World Baseball Classic Discussion

[yeszir]

The championship is on at 9/8c tonight for those who forgot.

[Moose]

I actually did.

[a700hitter]

Maybe the rest of the World is interested, but there seems to be very little interest in the US.

[jsinger121]

Maybe the rest of the World is interested, but there seems to be very little interest in the US.

 

And you base this on what?

[a700hitter]

And you base this on what?

Is this where I respond that I know very few people who are talking about it, and you criticize me for saying that my little world is not indicative of a lack of interest in the WBC? Please spare me. The hardcore sports fans at work aren't talking about it. It has generated little or no interest among the sports fans at my neighborhood bar. I don't hear much interest by the casual fans or the hardcore fans. I was at ST in Ft.Myers for a week, and I didn't hear much buzz about it in the stands. It's not even a big topic on Sports Talk radio. This may not be a scientific, statistical survey, but I do hear buzz in these same places about Opening Day and the NCAA tournament. I don't expect big US ratings on the Championship game tonight even though it has virtually no competition.

[jsinger121]

You may not like it but its a lot more entertaining then watching a Spring Training game. Many people have criticized this tournament and it has become a success in many fans eyes not only in the United States but around the world. Obviously there are things that need to be improved like changing some of the tiebreakers as well as matchups in the later rounds. The WBC should have the winners of each pool play the 2nd place team from the opposite pool like they do in hockey. It would make things alot more interesting so they would not be playing the same team multiple times.

[MC Hammer]

Is this where I respond that I know very few people who are talking about it, and you criticize me for saying that my little world is not indicative of a lack of interest in the WBC? Please spare me. The hardcore sports fans at work aren't talking about it. It has generated little or no interest among the sports fans at my neighborhood bar. I don't hear much interest by the casual fans or the hardcore fans. I was at ST in Ft.Myers for a week, and I didn't hear much buzz about it in the stands. It's not even a big topic on Sports Talk radio. This may not be a scientific, statistical survey, but I do hear buzz in these same places about Opening Day and the NCAA tournament. I don't expect big US ratings on the Championship game tonight even though it has virtually no competition.

Thats exactly the reason you haven't heard a lot about it. There's not a lot of room for any kind of discussion besides March Madness. When you throw in the start of the season there is little to no room on talk shows for WBC talk. Just because people aren't talking about something doesn't mean it's not popular. How often do you hear about Nascar? Yet millions and millions of people in this country love it.

[a700hitter]

Thats exactly the reason you haven't heard a lot about it. There's not a lot of room for any kind of discussion besides March Madness. When you throw in the start of the season there is little to no room on talk shows for WBC talk. Just because people aren't talking about something doesn't mean it's not popular. How often do you hear about Nascar? Yet millions and millions of people in this country love it.

Nascar is not as popular in NYC as it is in most of the country, but honestly, even though I live in NY and work in NYC, I have heard just about as much about Nascar as the WBC. Diehard baseball fans like the people on these boards are interested in the WBC, but we are hardly a representative cross-section of the the US or even of sports fans. We are sick baseball fanatics. Ordinary people and normal fans in the US just don't care. The TV ratings have been and will bear out my observations.

 

BTW I'd rather watch Red Sox prospects at ST than trying to figure out which Lee is which while watching a game against South Korea. 5 Lees and 3 Kims, that was pretty wild.

[yeszir]

Damn meaningless NCAA game in double overtime taking WBC championship time.

[Optimist]

24 > W B C

[Sox Fan on Cape]

Damn meaningless NCAA game in double overtime taking WBC championship time.

The WBC has been totally screwed, waiting till 2-3 am to watch a game that I already heard the resuls of is a joke.

[yeszir]

24 > W B C

Jack dies.

[Sox Fan on Cape]

Damn meaningless NCAA game in double overtime taking WBC championship time.

MLB teams either have or will buy, recruit or have them defect. In other words , owned.

[jsinger121]

6-5 Japan going to the top of the 9th. Cuba is the home team.

[Goalstopper]

i am sure after The WBC has more of these events and U.S go into the championship it will be a big event. possibly more than march madness.will take some time but will happen in about 30 years.

[jsinger121]

Japan wins the first World Baseball Classic 10-6 over Cuba.

 

Great sportsmanship between Japan and Cuba as they shook each others hands after the game.

[kreinbihl34]

i am sure after The WBC has more of these events and U.S go into the championship it will be a big event. possibly more than march madness.will take some time but will happen in about 30 years.

 

Never will it match the feeling of March Madness... I like baseball alot but basketball will always be my first love.

[Beckett95]

Daisuke Matsuzaka Stats

 

WBC tournament MVP, went 3-0 with an era of 1.38 in the tournament. Considered to be Japans best pitcher and hes one of the only pitchers in the world to throw a "gyroball". Its a ridiculous pitch which none of the MLB players have seen before.

 

Gyroball stuff--

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=jp-gyro031306&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

http://www.robneyer.com/book_04_gyroball.html

http://www.rotoauthority.com/2005/08/mlb_deep_2006_f.html

 

hopefully the sox go after him at the start of free agency next year. He's reportedly interested in 4 teams: Red Sox, Mariners, Athletics and Yankees

[26 to 6]

Its going to be interesting what happens with Matsuzaka next year. Matsuzaka is like the Roger Clemens, if you will, of NPB. He's the top, elite starter over there and has been very good the last few years. No way does Seibu win the Nippon Series two seasons ago if not for him.

[Beckett95]

http://www.rotoauthority.com/2005/10/top_50_baseball_2.html

 

at the beggining of free agency, rotoauthority had Matsuzaka as the #2 best free agent available behind Roger. Hopefully he comes over next year

[26 to 6]

http://www.rotoauthority.com/2005/10/top_50_baseball_2.html

 

at the beggining of free agency, rotoauthority had Matsuzaka as the #2 best free agent available behind Roger. Hopefully he comes over next year

He will.

 

He wanted to come over this year I believe, but the Lions didnt want to post him. So since he'll be able to next year without the consent of his team, he will definately be coming over.