Anyone gonna watch this thing? Beats watching spring training games I guess.

The teams——

Australia
Canada
China
Chinese Taipei
Colombia
Cuba
Czech Republic
Dominican Republic
Great Britain
Israel
Italy
Japan
Korea
Mexico
Netherlands
Nicaragua
Panama
Puerto Rico
USA
Venezuela

Schedule in link
https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/2023-world-baseball-classic-schedule-dates-teams-times-tv-channel-live-stream-scores-odds/

Here’s the USA’s roster. It looks pretty stacked.


Team USA’s 30-man roster, which will be managed by Mark DeRosa and captained by Mike Trout, features 21 All-Stars, including four MVPs in Trout, Mookie Betts, Paul Goldschmidt and Clayton Kershaw. The final rosters for the entire 20-team field were announced on Thursday evening on MLB Network.

Catchers: Kyle Higashioka (Yankees), J.T. Realmuto (Phillies), Will Smith (Dodgers)

Infielders: Pete Alonso (Mets), Tim Anderson (White Sox), Nolan Arenado (Cardinals), Paul Goldschmidt (Cardinals), Trea Turner (Phillies), Bobby Witt Jr. (Royals)

Outfielders: Mookie Betts (Dodgers), Jeff McNeil (Mets), Cedric Mullins (Orioles), Kyle Schwarber (Phillies), Mike Trout (Angels), Kyle Tucker (Astros)

Pitchers: Jason Adam (Rays), Daniel Bard (Rockies), David Bednar (Pirates), Nestor Cortes^ (Yankees), Kendall Graveman (White Sox), Merrill Kelly (D-backs), Clayton Kershaw^ (Dodgers), Lance Lynn (White Sox), Miles Mikolas (Cardinals), Adam Ottavino (Mets), Ryan Pressly (Astros), Brooks Raley^ (Mets), Brady Singer (Royals), Adam Wainwright (Cardinals), Devin Williams (Brewers)

Team USA having difficulty interesting the best pitchers to participate in WBC out of concern for injury. Claims are that the timing of the tournament interferes with their normal "tune up" routines, potential for stress before they have fully conditioned themselves.

Team USA having difficulty interesting the best pitchers to participate in WBC out of concern for injury. Claims are that the timing of the tournament interferes with their normal "tune up" routines, potential for stress before they have fully conditioned themselves.

The baseball season is so long there’s really no good time for something like this. But if they insist on having a tournament like this and want as much interest as possible, especially in the US, they need to have MLB involved. So using it as a more intensive spring training is probably the best way to go. But if any MLB team has one of their players injured during this thing they’re going to be pretty ticked off.

Just checked in on on the first US game. Up 5-1 on Great Britain after 5.

The baseball season is so long.

LOL, You know? I hate hearing those words, no matter what the context. Usually attached to some spiel proposing to shorten the regular season so that additional tiers of playoff competition can be implemented.

I believe the one good thing the WBC accomplishes, is that it gives lower level prospects the opportunity to be seen while they are filling the spring training slots vacated by the stars who went to play in the WBC

Insane tie breaker rules, IMO.

LOL, You know? I hate hearing those words, no matter what the context. Usually attached to some spiel proposing to shorten the regular season so that additional tiers of playoff competition can be implemented.


Shrug. 162 games is a long season But that’s baseball. A long season of playing almost everyday. The most I could see it dropping is back to the original 154, but I doubt it will.

U.S. getting thumped by Mexico 11-2 right now. Think I’ll pack it in.

Frankly, I have no interest in the World Baseball Classic but with that said I believe Major League Baseball and the MLBPA should embrace the WBC. It should be held in July with the season put on hold until the series concludes. While not important in the U.S. it is very important and very successful in places like Japan, South Korea, Dominican Republic getting staggering Super Bowl like ratings. The growth potential is enormous, it might be the best thing to come along in baseball since Babe Ruth. I don't see taking a break during the season hurting MLB, fewer games could be scheduled once every four years. Let's talk about the 162 game schedule....

The 162 game schedule is a complete farce, it has no competitive relevance whatsoever, it exists only to ripoff season ticketholders, MLB's broadcast partners and worse of all hapless cable subscribers who are stuck subsidizing MLB teams whether they watch or not. In 2022 40% of the teams in the major leagues made the postseason, with only two teams that finished above .500 (the 83 win Orioles of the American League, and the 86
win Brewers of the National League) failing to make the postseason. 162 games are no longer needed when the bar is set that low. I think a schedule of 130 games would be more than enough to determine the top 40% of each league with the season running from the beginning of April to the Labor Day weekend.

