2023 World Baseball Classic
- Thread starter Tokyo Sox
- Start date
Man I thought the Venezuelans had us, after they mowed down Mookie, Trout and the heart of the lineup. Was definitely prepared to see the good ship USA go down in flames.
These WBC crowds are a lot easier on the eyes than your average baseball fans. I'm disappointed I missed the Venezuela vs Puerto Rico game.
He's... extremely well known and one of the 5-10 best relievers right now? He won the ROY in 2020 and was an AS last year.
He certainly made it easier. He's got a career era of 2 and strikes out ~15 / 9.
If this result holds, the entire Group of Death (Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Dominican) get shut out of the semifinals. Who'da seen that coming.,
No, because they didn't pitch last night.
If they went over 25 (I think) pitches, or had pitched 2 nights in a row, the would have had to have tomorrow off.
I missed the first 6 innings... did he pull a Bard, basically? Based on his box score line.... no control, wild pitches, walks, had to be pulled? God, I just want him to succeed.
Yup, he did. My daughter (who has little interest in baseball) was mesmerized by his(woeful) performance. It was a classic Bard melt-down.
I looked up that Bracho guy that blew the game for Venezuela on B-Ref, and interestingly his profile picture is with a Red Sox cap. Apparently he pitched in 18 games last season for Worcester.
https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/brachsi01.shtml
https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/brachsi01.shtml
What a fun game. That Turner slam got an audible loud reaction out of me.
I wish US sent better pitchers though
I wish US sent better pitchers though
I mean, Bard was incredible last year and the US used I think 4 current MLB closers in this game, where VEN had to go to Bracho, not a MLBer, who blew the game with that dreadful pitch to Turner.
The trick is that the whole US lineup is "heart of the lineup". While their pitching depth is in question, the position players turned out. All nine starters last night are top/heart of the order guys normally, and so are the bench bats. I mean, they pinch hit for the guy who hit 46 HR last year with a guy who hit 40.
The bar I was watching it at had the NCAA tournament on the other TV but it was on commercial break, so everyone was watching the decisive moment in the game, and exploded into cheers.
It was fun.
While the US starting pitching is what I would calla s light weakness compared to other teams, you are 100% correct about the lineup, and on top of that the bullpen is a major, major strength (last night's Bard meltdown notwithstanding). In a tournament where guys aren't allowed to throw over 65 pitches in an appearance, that can be really important, and I think it has been.