Guide to the World Baseball Classic

[jdc69]

USA stinks

[mvp 78]

9 hours ago, jdc69 said:

USA stinks

By rule, they have to give Maduro back now. 

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

8 hours ago, jdc69 said:

USA stinks

I have a confession; I wasn't rooting for them. I just can't root for Judge, who's not a bad guy but always the Number One obstacle for Red Sox fans. Plus, I'm sick of Fox constantly showing him in the dugout whenever he's on quadruple deck or when a teammate does something more noteworthy.

I know the US players care, but a certain arrogant vibe turns me off, like when Skubal commits to participate, then bails on his teammates when they make the playoffs. Everyone can say they understand he has to consider future money and family and agents, but quitting on your team is unacceptable.

And then the MLB-run WBC was going to let USA replace Skubal with another All-Star starter in Joe Ryan? That's just disrespectful to all the other rosters from all the other countries. Teel pulling a hammy and getting replaced by Gasper is legit, but Joe is a no-go -- I'm glad the Twins refused to let DeRosa start him.

I was really just rooting for the Red Sox players on all the teams. But I'm happy for Team Venezuela, and a win that means so much more to them than gold medallions. Especially for their fans, whose passion for baseball comes from a place where football and basketball haven't supplanted it in interest.

Captain Sal Perez, who guided his pitchers in keeping the US offense down, was asked what meant more -- winning the World Series or the WBC. "I love Kansas City," he said, "but tonight we're playing for 30 million people."

[mvp 78]

16 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

I have a confession; I wasn't rooting for them. I just can't root for Judge, who's not a bad guy but always the Number One obstacle for Red Sox fans. Plus, I'm sick of Fox constantly showing him in the dugout whenever he's on quadruple deck or when a teammate does something more noteworthy.

I know the US players care, but a certain arrogant vibe turns me off, like when Skubal commits to participate, then bails on his teammates when they make the playoffs. Everyone can say they understand he has to consider future money and family and agents, but quitting on your team is unacceptable.

And then the MLB-run WBC was going to let USA replace Skubal with another All-Star starter in Joe Ryan? That's just disrespectful to all the other rosters from all the other countries. Teel pulling a hammy and getting replaced by Gasper is legit, but Joe is a no-go -- I'm glad the Twins refused to let DeRosa start him.

I was really just rooting for the Red Sox players on all the teams. But I'm happy for Team Venezuela, and a win that means so much more to them than gold medallions. Especially for their fans, whose passion for baseball comes from a place where football and basketball haven't supplanted it in interest.

Captain Sal Perez, who guided his pitchers in keeping the US offense down, was asked what meant more -- winning the World Series or the WBC. "I love Kansas City," he said, "but tonight we're playing for 30 million people."

1. I agree about rooting for Sox players.

2. I agree about the overall vibe of the US players. To me, it felt like they were being overly serious to hide the fact that they didn't really want to be there (saluting in the OF, bringing in former military guys, not shaking hands) while other teams were just out there having fun. It all felt very forced. Maybe they did care about winning? It didn't seem like it. If they did, they need to find someone else to lead the team instead of DeRosa because that guy is a chump. 

[jad]

My favorite part was listening to some fans complaining hysterically how unfair it was since many Venezuelan players were actually American citizens.   Glad I missed the pro-military part; the giant-flag, camo-wearing chauvinism of American athletes (99% of whom had 'priorities other' than actually serving in the military) is pretty revolting, and I ignore it whenever possible.

[JoeBrady]

44 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

I was really just rooting for the Red Sox players on all the teams. But I'm happy for Team Venezuela, and a win that means so much more to them than gold medallions. Especially for their fans, whose passion for baseball comes from a place where football and basketball haven't supplanted it in interest.

Captain Sal Perez, who guided his pitchers in keeping the US offense down, was asked what meant more -- winning the World Series or the WBC. "I love Kansas City," he said, "but tonight we're playing for 30 million people."

I agree 100% on everything.  A WBC title means more to them than it does to us.  And I loved the dude they interviewed that kept saying 'God is great'.  That sheer outpouring of emotion was great to see.

[JoeBrady]

1 hour ago, mvp 78 said:

By rule, they have to give Maduro back now. 

Or they have to make Venezuela the 51st state.

