Puerto Rico pummels United States 11-1 .

[NateGrey]

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http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2009/0314/mlb_g_dunn1_200.jpg

 

 

 

MIAMI -- Ivan Rodriguez was in the clubhouse putting on his catching gear when his teammates started spilling out of the dugout in celebration. When Rodriguez returned to the bench, he was surprised to see it barren.

 

"I thought somebody got hit or there was a fight or something," Rodriguez said. "Then I saw the United States team walking back to the dugout and I said, 'Oh my God, it's a knockout.'"

 

 

It wasn't just a knockout; it was more like throwing in the towel in Saturday's second-round opener of the World Baseball Classic. Puerto Rico beat Team USA 11-1, the game called in seven innings because of the mercy rule. With one more loss, the Americans will be out of the tournament, a fate they vowed not to repeat after they failed to make it out of the second round in 2006. They will try to avoid that fate when they face the Netherlands on Sunday night.

 

"The only word that comes to mind is 'embarrassment,'" said Team USA left fielder Adam Dunn. "That's unacceptable, that's uncalled for, that's embarrassing. To go out and play like that, you get what you deserve."

 

When Puerto Rico second baseman Felipe Lopez -- who went 2-for-4 with three RBIs -- crossed the plate as the 11th run, players started spilling out of the dugout in celebration, gathering near first base. At first, the Americans had no idea what had happened. All of them were aware of the mercy rule -- a game is called when a team is ahead by 10 runs after seven innings -- but it hadn't sunk in that it had just happened to them.

 

"It didn't register until I turned around and saw their team on the field," said second baseman Mark DeRosa.

 

The night began in Puerto Rico's favor. Although the game was played in the U.S., at Dolphin Stadium, the Florida Marlins' home field, the crowd was largely pro-Puerto Rico. And that shouldn't have come as a surprise, since Puerto Ricans are a growing population in South Florida. Their team wasted no time in asserting itself, scoring six runs off starter Jake Peavy in the first two innings.

 

"There was a lot of excitement from the outset," Puerto Rico manager Jose Oquendo said. "And the guys played ball as they should: aggressively."

 

The pre-tournament discussion about favorites seemed to include Japan, the Dominican Republic, Team USA and Cuba -- not Oquendo's club filled with mostly major leaguers. But Puerto Rico is one of only two undefeated teams left in the WBC (along with Cuba), and is playing fundamentally sound baseball.

 

The Puerto Ricans have yet to commit an error in the tournament, and haven't had a wild pitch or a passed ball. They've given teams little hope of capitalizing on mistakes, dominating on both sides of the ball. Entering Saturday's game, the pitching staff had a 0.33 ERA (second only to the Dominicans) while hitting .316 as a team, good for fifth. Contrast that to the Americans, whose staff ERA was 5.33.

 

"Tonight we had a good night," Carlos Beltran said. "We pitched, we played good defense, we hit -- everything turned out well."

 

What must have U.S. manager Davey Johnson been thinking when he arrived in the dugout by the second inning? Johnson attended his stepson's wedding in St. Petersburg, Fla., before the game, and flew back to Miami when it ended early.

 

"Maybe I should have stayed longer," he said.

 

Now his team will oppose the Netherlands, which lost its opening game on Saturday, 3-1 to Venezuela. But the strength of the Netherlands is in its pitching, and that's what the Team USA lineup likely does not need to face right now, having scored four runs in its past two games.

 

Earlier in the week, Johnson was reflective about his time managing the Netherlands team in 2003, and he was asked, putting all those good feelings aside, what he would like to see as an outcome.

 

"I want to take the mercy rule to them," he said.

 

Who would have known that just a few days later that same fate would befall Johnson's own team?

 

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> http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/worldclassic2009/news/story?id=3981398

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[BoSox21]

heh

[Cocos Disciples]

Fascinating stuff, really.

[ORS]

I thought the best part was how it was centered. So important if you want the story to be compelling and rich.

[Cocos Disciples]

I thought the best part was how it was centered. So important if you want the story to be compelling and rich.

 

And the blank space at the bottom really left room for interpretation.

[CrespoBlows]

Empty. Almost completely empty.

[Dipre]

Don't know if anyone else noticed....but Adam Dunn looks JUST like Will Ferrell in that picture.

[CrespoBlows]

The pitcher on the mound works for the Department of Justice. (In the Netherlands)

[ORS]

Rematch on MLB Network. Youk just hit a complete bomb to put the US up 3-1.

[ORS]

I hate Ted Lilly. Always good when he's playing my team, always sucks when I want him to do well. Douche nozzle.

[TheKilo]

3 runs in the 9th, USA advances to the semifinals

[Keeper]

That was a great finish. Suck on that, Puerto Rico.

[Teddyballgame10]

Hey guys, I've had no opinion on the WBC until today. Before today I hoped for it to succeed because I love rooting for the Nats in the World Cup. The World Cup is something else bringing war torn nations together making them one. Before today I hoped the WBC would become that. Before today I hoped the US would put up a respectable performance and not just dog it like they were being forced to play. Before today I supported Bud and his idea for this tournament. So today the biggest day of the tourney for the US and the game is nowhere to be found on basic cable. It is only broadcast on ESPN Deportes and mlb TV. That is ********. Maybe I was just having to much fun on St.Patty's but the one game I wanted to watch was nowhere to be found on TV. I have to believe this is a money thing. Honestly I have no idea where this money from MLB TV goes to but the fact it was the only available site to watch it on has to do something with MLB making more money. Its like the NFL only showing Thursday night games in the NFL network. Its complete BS. Bud was able to suck me into to remotely caring about the thing and the one big game the US has it blocked because my school doesn't have MLB TV. I loved watching the US pile up at the end of the game and seeming like they care I just wish i could have watched it. Again if I;m just being a moron and the game was on a channel I didn't check I'll never post here again. I'm just severely disappointed that the game Bud promotes so much wasn't available for every American who cared. Maybe I'm just to desperate for the start of the season.

[mtbykr]

Great game tonight! The US guys that are there seem to be loving every minute of it.

[CrespoBlows]

Does anyone get ESPN Deportes?

[schillingouttheks]

Why would that have been on ESPN Deportes? We're in America... show the goddamn game on a channel everyone gets.

 

I couldn't find it either, and maybe I overlooked it as well. But that's ********.

[CrespoBlows]

Clutch, tuff, and gritty Carlos Silva eats a valuable two innings, while Venezuela gets destroyed by Korea.

 

Awful decision.

[David Bowie]

the WBC is f***ing stupid, can we all agree on that

[Mr Crunchy]

The wbc and bud selig should be put to sleep.

[BoSox21]

The rest of the world gets a kick out of it and its good baseball so keep it going