Running around to Give you the Reacharound

3.15.2009

3 Quick Notes on the WBC

1. Team USA was mercy-ruled 11-1 by Puerto Rico last night, and needs to beat the Netherlands today in order to avoid elimination. WHERE HAS ALL THE CAMARADERIE GONE!?!?!

2. Of interest to Braves (and Padres, i suppose) fans: Jake Peavy's ERA thus far is 14.40 in four innings pitched. Javier Vazquez has a 0.96 ERA in eight innings of work.

3. Think the WBC has no cache? Check out this facinating read on the controversy surrounding Team Venezuela. Political drama, media censorship, fans booing their own players and more. I think it's safe to say these games mean quite a bit more to that squad than the U.S. team. Different worlds.

This afternoon it's Cuba/Japan, US/Netherlands and if you love baseball even more than me, Korea/Mexico. Screw Selection Sunday. Tonight might be your last chance to see a Team USA baseball squad for four years. You'll watch plenty of basketball the rest of March.

2 comments:

CoCo said...

The mercy rule made me feel slightly embarrassed as an American.....

Anonymous said...

We beat Venezuela 9-3, I was really hoping we would bounce back with a mercy rule of our own, but I'll take a 9 run beating thus only allowing Venezuela to score with our questionable bullpen at the mound. Oswalt is just retarded, I kind of feel bad for him, he is so much better than the rest of the loser Astros, kind of hope a winning team who needs pitching would pick him up, hey Joe couldn't the Braves use him? I'm sure the 'srtos could use 3 or 4 players in the combination of some veterans and a high prospect or two? Sure wish the Dodgers would pick him, we would more than make up for Penny's Boston departure! Oh well I guess we'll settle for Pedro Martinez, was he insane or what? No comment on the Hakws win over a potential # 3 or 2 seed in the West?