U.S. beating the poutine out of Canada, put up a nine spot in the first.

I agree, the wild card format has degraded the game, and should be purged to restore the integrity of the 162 game regular season. But that's not what this thread is about.

Congratulations to Puerto Rico in achieving the first perfect game victory in WBC history, slaying Israel 10-0.

I guess that Israel has some consolation that almost none of the team members is actually from Israel?

Congratulations to Puerto Rico in achieving the first perfect game victory in WBC history, slaying Israel 10-0.


We're sitting shiva for the Israel team.

But if any MLB team has one of their players injured during this thing they’re going to be pretty ticked off.


Uh oh

Dodgers News: Freddie Freeman Out of WBC With Injury, Back With LA Getting Evaluated (https://dodgersnation.com/dodgers-news-freddie-freeman-out-of-wbc-with-injury-back-with-la-getting-evaluated/2023/03/15/)

Congratulations to Puerto Rico in achieving the first perfect game victory in WBC history, slaying Israel 10-0.

I guess that Israel has some consolation that almost none of the team members is actually from Israel?

Oy vey!

cd

U.S. beats Columbia 3-2.

Quarterfinals schedule, one of which is played already

Wednesday, March 15

Cuba 4, Australia 3

Thursday, March 16

Japan vs. Italy, 6 a.m., FS2

Friday, March 17

Puerto Rico vs. Mexico, 7 p.m., FS1

Saturday, March 18

United States vs. Venezuela , 7 p.m., Fox

Unfortunately Edwin Diaz the closer for Puerto Rico and the Mets sustained a season ending injury during the postgame celebration! MLB has been remiss in addressing these over the top celebrations, the pile on, leaping from dugout railings, home plate mob scenes, it's become absurd. This isn't the first injury of this type, hopefully something good can come out if it, limit celebrations to high fives, keep players in the dugout on home runs, this incident turned a victory into a defeat. Set some professional standards for celebrating, MLB and the Players Association need to set some reasonable grounds rules immediately.

Trea Turner’s eighth inning grand slam powers US past Venezuela, 9-7

Semi sked:

Sunday, March 19

Cuba vs. United States, 7 p.m., FS1

Monday, March 20

Japan vs. Mexico, 7 p.m., FS1

Another big name goes down

Astros' José Altuve Needs Surgery for Thumb Injury; Out Indefinitely After 2023 WBC (https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10069365-astros-jose-altuve-needs-surgery-for-thumb-injury-out-indefinitely-after-2023-wbc)

Somebody was saying that the MLB clubs are actually requiring players who participate in the WBC to take out insurance policies to protect the clubs salary obligation if the player becomes unable to play due to WBC related injury? Seems like a smart idea.

The way I heard about this is allegedly the Tigers excused Miguel Cabrera from this requirement, so he could play.

Evidently either the insurance companies thought Cabrera was so injury prone that no one wanted to underwrite him, or the Tigers look at Cabrera's salary this final year of his contract that it's pretty much a "give away" already...

My bet? a little of both.

Somebody was saying that the MLB clubs are actually requiring players who participate in the WBC to take out insurance policies to protect the clubs salary obligation if the player becomes unable to play due to WBC related injury? Seems like a smart idea.

The way I heard about this is allegedly the Tigers excused Miguel Cabrera from this requirement, so he could play.

Evidently either the insurance companies thought Cabrera was so injury prone that no one wanted to underwrite him, or the Tigers look at Cabrera's salary this final year of his contract that it's pretty much a "give away" already...

My bet? a little of both.

This is the way I understand it, the WBC clubs pay the premiums. All players who want to play must submit to a complete physical either they pass and are covered, or they fail and can't be covered in which case they can't play. The insurance covers the salary of the player for a year and is paid to the ball club. If a player is a free agent not affiliated with any major league club he doesn't need the insurance. With respect to Cabrera he failed the physical and was not going to be able to play. The Tigers waived the insurance requirement meaning that they would be stuck for his 2023 salary should he get hurt. In the case of Clay Kershaw (Dodgers) he failed the physical, and the Dodgers were unwilling to waive the insurance requirement. Kershaw tried to get insurance for himself but the cost was too high.

Makes sense, thanks

The U.S. clubbed Cuba 14-2 and Japan scored twice in the bottom of the ninth to edge Mexico 6-5.

Which gives us a Japan- U.S. championship tomorrow night. I believe they said Yu Darvish starts for Japan. Didn’t hear who’s going for U.S.

Japan takes it over the US 3-2.

And sorry for the misinformation yesterday. Darvish did not start.