LA Consequential! Classic semis tonight, Tuesday
Hollywood setting fits, as two of tourney's top story lines converge in first semifinal

Go ahead. Catch your breath.

Following the exhilarating, draining way in which Team USA advanced to Dodger Stadium late Saturday night, with Adam Jones sailing into the California night to give manager Jim Leyland's team its signature victory, the schedule-makers kindly built a day of rest into the schedule for the World Baseball Classic.

Anyone participating in or closely following the Classic must need it because the journey from Seoul, Korea, to Dodger Stadium has been quite a ride for all 16 teams. Now it's down to the Final 4, with Team USA looking for its first title in the event and Japan, Puerto Rico and the Netherlands trying to stop it.

It's lose and go home from here on out, and no team has handled this format better than Japan. It won the inaugural Classic in 2006 and repeated in '09, and is trying to get the magic back again.

The first semifinal will be played tonight (9 p.m. ET on MLB.TV and MLB Network), featuring two teams who epitomize both the Classic itself and the growth of baseball around the globe. Team USA will then take on Japan in the other semifinal matchup on Tuesday at 9 p.m., with the winners of the two semis facing off for the title on Wednesday at 9 p.m.

There are two questions to weigh before settling in to watch the Netherlands-Puerto Rico semifinal.

The first is can anyone stop Wladimir Balentien and the high-octane lineup from the Netherlands? Even without Yankees shortstop Didi Gregorius, who left the team Monday due to an injured shoulder, the Dutch lineup is imposing. The other is when was the last time you saw a game with infields that are better defensively than the ones anchored by Puerto Rico's Francisco Lindor and the Netherlands' Andrelton Simmons?

It's the beautiful thing about this intriguing event.

There are some qualities you can see coming, like the quality of these infields, and some storylines, like Balentien being the most productive hitter in a cast that includes the likes of Miguel Cabrera, Nolan Arenado and Robinson Cano, that you just have to see to believe.

"I would like to play 162 games with these guys, because this is a special moment," said Puerto Rico's Carlos Correa, who has moved to third base in a nod to Lindor's brilliance. "We love each other, we take care of each other. We've got each other's back. We are having an incredible moment. I have to go back to Spring Training [when this is over], but this is something very special."
The Classic gets better every time it's held. If you haven't noticed, then check out Monday night's semifinal between the Netherlands and Puerto Rico.

Puerto Rico needs a victory to move on to the championship game for the second consecutive time in this event, which can be maddening for the teams that don't go the distance.

While it would have been great to see teams like the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Korea, Venezuela, Mexico or Israel at Chavez Ravine, can you beat a matchup like Puerto Rico -- with Javier Baez's warrior markings and all those bottle blondes -- going against the one entry representing Europe?

Dutch baseball has a history going back to 1905 and is using some truly homegrown pitchers to back a lineup built around Major League islanders like Xander Bogaerts, Jonathan Schoop, Jurickson Profar and Simmons.

This Kingdom of the Netherlands team was a huge surprise when it knocked off the Dominican Republic to reach the second round in 2009, but it has backed up that success by twice advancing to the championship round.

"This kind of success, it's not a secret anymore," said Netherlands manager Hensley Meulens, who is the Giants' hitting coach. "These guys are proven Major League stars, and hopefully we can win a [couple] more games."
Puerto Rico will be disappointed with anything less than two more victories, which would give it the championship.

It was beaten by the Dominican Republic in the 2013 championship game and has gone 6-0 this year, sweeping the round-robin format in its two pools in Jalisco, Mexico, and San Diego.

When this roll began with an 11-0, mercy-rule stunner against Venezuela, it was a lineup including Yadier Molina, Carlos Beltran, Correa, Lindor and Baez that had our attention. But Edwin Rodriguez's pitchers have been a trump card, allowing only 15 runs to this point.

The highlight was a 3-1 victory over the Dominican Republic last Tuesday at Petco Park. Well-traveled right-hander Orlando Roman and the Twins' Hector Santiago outpitched Carlos Martinez and Hector Neris, both of whom begin 2017 on the All-Star watch list.

"After every game we play as a team, the confidence [keeps] getting better and better," Rodriguez said. "Not only winning, but also the quality of the teams that we've been beating. I mean, we faced Dominican, we faced Venezuela, we faced United States. Quality teams. ... We feel very confident going to L.A. right now."
Beware Balentien. The 32-year-old outfielder from Curacao last played in a Major League game in 2009, but he is on a mission to get a second chance, like the Brewers have granted first baseman Eric Thames after his turn as a star in Korea. Balentien is 13-for-22 with three home runs and a WBC '17-high 10 RBIs for the Netherlands, which went 4-2 in pool play in Seoul and Tokyo.

