Cleveland Sports Forum

Puerto Rico awaits DR-Dutch winner in final

After quick turnaround, PR ousts two-time defending champ Japan

By Steven Miller / MLB.com | 3/18/2013 2:20 A.M. ET

Puerto Rico will have a chance to win its first World Baseball Classic title in an 8 p.m. ET final at AT&T Park on Tuesday, two days after it beat two-time champion Japan, 3-1, in a semifinal matchup in San Francisco.

Puerto Rico will play the winner of Monday's second semifinal between the Dominican Republic and the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and both games will be broadcast live on MLB Network and ESPN Deportes. If the Dutch beat the Dominicans, Puerto Rico will be the home team, but if the Dominican Republic wins, it will be the home team against Puerto Rico -- a result of the teams' winning percentages in the tournament.

"You know what? Anything can happen," said Puerto Rican outfielder Alex Rios. "We're trying to take advantage of all the opportunities that we have to [score] some runs, to do everything we can. And there are no small opponents, no large opponents."

Manager Edwin Rodriguez's Puerto Rico squad is 5-3 in the Classic with two losses to the Dominican Republic, which remains unbeaten entering Monday's semifinal. The first loss came in Pool C play in San Juan, Puerto Rico, while the second determined seeding for the Championship Round out of Pool 2 in Miami.

The teams met Saturday, when the Dominicans earned a 2-0 victory, forcing Puerto Rico to make a quick turnaround after a cross-country flight to San Francisco and play Japan on Sunday, while the Dominican Republic rested in advance of its meeting with the Dutch.

The winner of Monday's 9 p.m. ET matchup will have short rest for the final, though, while Puerto Rico can take Monday off after playing on three consecutive days.

"We're talking about advantages, disadvantages. Well, you can't really assure anything in this kind of a championship," Rodriguez said. "Tomorrow, we could be relaxed, maybe watching the game, but I don't think that there's going to be any kind of analysis or report."

Puerto Rico has met the Kingdom of the Netherlands three times before in tournament play -- twice in Pool D of the 2009 Classic and once in Pool C in '06 -- and won each matchup by a combined score of 16-4. While Puerto Rico did not see them play live yet in this tournament, Rodriguez said his club has enough knowledge of the Dutch to be prepared for a matchup with either team in the final.

DR can get payback against Dutch in semifinals

By Joe Frisaro / MLB.com | 3/16/2013 7:01 P.M. ET

MIAMI --

Payback isn't foremost on the minds of the Dominican Republic when it arrives in San Francisco. Winning the World Baseball Classic title is.

It just so happens that the team standing in way of the Dominican Republic is the Kingdom of Netherlands. The two countries meet on Monday at 9 p.m. ET in the second World Baseball Classic semifinal at AT&T Park (watch on MLB Network and ESPN Deportes).

No one from the Dominican has forgotten what occurred in 2009, when a scrappy, underdog Netherlands squad pulled off a monumental upset, beating the Dominican Republic twice and eliminating it in the first round of the Classic.

"I wouldn't call it a debt," Dominican All-Star second baseman Robinson Cano said. "You have to forget what happened in the past."

The determination to bring the Classic championship trophy to the Caribbean is clearly the mission. Having Cano in the middle of the lineup certainly enhances the country's chances.

The Dominican Republic earned a day off by beating Puerto Rico, 2-0, on Saturday at Marlins Park. Puerto Rico will face Japan on Sunday in San Francisco at 9 p.m.

Cano was named the MVP of Round 2, just as he was in the first round.

"The MVP is an individual thing," Cano said. "First of all, Puerto Rico didn't know we had the most valuable players. Once we got to the second round, I wanted to go to the third round. You have to take it game by game. It wasn't only because of me, but also because of our players."

Compared to four years ago, the Dominican Republic is a more determined and driven club than the team that faced the Netherlands in '09.

But the Netherlands isn't a flash in the pan, either. The squad is filled with some exceptional young talent. It just doesn't match the Dominican Republic in terms of star power. Dominican manager Tony Pena can run out Cano, Jose Reyes, Hanley Ramirez, Nelson Cruz, Carlos Santana and Edwin Encarnacion.

Pena's message is what happened before doesn't matter in the win-or-go-home semifinals.

"What's in the past is in the past," Pena said. "We are not thinking about the past, we're thinking about the present."

