World Baseball Classic

[jasonxctf]

any Sox players (major or minor league) commit yet? I think in 2006, they had 3 players, including Javy, Freddy and Cintron.

 

It would be cool to see guys like Buehrle, Jenks, Thome, Konerko, Dye play for Team USA or Ozzie coaching the Venezuelan team.

[southsideirish71]

any Sox players (major or minor league) commit yet? I think in 2006, they had 3 players, including Javy, Freddy and Cintron.

 

It would be cool to see guys like Buehrle, Jenks, Thome, Konerko, Dye play for Team USA or Ozzie coaching the Venezuelan team.

 

I would rather see none of our players play in it. The extra stress on their bodies, and arms doesn't bode well for the long grind of the season.

 

 

 

[jasonxctf]

ehh maybe hold back on Buehrle or Jenks, but would 15 extra at bats kill Thome, Dye, Konerko, etc? you can't baby these guys.

 

06 had some pretty big names

 

Francouer

C. Jones

A. Jones

Bedard

R. Hernandez

Tejada

Ortiz

Varitek

D. Lee

Zambrano

Griffey Jr

V. Martinez

Francis

Holliday

C. Guillen

Maggs

Polanco

I Rod

D. Willis

Lidge

Colon

Vlad

F. Rodriguez

El Caballo

Liriano

Morneau

Nathan

J. Santana

Beltran

Delgado

J. Reyes

Damon

Jeter

A Rod

Street

Abreau

Bay

Peavy

Piazza

Alou

Vizquel

Beltre

Ichiro

Pujols

Teixera

M. Young

Rios

Wells

Soriano

 

All in all, the following playoff teams in 2006 had the following number of players in the classic.

 

WS champs- St. Louis= 4

AL Champs- Detroit= 10

AL East- NYY= 5

AL Central- MIN= 9

AL West- OAK=4

NL East- NYM= 12

NL West- SD= 6

NL Wild- LAD= 7

[jasonxctf]

just saw this posted on the USA World Baseball Classic website...

 

Possible 2009 Team USA Roster

One possible projection of Team USA's 2009 roster, based on players survey, positional breakdown and certain variables, primarily MLB teams' attitude toward participation by specific players.

Position Name

P Joey Devine

P J.J. Putz

P Brian Fuentes*

P Bobby Jenks

P Mike Gonzalez

P Brad Lidge*

P Cliff Lee

P Joe Nathan*

P Jake Peavy*

P Scot Shields*

P Huston Street*

P Roy Oswalt

P Mike Mussina

P Joe Saunders

C Joe Mauer

C A.J. Pierzynski

C Jason Varitek*

IF Derek Jeter*

IF Chipper Jones*

IF Ryan Howard

IF Alex Rodriguez*

IF Ryan Zimmerman

IF Chase Utley*

IF Michael Young*

OF B.J. Upton

OF Curtis Granderson

OF Raul Ibanez

OF Matt Holliday*

OF Vernon Wells*

OF Ryan Braun

 

[southsideirish71]

ehh maybe hold back on Buehrle or Jenks, but would 15 extra at bats kill Thome, Dye, Konerko, etc? you can't baby these guys.

 

06 had some pretty big names

 

Francouer

C. Jones

A. Jones

Bedard

R. Hernandez

Tejada

Ortiz

Varitek

D. Lee

Zambrano

Griffey Jr

V. Martinez

Francis

Holliday

C. Guillen

Maggs

Polanco

I Rod

D. Willis

Lidge

Colon

Vlad

F. Rodriguez

El Caballo

Liriano

Morneau

Nathan

J. Santana

Beltran

Delgado

J. Reyes

Damon

Jeter

A Rod

Street

Abreau

Bay

Peavy

Piazza

Alou

Vizquel

Beltre

Ichiro

Pujols

Teixera

M. Young

Rios

Wells

Soriano

 

All in all, the following playoff teams in 2006 had the following number of players in the classic.