While the Dutch lineup includes Major Leaguers Bogaerts, Schoop and Profar, it's the Yakult Swallows' Balentien who has earned the cleanup spot. This is no surprise to fans of the Japanese Central League, who cheered Balentien as he hit 60 home runs in 2013.

Balentien was 3-for-4 and homered twice in the Netherlands' last game, a 14-1 elimination-game victory over Cuba last Tuesday. He said he tried to view every at-bat "like it's my last one."

Jorge Lopez, a 24-year-old right-hander who is ranked as the Brewers' No. 13 prospect by MLBPipeline.com, will get the first chance to stop Balentien. Rodriguez said he'll start on Monday, with the Twins' Hector Santiago and Jose Berrios behind him.
While the Dutch lineup includes Major Leaguers Bogaerts, Schoop and Profar, it's the Yakult Swallows' Balentien who has earned the cleanup spot. This is no surprise to fans of the Japanese Central League, who cheered Balentien as he hit 60 home runs in 2013.

Balentien was 3-for-4 and homered twice in the Netherlands' last game, a 14-1 elimination-game victory over Cuba last Tuesday. He said he tried to view every at-bat "like it's my last one."

Jorge Lopez, a 24-year-old right-hander who is ranked as the Brewers' No. 13 prospect by MLBPipeline.com, will get the first chance to stop Balentien. Rodriguez said he'll start on Monday, with the Twins' Hector Santiago and Jose Berrios behind him.
Meulens chose Rick Van Den Hurk to start against Puerto Rico from a trio of options, which also included Dutch league veteran Diegomar Markwell, who shut down Cuba, and former Major Leaguer Jair Jurrjens. Van Den Hurk, who last pitched in the big leagues in 2012, has allowed five runs (all earned) on 10 hits and four walks over seven innings in two starts for the Dutch.

Meulens will also have a huge new option for the late innings.

Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen was a catcher on the 2009 Netherlands team that upset the Dominican Republic. He's arrived from Arizona and will be available to pitch in the semifinals and, if Balentien has anything to say about it, the championship game. So Puerto Rico better do its damage early.
This is going to be fun.

IT JUST KEEPS GETTING BETTER AND BETTER. JOSE COLON AND FRANCISCO LINDOR WITH A HUGE GAME AS PUERTO RICO DEFEATS THE NETHERLANDS 4-3 IN 11 INNINGS. THE TIE BREAKING RULE IN EFFECT. A DOUBLE PLAY KEEPS THE NETHERLANDS FROM SCORING. A SAC FLY BY ROSARIO WINS IT. PUERTO RICO WITH 3 DOUBLE PLAYS IN THE LAST 4 INNINGS. FOLKS! IT JUST DOESN'T GET BETTER THAN THIS. TOMORROW USA VS JAPAN! HOW DO YOU TOP THIS GAME TONIGHT???

Balentien punctuates HR with epic bat flip

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Correa crushes HR, sparks PR in WBC '17
Astros' star hits 441-foot blast, dazzles at third base

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Unbeaten PR walks off vs. Netherlands to final

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Molina catches Netherlands napping on bases

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Jansen makes quick work of P.R. in debut
Dodgers closer retires side, sends Classic semifinal into extras

fter turning a critical double play to end the 10th, Puerto Rico wins and advances to the finals on Eddie Rosario's walk-off sacrifice fly

Unbeaten PR walks off vs. Netherlands to final

LOS ANGELES -- Blonds have more fun, and now they'll have one more game to play.

In a World Baseball Classic classic that featured a little bit of everything -- two extra innings, new rules, spectacular defense, timely hitting, emotional outbursts, multiple replay reviews, long home runs and epic performances by Major League stars -- one team eventually had to win to become the first entrant in the final of the 2017 tournament.

It was the golden-locked men of Puerto Rico, who prevailed, 4-3, in the bottom of the 11th inning on Monday night at Dodger Stadium when Eddie Rosario's sacrifice line drive to center field drove home Carlos Correa, sparking a celebration by first base and ending a marathon that clocked in at 4 hours, 19 minutes, and will be talked about for quite some time in both countries and beyond.

"It means a lot, because Puerto Ricans have gone through a very difficult [economic] situation currently, and we were able to unite our country," Correa said, "because of our blond hair and through baseball."