In Miami, Pena's team clearly played as if it was on a mission. It won all three of its games at Marlins Park, and improved to 6-0 overall.

For the semifinals, Padres right-hander Edinson Volquez will start. The challenge for big league pitchers in the Classic is to be built up to throw meaningful innings weeks before Opening Day.

"I think we did a pretty good job before we got to Spring Training to try to get ready for the WBC," Volquez said. "I think most of the guys over here on our team are ready to play, especially me. I threw a lot of bullpens before I got here."

The Netherlands may not have the depth of proven Major Leaguers as the Dominican Republic, but it has its share of talent. For the semifinals, it has added Rangers top prospect Jurickson Profar to a lineup that already had Braves shortstop Andrelton Simmons.

And if the Netherlands has a lead in the ninth, a proven big leaguer will be taking the ball. Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen has been added to the roster.

"This is going to be my first time playing for them," Profar said. "It's a great honor for me. I'm very happy to be here. You can see right away why they're winning. They have great guys, great manager, great coaches. So I'm proud."

The Netherlands' pitching staff is coached by Hall of Famer Bert Blyleven.

"We have good players," manager Hensley Meulens said. "It was just a matter of, when we played in these tournaments, you play your best game to show people that the way Major League Baseball has expanded themselves all over the world is working. It's given countries an opportunity to show that they can play with any country. So it will be a very special thing for the Netherlands."

Mike Aviles has been having an outstanding Classic so far
Looking for Carlos to come up big against the Netherlands
Giovanni Soto could play a big factor in the championship game

Harper hopes to compete in next Classic

By Jim Hawkins / Special to MLB.com | 03/17/2013 5:50 PM ET

LAKELAND, Fla. --

Bryce Harper, who initially turned down an invitation to play for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic to prepare for his first Major League Opening Day, volunteered to replace David Wright after the Mets' star was injured.

Nationals' manager Davey Johnson said Sunday he would have been fine with that, had it happened.

"I thinks it's a great experience to play for your country," Johnson said. "That's a great honor.

"But he wanted to focus on getting ready for this season," Johnson added. "I think that [the Classic] is something he can look at down the road."

Harper has indicated he would like to play in the next Classic in 2017.

"Four years from now, I think it'll be good," Harper said. "I'll be excited to play. I've been playing for the USA my whole life. Anything I can do to support my country and wear USA across my chest is good for me. I love it."

Needing someone to play third base, Team USA chose Padres third baseman Chase Headley, instead of Harper, to replace the injured Wright. But when Puerto Rico eliminated the United States, it became a moot point.

Harper, who is hitting .409 this spring, started in center field against the Tigers on Sunday and slammed a 420-foot double over Austin Jackson's head and off the wall in straightaway center in the fifth inning.

Ryan Braun

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Johathon LeCroy

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Braun, Lucroy reflect on Classic experience

By Owen Perkins / Special to MLB.com | 03/17/2013 8:05 PM ET


GLENDALE, Ariz. --

There's a dichotomy inherent in Team USA's experience in the World Baseball Classic that both Jonathan Lucroy and Ryan Braun pointed out as they returned to Brewers camp Sunday following elimination Friday from the second round of the tournament.

On one hand, there's a national pride and an unsurpassed atmosphere.

"It was unbelievable -- I've never felt any kind of energy like that ever," Lucroy said. "It was a great experience and a great time. The energy that the Dominican crowds, the Mexican crowds, the Puerto Rican crowds had -- the only thing that rivals that is the playoffs in 2011."

For Braun, there was no luster lost in his second Classic, and he echoed his teammate about the experience of playing for his country.

"It was amazing," Braun said. "Honestly, it was one of the best baseball experiences I've ever had. It's a lot of fun, it's really special. The atmosphere far surpassed any regular-season game I've ever played in. It was just as good as any playoff game, but completely different. The energy, the atmosphere -- a lot of that has to do with the Latin fans. The horns, the drums, the energy, the passion -- all game. It doesn't stop. For our [MLB] games, people get excited when something good or bad happens. But that atmosphere was nonstop."

Mixed in with the euphoria, however, was a profound sense of disappointment for Team USA's continued failure to reach the final and, for the second time in three Classics, missing playing a semifinal game.

"Everybody played their heart out and gave everything they had," Lucroy said. "There's always unfinished business there. Obviously we've gone three times without being in the final, so you want to go back."