[bkzwhitestrican]

Bad managing? Offense no showing in a big game?? Judge saying 'We'll get em next time'???

Now I'm ready for the 2026 Yankees season!!

[JoeBrady]

1 hour ago, bkzwhitestrican said:

Bad managing? Offense no showing in a big game?? Judge saying 'We'll get em next time'???

Now I'm ready for the 2026 Yankees season!!

If you don't mind me asking, how did you arrive at your user name?  And Brooklyn is a slum.

Best reagrds,

A Bronx native

[mvp 78]

1 hour ago, JoeBrady said:

Or they have to make Venezuela the 51st state.

No, that'd be if the US won. 

[notin]

2 hours ago, JoeBrady said:

Or they have to make Venezuela the 51st state.

At a minimum, give back the oil tankers we seized.

Not the oil.  Just the tankers…

[notin]

18 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

No, that'd be if the US won. 

Plus they’re behind Puerto Rico, Washington DC, Northern California, Timothy Chalomet, Greenland, and Vermont on the Statehood Waiting List…

[mvp 78]

36 minutes ago, notin said:

Plus they’re behind Puerto Rico, Washington DC, Northern California, Timothy Chalomet, Greenland, and Vermont on the Statehood Waiting List…

Chalamet is suprisingly low on the list!  

[bkzwhitestrican]

6 hours ago, JoeBrady said:

If you don't mind me asking, how did you arrive at your user name?  And Brooklyn is a slum.

Best reagrds,

A Bronx native

That's a secret. 

And if Brooklyn is a slum then the Bronx is a wasteland! 

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Most Home Runs: DR 15, Italy 12, Red Sox Outfield 10...

... three were game-winners: Yoshida, Abreu, Anthony, but another one made a pitcher quit the tournament. Nate!

When Wilyer's HR off Don McLean flew over the fence last night, all I could think of was a song. I started singing Bye-bye Miss American Pie...

[JoeBrady]

5 hours ago, bkzwhitestrican said:

That's a secret. 

And if Brooklyn is a slum then the Bronx is a wasteland! 

Just busting chops.  I had to do bank counts there as a kid.  Half the branches were in areas that it wasn't safe to walk around.  The same areas are now too expensive for me to walk around.

[notin]

23 hours ago, JoeBrady said:

 And Brooklyn is a slum.

Best reagrds,

A Bronx native

Brooklyn a slum?  It’s the Man Bun Capital of the Empire State!!

[notin]

21 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

Chalamet is suprisingly low on the list!  

Bumped down for reasons related to his involvement with the Kardashians.  Also for Wonka…

[mvp 78]

17 minutes ago, notin said:

Brooklyn a slum?  It’s the Man Bun Capital of the Empire State!!

It has some good pizza from what I remember. 

[bkzwhitestrican]

12 hours ago, JoeBrady said:

Just busting chops.  I had to do bank counts there as a kid.  Half the branches were in areas that it wasn't safe to walk around.  The same areas are now too expensive for me to walk around.

There are still a lot of unsafe areas in Brooklyn, mostly eastern Brooklyn. I moved to Queens about seven years ago (Long Island City), but I'm right next to the Pulaski Bridge so I walk into Brooklyn all the time to get food in Greenpoint/Williamsburg. And you're not wrong - everything is expensive. Mexican places charge like $5 per taco, a plain pizza pie is like $25 - $30, and grocery costs are absurdly high to the point where I walk out with a small bag of stuff and I've spent like 50 bucks!

[JoeBrady]

49 minutes ago, bkzwhitestrican said:

There are still a lot of unsafe areas in Brooklyn, mostly eastern Brooklyn. I moved to Queens about seven years ago (Long Island City), but I'm right next to the Pulaski Bridge so I walk into Brooklyn all the time to get food in Greenpoint/Williamsburg. And you're not wrong - everything is expensive. Mexican places charge like $5 per taco, a plain pizza pie is like $25 - $30, and grocery costs are absurdly high to the point where I walk out with a small bag of stuff and I've spent like 50 bucks!