Puerto Rico will now await the winner of the United States-vs.-Japan matchup set for Tuesday night at 9 ET, and it will play on Wednesday for what it hopes will be its first Classic championship in four attempts. You can watch all championship round games live on MLB.TV and MLB Network. In Wednesday's final at 9 p.m. ET, Puerto Rico, which will start right-hander Seth Lugo of the New York Mets, will be the home team vs. the U.S. should America advance, and if the P.R. meets Japan, the home-road teams will be determined by a coin flip.

"Tonight, they graduated," Puerto Rico manager Edwin Rodriguez said of his young charges. "Tonight, they do deserve to go where we're headed, which is the final game, because they handled the basic fundamentals [of] baseball."

Monday's taut battle was deadlocked through 10 innings, and in the 11th, new rules for the Classic went into effect in which runners were placed on first and second base at the beginning of the frame. After Puerto Rico (and Seattle Mariners) closer Edwin Diaz got out of his jam with a double play to seal a dominant two-inning effort, Puerto Rico, which had Correa on second and Enrique Hernandez on first, greeted Netherlands reliever Loek Van Mil with a sacrifice bunt by Yadier Molina, prompting the Dutch to intentionally walk the next batter, Javier Baez. That loaded the bases for Rosario, whose line drive was deep enough to center that Jurickson Profar's throw didn't have a chance to nail Correa.

"The last [Classic in 2013], I wanted to play, but I was too young," Correa said. "So undoubtedly, I am very happy with having the opportunity. So we are able to finish it on Wednesday."

The game began with an epic first inning, a highlight-reel series of events marked by miscues, outward displays of emotion and two monstrous home runs. After Andrelton Simmons got on base by legging out an infield single and Xander Bogaerts was hit by a pitch by Puerto Rico starter Jorge Lopez, the first of two baserunning mistakes happened when Simmons was caught in a rundown by catcher Molina and tagged between second and third.
Yadier Molina finds Andrelton Simmons straying too far off of second base, and he throws to Francisco Lindor to catch him in a rundown

The next batter, Profar, singled to right field, and after a strong throw home by Rosario kept Bogaerts at third, Profar celebrated his hit by motioning to the Netherlands' dugout while stepping casually back to first base. He did it for a few seconds too many, however. Molina astutely witnessed the moment of careless merriment, gunned Profar out at first base, and then, jumping animatedly in the air, turned to the pro-Puerto Rico crowd in the seats beyond the team's dugout and goaded them to join the party.
While Jurickson Profar celebrates his hit, Yadier Molina finds him too far off the first-base bag and throws over to T.J. Rivera for the out

"Frustrating for me is the mental errors that we committed in the first inning on the bases," Netherlands manager Hensley Meulens said. "We talked to the guys before the game about the experience of Yadier Molina behind the plate and [how] he likes to throw to the bases. … Then Jurickson getting the base hit, celebrating and not getting back to the base, that's unacceptable.

"Those two baserunning blunders cost us more runs in the first inning. That could have been the difference in the game."

But the Netherlands didn't go quietly. After Profar was tagged out, the next batter, Wladimir Balentien, blasted a no-doubt two-run home run into the left-field bleachers, a 422-foot shot that was Balentien's fourth of this World Baseball Classic. Balentien stoked even more emotion by flipping his bat demonstrably and pounding his chest as he began his trot.
Statcast measures the exit velocity and projected distance of Wladimir Balentein's home run

But this wacky inning wasn't close to done. Puerto Rico got the score tied at 2 in relatively quick order and in decidedly less confusing fashion. With one out, Francisco Lindor doubled off Netherlands starter Rick Van Den Hurk and Correa followed with a 441-foot homer into the pavilion in left-center, prompting the Puerto Rico team, led by flag-bearing Hernandez, into another on-field dance party.
Statcast measures the exit velocity and projected distance of Carlos Correa's two-run home run for Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico took the lead in the second inning on a solo home run by first baseman T.J. Rivera, but the Netherlands answered in the fifth, tying the score on an RBI double by Shawn Zarraga. Meanwhile, solid work by both bullpens kept the game close.

In the end, though, it was Puerto Rico partying in its clubhouse and getting ready for whomever might be in its way Wednesday. Correa, for one, said he didn't seem to mind either way.
"I don't prefer any team," Correa said. "Whoever is the opponent, we're going to go out there and try to beat them.
Carlos Correa discusses the two possible opponents for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic final

"So we'll be watching the game, for sure, and we'll be tuning in to see who we're going to face. But it doesn't matter who we face. We're going to be ready.
After loading the bases with an intentional walk, Edwin Diaz gets Curt Smith to hit a ground ball to Javier Baez to start a double play

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED

One crazy inning: The greatness of Molina, the passion of star players wearing their countries' names on the front of their jerseys, the long ball, the very-long ball and the outright bizarre all showed up in the first inning of Monday night's semifinal. When it was all said and done, the first inning came to a close with the score knotted 2-2, Profar had learned a hard lesson about baserunning by a very smart catcher, and the intensity level of the game had already reached a boil.
Yadier Molina puts on a master defensive clinic and delivers with the bat for Team Puerto Rico in the 2017 World Baseball Classic

"For me, that was the game," Rodriguez said. "That first inning that Yadi Molina did what he did, for me, that was the game. Then again, Yadier Molina came to play."