Lucroy said he would definitely return if invited again, despite the challenge of finding a time that works for Major League players. Noting most of the other countries play baseball year round and treat the Classic like "their World Series," Team USA's players are focused on preparing for their season. They are not up to speed in early and mid-Spring Training; an extended break during the season would be too intrusive to the majority of Major Leaguers not participating; and playing at the end of an MLB season would be a hard sell for pitchers and other players coming off a 162-game season.

"Everybody's disappointed," Braun said. "It's impossible to be completely prepared, but at the same time, we all knew what we were getting into. By no means are those things a crutch or an excuse as to why we didn't play well, but it's also a fact. We're not where we would be a month or two from now. We lost to Mexico, the Dominican, and Puerto Rico, and all three of those teams were playing All-Star-caliber players on the other side. In short, one-game, playoff-type atmosphere, anything can happen and does happen."

Lucroy was back in the lineup for the Brewers on Sunday after limited game action serving as the backup catcher behind Joe Mauer for most of the tournament. Braun played six full games, however, and will not start for the Brewers before Tuesday or Wednesday.

Santana, DR set for meeting with Dutch

Carlos Santana homered to break a tie with P.R. as D.R. advanced to face the Dutch tonight at 9 ET

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Aviles helps put Puerto Rico in Classic final

Mike Aviles hit an RBI single and scored a run as P.R. reached the Classic final, Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET.

Aviles has been outstanding in these classic games as Puerto Rico becomes Cinderella #2 team in these games. Number 1 still is occupied by the Dutch.

This has been an amazing Classic experience, at least for me.

I have enjoyed it also. It was strange watching the Indians game yesterday and hearing our announcers say that Phelps and others were fighting for the utility Infield job that Donald had.

I would think Aviles has that.

Aviles has to make the team Lou. In my opinion, Aviles is the next best infielder we have after Asdrubal and maybe Kipnis. He's too versatile and too much of a good hitter not to make the team. Another advantage is the fact that he hits from the right side of the plate.

There never was a doubt that Aviles was going to make the team.

Aviles, Raburn ( I would assume they were talking about Raburn battling for the Donald spot), Marson or (possibly Gomes), Giambi or Carrera.

Personally, I think Aviles, Raburn, Marson, and Giambi.

Swisher and Raburn backing up the outfield.

The DR is in: Perfect Dominicans march to final

By John Schlegel / MLB.com | 3/19/2013 12:19 A.M. ET

SAN FRANCISCO --

The Dominican Republic completed its steady march to the World Baseball Classic final with a comeback victory Monday night at AT&T Park, defeating the Kingdom of the Netherlands, 4-1, to advance to the championship game.

The undefeated Dominican team advances to Tuesday's final at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on MLB Network and ESPN Deportes to meet Puerto Rico, a victor over Japan in Sunday's first semifinal.

Two teams with proud and extensive Major League traditions will meet for the championship of the third edition of the Classic, won the first two times by Japan. It is the first final appearance for both the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, and the Dominicans claimed victories over the Puerto Ricans in both pool play and group play in the 2013 tournament.

Dominican starter Edinson Volquez recovered from his difficult first inning to shut down the Dutch through the fifth, earning the victory, while relievers Kelvin Herrera, Pedro Strop and Fernando Rodney -- who celebrated his 36th birthday -- kept the Dutch at bay the rest of the way.

It took the Dominican Republic a few innings to get on the scoreboard against the upstart Dutch, but a four-run rally in the fifth pushed the favorites into the lead.

The Dominicans finally got to Dutch starter Diegomar Markwell with back-to-back doubles with one out in the fifth, getting on the scoreboard when Carlos Santana started the rally with a two-base hit and came around on Moises Sierra's shot down the left-field line.

Jose Reyes followed one out later with a single to drive home Sierra, and the Dominican team had its first lead of the night. After moving to third on a Miguel Tejada single, Reyes scored the third run of the inning on a wild pitch by reliever Tom Stuifbergen. And Tejada scored on an Edwin Encarnacion single, touching home before Robinson Cano was thrown out at third base for the final out.

Before the fifth-inning rally, the Dominicans' quest to exact World Baseball Classic revenge on the Netherlands got off to a bit of a rough start.

The Dutch, who eliminated the Dominicans in the 2009 edition of the tournament, worked a run across the board in the top of the first to take a 1-0 lead, taking advantage of some early control issues for Volquez, the right-handed starter for the San Diego Padres.

