERTISEMENT The U.S. Treasury Department issued a license Friday allowing the Cubans to participate in the 16-team tournament, a government and a baseball official said. The pair spoke on condition of anonymity because an official announcement had not been made."

Yay, my boycott ends.

1/20/2006 11:15:48 AM

Team Venezuela looks pretty nasty

watch out for them niggas

my fav's on the team:

Bobby Abreu
Betancourt
MIGUEL "BEST PLAYER IN BASEBALL" CABRERA
Mig. Cairo
GUSTAVO FUCKING CHACIN
Freddy
Gonzo
CARLOS FUCKING GUILLEN
Izturis
Vic. Martinez
MELVIN FUCKING MORA
Maggs
Rincon
Rivera
JOHAN FCUKING SANTANA
Vizquel
THE FUCKING ZAMBRANO BROTHERS


...I'm pretty happy with our rotation. J. Santana, V. Zambrano, C. Zambrano, F. Garcia, G. Chacin (sunglasses and all),

[Edited on January 20, 2006 at 12:15 PM. Reason : ,]

1/20/2006 12:12:06 PM