World Baseball Classic

[TitoFan]

Doesn't look good for P.R. right now. Down 4-1 and the U.S. is still batting in the bottom of the 8th. Barring a miracle, we'll (Puerto Rico) will facing Italy tomorrow in a "do-or-die" game.

[boozeboxer]

Doesn't look good for P.R. right now. Down 4-1 and the U.S. is still batting in the bottom of the 8th. Barring a miracle, we'll (Puerto Rico) will facing Italy tomorrow in a "do-or-die" game.

Italy is a team that really surprised me. You wouldn't think Italy would have a team at all!

[TitoFan]

I know what you mean. Italy is the Cinderella story in the WBC right now. And that's one thing I love about these international competitions. Every once in awhile, a team will come out of nowhere and capture everyone's imagination. Of course, they're playing Puerto Rico tonight in an elimination game. So I'm kinda hoping the clock strikes midnight and the carriage turns into a pumpkin.

[TitoFan]

Whew!

Great comeback by the Puerto Rican team to eliminate Italy 4-3. Italy goes home, but they definitely have nothing to be ashamed of. They lost two nailbiting, one-run games to two established baseball powerhouses, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. This is gonna do a lot for baseball popularity in Italy.

For Puerto Rico, it's a one day rest to wait for the loser of tomorrow's game between the U.S. and the Dominican Republic.
So for now, we're still alive. "Vamos boricua!!"

[TitoFan]

It's the U.S. vs the Dominican Republic tonight in what should be a hell of a matchup.
The winner goes directly to the semi-finals in San Francisco, where Japan and the Netherlands are already waiting.
The loser plays Puerto Rico tomorrow night in yet another elimination game, and a second spot in the semi-finals.

I'm enjoying this Baseball Classic!

[boozeboxer]

I hope our pitcher Tim Collins gets to show off a little.

[TitoFan]

@boozeboxer , did you watch any of the last couple of games? Damn! Those were pretty much all close, exciting games. I think the interest in the WBC has increased several times over. Even the major leaguers from the U.S. team, typically lackadaisical about the event, are expressing more interest. Especially team leaders like David Wright, who was sorely missed in the U.S.'s last 2 games.

What stands out to the U.S. players is the amount of fans, the cheering, and the celebrations of the teams that have played in the event.

Both teams eliminated in the 2nd round of Pool B (the U.S. and Italy) lost two 1-run ballgames. Well no... scratch that. The U.S. lost 3-1 against the DR, and 4-3 against Puerto Rico. Italy lost 5-4 against the DR, and 4-3 against Puerto Rico.

It sucks for the U.S. team, but I'm ecstatic about Puerto Rico getting into the semifinals. Of the 4 teams there: Japan, Netherlands, Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico.... only the Netherlands is surprising to me. I've would've expected to see the U.S. there, or Cuba, or Venezuela.

Be that as it may, I'm glad to see the Caribbean well represented in the semifinals of the World Baseball Classic.