Much like in his previous outing against Italy, Volquez had a tough time getting started, walking the first two batters of the game to put a runner in scoring position. Andrelton Simmons, the Dutch shortstop who plays for the Braves, walked on four pitches, and Jurickson Profar, the second baseman from the Rangers who is MLB.com's top-ranked prospect, worked a full count before taking a walk.

After a groundout to Volquez, who chose not to try for the double play at second, put runners on second and third, a slow grounder by Wladimir Balentien back to Volquez scored Simmons from third for the game-opening run.

The top of the first ended on a spectacular leap by left fielder Sierra, a late lineup replacement for Ricardo Nanita, into the stands in left field to snag a long fly ball off the bat of Andruw Jones.

The Dominicans had a couple of early chances that they let slip away. Cano hit a two-out single off Markwell, but Encarnacion hit into a fielder's choice to end the first. Hanley Ramirez drew a leadoff walk against Markwell in the second, but he was caught off first base on a pickoff by the Dutch left-hander, and Markwell induced outs from Nelson Cruz and Santana to end the inning.

After a 1-2-3 top of the third for Volquez that ended with a strikeout of Profar, Reyes blooped a single to center, but that Dominican effort came to an end when Tejada popped out on a two-out bunt attempt.

But Volquez settled down and didn't allow a hit until the fourth inning, when Jones singled up the middle. Volquez allowed just the one run on two hits while striking out five.

Reyes and Tejada each had a pair of hits at the top of the Dominican order, each scoring a run. The Dominican Republic is the first team to reach the Classic final without losing a game in the tournament.

DR takes the fifth, lead with four-run rally in semis

By Andrew Simon / Special to MLB.com | 3/18/2013 11:21 P.M. ET

Kingdom of the Netherlands left-hander Diegomar Markwell managed to shut out the powerful Dominican Republic lineup through the first four innings of Monday night's World Baseball Classic semifinal at San Francisco's AT&T Park.

But the D.R.'s potent attack sprang to life in the fifth, with catcher Carlos Santana igniting a four-run rally that quickly erased the Netherlands' 1-0 advantage.

The soft-tossing Markwell had surrendered only two hits -- both singles -- before Santana pulled a hard grounder down the left-field line for a double. Moises Sierra then went down and got a Markwell breaking ball, hooking a line drive into the left-field corner for a game-tying double.

One out later, Jose Reyes -- facing Markwell for a third time -- dropped a soft RBI single in front of center fielder Roger Bernadina for a 2-1 lead. After Miguel Tejada's single chased Markwell, Reyes scored on a wild pitch by reliever Tom Stuifbergen, who then walked Robinson Cano intentionally.

Edwin Encarnacion capped the rally with an RBI single, as Tejada crossed the plate before Cano was thrown out at third.

This time, a Moises makes the catch

By Barry M. Bloom / MLB.com | 3/18/2013 9:32 P.M. ET

SAN FRANCISCO --


History refused to repeat itself Monday.

Dominican Republic left fielder Moises Sierra dove in the seats down the line at AT&T Park in a semifinal game of the World Baseball Classic to grab a pop fly hit by Andruw Jones, ending the first inning with Kingdom of the Netherlands leading, 1-0.

Sierra avoided a fan in the stands who was angling to grab the ball with his glove.

The play was eerily similar to the one that occurred in the top of the seventh inning of Game 6 of the 2003 National League Championship Series between the Cubs and Marlins when Luis Castillo lifted a pop down the left-field line at Wrigley Field.

Another left fielder named Moises -- in that case Moises Alou -- hustled toward the brick wall in an attempt to make the catch, but the ball was deflected by Steve Bartman, a Cubs fan. The Cubs were leading, 3-0, at the time and had a chance to clinch the pennant by winning that game. Instead, the Marlins came roaring back in the inning, won that night and the series in seven games.

Alou, ironically, is the general manager of the Dominican team in the Classic.

Starter Edinson Volquez opened Monday's game by walking the first two Dutch hitters, who advanced to second and third on a grounder tapped to the right of the mound. Andrelton Simmons scored on Wladimir Balentien's grounder to short. Jurickson Profar moved to third.

Jones popped the fourth pitch of his at-bat toward the stands and Sierra, a late lineup replacement for Ricardo Nanita, raced toward the low railing down the line. This time, the fan missed the ball and Sierra made the catch.