 

WS champs- St. Louis= 4

AL Champs- Detroit= 10

AL East- NYY= 5

AL Central- MIN= 9

AL West- OAK=4

NL East- NYM= 12

NL West- SD= 6

NL Wild- LAD= 7

 

Its a 162 game season with a almost 2 month prep time for spring training. And you want to add more competitive baseball. Dye, Thome and Konerko are not all spring chickens. The very idea of exposing them to a risk for a meaningless tournament is pointless. Toby Hall played 1st base in one game in ST. How did that work out.

Edited December 20, 2008 by southsideirish71

[DaTank]

I heard that A-Rod was interested in playing for his native Dominican Republic this time around, or at least David Ortiz was pimping that idea out.

 

http://www.nowpublic.com/sports/alex-rodri...aseball-classic

Edited December 20, 2008 by jenks45monster

[SouthsideDon48]

Since they cancelled baseball in future Olympics, I think I'd rather see the WBC take place every 4 years on years that coincides with the Olympics.

 

Perhaps they can just keep scheduling the WBC for every three years until it coincides with the Olympics, then start doing it every 4 years.

 

I believe that would be 2012.

[jasonxctf]

Its a 162 game season with a almost 2 month prep time for spring training. And you want to add more competitive baseball. Dye, Thome and Konerko are not all spring chickens. The very idea of exposing them to a risk for a meaningless tournament is pointless. Toby Hall played 1st base in one game in ST. How did that work out.

 

 

isnt the WBC going on at the same time as Spring Training? Maybe I'm wrong, but I thought you were just replacing an at-bat in Phoenix with an at-bat in the tournament.

[southsideirish71]

isnt the WBC going on at the same time as Spring Training? Maybe I'm wrong, but I thought you were just replacing an at-bat in Phoenix with an at-bat in the tournament.

 

Spring training is about preparing the player for the grind of the season. Have you been to spring training? Players don't play the entire 9 inning. They get their work in and then are done. Sometimes they will play a B game to get ABs. They won't get the same preparation as they would going through traditional ST. Where they start off slow, and then move towards game speed at the end of ST. They lose ABs ( B games + traditional ST games ), the ability to work on specific issues, and the ability to get acclimated with their teammates ( turning double play, etc). When a player plays a ST game its not as competitive as the WBC. Will they push themselves harder too soon because of the competition. Can you tell me Jason, what is the benefits to playing in the WBC for any of our players. Doesn't the risk to the season outweigh the gain.

 

 

[HuskyCaucasian]

I hate the World Baseball Classic. So stupid.

[nitetrain8601]

I think it's a great idea. I would love to represent a country and I love seeing the different styles of baseball. I don't know why so many people object to it. It's the same thing for any other sport, it's about pride.

 

Only in America would a league championship be worth more than a truly world championship. *shakes my head*

[Cubano]

any Sox players (major or minor league) commit yet? I think in 2006, they had 3 players, including Javy, Freddy and Cintron.

 

It would be cool to see guys like Buehrle, Jenks, Thome, Konerko, Dye play for Team USA or Ozzie coaching the Venezuelan team.

 

 

It was about time somebody in here opened a thread about the WBC.

 

USA vs Cuba in the semis = a Cuban victory

 

[witesoxfan]

I heard that A-Rod was interested in playing for his native Dominican Republic this time around, or at least David Ortiz was pimping that idea out.

 

http://www.nowpublic.com/sports/alex-rodri...aseball-classic

 

native Dominican Republic? He was born in New York, he hasn't ever lived in the Dominican Republic.

[DaTank]

native Dominican Republic? He was born in New York, he hasn't ever lived in the Dominican Republic.

 

Actually, he did live in the DR for 3-4 years. Well, I heard 4, but Wikipedia says 3. He also shares dual citizenship IIRC.

