36 thoughts on “March 19, 2013: WBC Final”

  1. Rochester lost to Pawtucket yesterday 7-1. Scott Diamond started and pitched two shutout innings, giving up one hit and striking out three. It was a rough game for Alex Meyer, as he gave up seven runs on ten hits in three innings. Outfielder Antoan Richardson had two hits and is 7-for-13 over five games.

  2. After receiving 8 responses, it looks like the best time for the fantasy baseball draft is late night on a Saturday. Accordingly, unless I get more complaints about this time that I got responses to the survey, I'll move the draft to this Saturday at 9:00 PM.

    Also, keepers have been approved and placed in the proper round (I hope), so please review yours and let me know if I made a mistake.

  3. Did anyone else see the end of the Celtics/Heat game last night? Man, the Heat are very, very good. I mean, really. good.

  4. Big advert in the Sac Bee this morning: $5 bleacher tickets to the WBC finale tonight (while supplies last). I wish I could. Also, rain in the forecast.

  7. USA Today rates the announcers that will call the tournament. Money quote:

    8. Marv Albert

    A few days ago, my wife was watching a rerun of Friends that featured Brad Pitt as a guest star. He was funny, he was magnetic, he was handsome. In other words, he was Brad Pitt. Still, there was something that felt off. Brad Pitt doesn't belong on a sitcom. He's a movie star. That's the way I feel listening to Marv Albert call a college basketball game.

    1. They nailed #1. It's a travesty every single year that Nantz/Packer or Nantz/Kellogg get top billing over the best two-person in all of sports.

    2. It sounds a little overblown, and they had a good enough record last year that I am confident they'll find one way or another to qualify for the WC. I also think that having Landon Donovan back in the mix could help quite a bit. Their Hex schedule is back-loaded with home games, so I was expecting that things wouldn't look too great 4-5 games in, but they should be able to take care of business in the end.

      Of course, I always felt like Bob Bradley was a little underrated, even though I supported a coaching change. Keeping the same coach on for consecutive WC cycles doesn't seem to work that well (see 2006, for example), even if I'm not overwhelmed by Klinsmann's credentials.

      There's still only so much talent that the USMNT has to call on and to me, that is the main thing holding back the USMNT. On the one hand, I hear the complaints about the German-born Americans and I see how that can cause some locker room friction, but on the other hand, where are the US-born Americans that are obviously more talented and should take up their spots? I'm not convinced that Boca would have made a huge difference in the Honduras away game, and Cameron/Gonzalez didn't seem like an outrageous CB pairing to me. They could end up starting in Brazil if the US qualifies for the WC, and if that's the case, they need to start playing together at some point.

      It does seem like Klinsmann is over-obsessed with the secrecy of his lineups. Even if his lineups leak a day ahead of time, I don't think that really helps the opposing side gain a significant advantage. As a coach, you don't have to cater to the players' every whim, but you can throw them a bone every now and then.

    1. Jimmy Gobble! Runny Hern!
      The ballot seems stacked to assure Bo's admission.

      But where's Andrew Sisco? Where's Gil Ga Meche?
      Are Jeremy Affeldt and R. Miekeljohn MacDougal already in? Above Bo?
      I assume some of them, plus Brian Bannister must not have been off the team long enough yet be eligible.
      And are Ambiorix Burgos's kidnapping and attempted murder conviction going to keep him off the ballot forever?

    2. The Runny hashtag is #VoteHernandez ? What about other people who want to support their local candidates with that name?
      #VoteRunelvys would be hard to misconstrue.

      Maybe that's how Emil Brown's showing got to be so high.

    4. That's such a serious nostalgia trip for the early 00's "Bad Royals" teams.
      I just discovered that Shawn Camp is still active! Last year, pitching for the Cubs: 80 appearances (league-leading), 77.2 IP, 3.59 ERA.
      Over the past five years (the preceding four with the Jays), Camp has pitched in 316 games, 335.1 IP, 3.62 ERA, 1.321 WHIP, 116 ERA+, 3.1 WAR, 5.9 K/9

      He's two years older than me and those five seasons are teh five best he's had since have been his Royals debut.

          1. Let the dead enshrine their own dead, but go and preach the HOF case of Gobble.

            I need to go to sleep. I don't mean that Jose, I enjoyed your time on the Royals immensely. R.I.P.
            Two seasons with the KCRs, 2003 and 2005. 2005, he had 32 starts, 6.99 ERA, 5-16 record, ERA+ of 63, -1.8 bWAR.

    1. 5 innings, 2 H, 3 BB, 5K. 2WP. Induced a GIDP.
      76 pitches, 46 for strikes.

      I couldn't leave him if I tried.

      1. I think you can blame the rain for the 2 WP. Really good movement on his breaking pitches tonight. Me likey.

    1. I watched a lot of that game. ESPN announcers guy spent at least 5 minutes talking up the Kentucky recruiting class for next year (the best ever in college basketball history!!!). Kentucky was down by 12 points at the time. The excuses ESPN announcer guys were talking about were hilarious (they are a #1 seed, but have to play on the road! the gym is small and seats only 3500 people! its really hot in the gym!)
      It was like watching a game on the Big Ten Network when the home team is losing to NW South Montana State Tech. The announcers dont even acknowledge the smaller school.

      1. "Smaller School" undersells it. They were beaten by one man!
        Bob Morris was lucky he didn't foul out.
        Not sure about the rules, but that must count as a forfeit, right?

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