They use to have a Bob Villa type show called Restore America, iirc.  There was an episode where some guy buys a brownstone in Brownsville in Brooklyn.  It wasn't a nice area at the time.  The dude said he loved doing woodwork.  The brownstone had been boarded into an SRO.  This guy took everything apart.  He tore down some drywall and found a marble fireplace behind it.  He removed probably 50 years of paint from a staircase and found out everything underneath was pristine mahogany, both the walls and stair case.  The thing was a palace when he finished.  I still remember that from 20 years ago.

[jdc69]

On 3/18/2026 at 7:12 AM, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

I have a confession; I wasn't rooting for them. I just can't root for Judge, who's not a bad guy but always the Number One obstacle for Red Sox fans. Plus, I'm sick of Fox constantly showing him in the dugout whenever he's on quadruple deck or when a teammate does something more noteworthy.

I know the US players care, but a certain arrogant vibe turns me off, like when Skubal commits to participate, then bails on his teammates when they make the playoffs. Everyone can say they understand he has to consider future money and family and agents, but quitting on your team is unacceptable.

And then the MLB-run WBC was going to let USA replace Skubal with another All-Star starter in Joe Ryan? That's just disrespectful to all the other rosters from all the other countries. Teel pulling a hammy and getting replaced by Gasper is legit, but Joe is a no-go -- I'm glad the Twins refused to let DeRosa start him.

I was really just rooting for the Red Sox players on all the teams. But I'm happy for Team Venezuela, and a win that means so much more to them than gold medallions. Especially for their fans, whose passion for baseball comes from a place where football and basketball haven't supplanted it in interest.

Captain Sal Perez, who guided his pitchers in keeping the US offense down, was asked what meant more -- winning the World Series or the WBC. "I love Kansas City," he said, "but tonight we're playing for 30 million people."

I hear you. I was rooting for them but understand your thinking them arrogant, I agree with that wholeheartedly. I think its why they stink. Giving them the lead back without recording an out after you just tied it shows no fight. Venezuela had all the fight.

[Kimmi]

On 3/18/2026 at 8:12 AM, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

I have a confession; I wasn't rooting for them. I just can't root for Judge, who's not a bad guy but always the Number One obstacle for Red Sox fans. Plus, I'm sick of Fox constantly showing him in the dugout whenever he's on quadruple deck or when a teammate does something more noteworthy.

I know the US players care, but a certain arrogant vibe turns me off, like when Skubal commits to participate, then bails on his teammates when they make the playoffs. Everyone can say they understand he has to consider future money and family and agents, but quitting on your team is unacceptable.

And then the MLB-run WBC was going to let USA replace Skubal with another All-Star starter in Joe Ryan? That's just disrespectful to all the other rosters from all the other countries. Teel pulling a hammy and getting replaced by Gasper is legit, but Joe is a no-go -- I'm glad the Twins refused to let DeRosa start him.

I was really just rooting for the Red Sox players on all the teams. But I'm happy for Team Venezuela, and a win that means so much more to them than gold medallions. Especially for their fans, whose passion for baseball comes from a place where football and basketball haven't supplanted it in interest.

Captain Sal Perez, who guided his pitchers in keeping the US offense down, was asked what meant more -- winning the World Series or the WBC. "I love Kansas City," he said, "but tonight we're playing for 30 million people."

I was pulling for the US to win, but I'm not unhappy that the Venezuelan team won.  A WBC Championship really does seem to mean so much more to them than it would have to the USA team.  So much emotion.  It was nice to see.  Apparently now they can also participate in the upcoming summer Olympics, which they previously hadn't qualified for.

As far as Judge goes, he's very hard to root for.  Thankfully, there will be no more of that.  (I must add, however, that I respect Judge for the type of person that he reportedly is on and off the field.)

[notin]

19 minutes ago, Kimmi said:

 

As far as Judge goes, he's very hard to root for.  Thankfully, there will be no more of that.  (I must add, however, that I respect Judge for the type of person that he reportedly is on and off the field.)

My only gripes with Judge are that he wears pinstripes and crushes Sox’ pitching…

[moonslav59]

15 minutes ago, notin said:

My only gripes with Judge are that he wears pinstripes and crushes Sox’ pitching…

He's a career 1.028 batter and is .894 v BOS.

He's .808 at Fenway.

[Kimmi]

22 hours ago, notin said:

My only gripes with Judge are that he wears pinstripes and crushes Sox’ pitching…

He'd be 100 times easier to root for if he weren't a Yankee.