 

Rodriguez was born in the Washington Heights section of New York City to a Dominican family. When he was four, Rodriguez and his parents moved to their native Dominican Republic. After the family moved to Miami, Florida three years later, Rodriguez's father announced his intention to move back north to New Jersey for a short time. He never returned, abandoning Rodriguez and his mother. His favorite baseball players when he was growing up were Keith Hernandez, Dale Murphy, and Cal Ripken. His favorite team growing up was the New York Mets.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Rodriguez

 

Edited December 21, 2008 by jenks45monster

[witesoxfan]

Actually, he did live in the DR for 3-4 years. Well, I heard 4, but Wikipedia says 3.

 

 

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Rodriguez

 

k I was wrong, he was still born in the US and resides here now. It's frustrating that a talent like that would play for the DR because he lived there for 3 or 4 years.

[DaTank]

k I was wrong, he was still born in the US and resides here now. It's frustrating that a talent like that would play for the DR because he lived there for 3 or 4 years.

 

Yeah, as if the Dominican team wasn't already stacked without him.

Edited December 21, 2008 by jenks45monster

[SoxFan1]

k I was wrong, he was still born in the US and resides here now. It's frustrating that a talent like that would play for the DR because he lived there for 3 or 4 years.

I disagree completely, but A-Rod's wishy-washiness about it makes me understand it, but in other cases, no. You're either one or the other, you choose.

[Cubano]

k I was wrong, he was still born in the US and resides here now. It's frustrating that a talent like that would play for the DR because he lived there for 3 or 4 years.

 

It is frustrating for me to watch how the Cuban government exclude Cuban exiles from participating with their country. It is frustrating for me to watch how MLB is in bed with the Cuban government to exclude Cuban players playing for other nations when the eligibility criteria is so flexible and ridiculous.

 

MLB has always been full of ...

Edited December 21, 2008 by Cubano

[Cubano]

Mexicans are trying to convince Quentin to play for them. I have read it in the Mexican media.

[DaTank]

Mexicans are trying to convince Quentin to play for them. I have read it in the Mexican media.

 

Are you serious? Quentin was born in California and did all of his schooling here, and I don't think he ever lived there. I guess he could actually play for them if he wanted to, sort of like how Mike Piazza played for Italy in '06.

[jasonxctf]

last time there were 14 pitchers and 3 catchers, etc for the USA team.

 

the most # of AB's any USA player had was 21

The most # of innings and USA player pitched was 8.2 which was Clemens over 2 starts

 

So the playing time is nearly equal to Spring Training where a starter will go 3 innings or so.

 

[Cubano]

Are you serious? Quentin was born in California and did all of his schooling here, and I don't think he ever lived there. I guess he could actually play for them if he wanted to, sort of like how Mike Piazza played for Italy in '06.

 

 

Not only Mexico is looking for Mr. Quentin, but also for Ethier, Dan Haren, etc.

 

http://impreso.milenio.com/node/8103974

 

 

I call these players mercenaries. The same thing goes for Alex Rodriguez and Mike Piazza. Where are the Mexican players in MLB, USA AAA, AA, Mexican AAA?

Edited December 21, 2008 by Cubano

[Cubano]

Evan Longoria, Éric Chávez and Michael Young will be asked to represent Mexico too.

 

http://purobeisbol.com.mx/content/view/314/

Edited December 21, 2008 by Cubano

[Cubano]

You do not believe me! Here is your boy Quentin again.

 

Titán" González and his brother Edgar, brothers Jerry and Scott Hairston, brothers Andy and Adam LaRoche, Cantú, Quentín, Rod Barajas (born in Canada), Eric Chávez, Andre Ethier, Manny Parra, Johnny Estrada and Nomar Garciaparra.

 

http://purobeisbol.com.mx/content/view/354/

Edited December 21, 2008 by Cubano

[DaTank]

You do not believe me! Here is your boy Quentin again.

 

Titán" González and his brother Edgar, brothers Jerry and Scott Hairston, brothers Andy and Adam LaRoche, Cantú, Quentín, Rod Barajas (born in Canada), Eric Chávez, Andre Ethier, Manny Parra, Johnny Estrada and Nomar Garciaparra.

 

http://purobeisbol.com.mx/content/view/354/

 

Wow, I would actually be surprised if half of these guys actually qualify to play for them though.