Huge hit for Rivera: Rivera, an infielder in the Mets' system who appeared in 33 games in the Major Leagues last year, got a chance to shine on the world stage and came through. In the second inning, with the game tied at 2, Rivera belted a Van Den Hurk pitch over the wall for the tiebreaking homer, his second long ball of the Classic.
T.J. Rivera gives Team Puerto Rico a 3-2 lead in the 2nd inning with a solo home run to left field

Inches away in the fifth: The Netherlands scored a run in the fifth to tie the game at 3, but the Dutch came inches from scoring two more. First, Balentien's two-out double hit the top of the wall and was less than a foot from being his second homer of the game. Then, after an intentional walk to Jonathan Schoop, Zarraga doubled home Balentien to tie it and Schoop was very close to scoring, save for the almost-impossible tag by defensive legend Molina.
Statcast measures the arm strength of Javier Baez's throw home to retire Jonathan Schoop that ended the bottom of the 5th inning

Battle of the big league closers: Both teams used their closers, who happen to be stars in the Major Leagues, to great effect to keep the game tied late. Netherlands closer Kenley Jansen of the Dodgers, pitching in his home park, struck out the first two batters he faced and then got a groundout for a quick perfect bottom of the ninth. And Diaz struck out the side in order in the top of the 10th before his escape act in the 11th.
Edwin Diaz strikes out the heart of Team Netherlands' lineup in order to keep the game tied in the 10th inning

"I don't put pressure [on myself] when I'm pitching," Diaz said. "I just try to enjoy the moment and be happy on the mound. Anything can happen, but I try to do the best I can and just enjoy the moment."

UPON FURTHER REVIEW

With two outs in the top of the fourth inning and Netherlands designated hitter Curt Smith on first base, Kalian Sams singled to Puerto Rico second baseman Baez, who tossed to shortstop Lindor to try to get Smith diving back to the base. Smith was ruled safe, prompting a challenge by Rodriguez, but the umpires' review confirmed the ruling of safe after 1 minute and 55 seconds.

Then, with one out in the bottom of that inning, Baez was called out while trying to steal third base, but he motioned heatedly for his manager to review the play. Rodriguez did so and the umpires overturned the call after a review of 2 minutes and 6 seconds.
Javier Baez attempts to steal third base and Shawn Zarraga's throw beats him, but Baez makes a nifty slide and is called safe after review

In the top of the fifth, with runners on first and second, Zarraga doubled and Balentien scored, but a solid relay by Puerto Rico left fielder Angel Pagan and second baseman Baez appeared to nail Schoop at home on a nifty tag by Molina. Meulens challenged the play, but the inning-ending out call was confirmed after a 48-second review.

And in the bottom of the fifth, with Pagan on first base, Lindor hit a fielder's-choice grounder to second baseman Schoop, who flipped to Simmons for a called forceout at second. Meulens challenged the play on grounds that Pagan's slide should have been ruled interference and therefore made it a double play, but the umpires upheld the play as called after a review of 1 minute, 10 seconds.

WHAT'S NEXT

Puerto Rico will turn to Lugo, who has won both of his two starts in the tournament and carries a Classic ERA of 2.45 into Wednesday's final. Lugo, went 5-2 with a 2.67 ERA and 1.09 WHIP in his first season in the Majors last year, making 17 appearances, eight of which were starts.

BOX SCORES

http://m.mlb.com/gameday/netherlands-vs ... 486939#Box

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HIGHLIGHTS NETHERLANDS VS PUERTO RICO ABOUT 3 MINUTES

https://youtu.be/Dv5jYmE_G0Y

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HIGHLIGHTS NETHERLANDS VS PUERTO RICO ABOUT 5 MINUTES AND 30 SECONDS

https://youtu.be/Bk3p-xQt7to

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HIGHLIGHTS NETHERLANDS VS PUERTO RICO ABOUT 5 MINUTES AND 40 SECONDS

https://youtu.be/0E3rQh1JDso

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Edwin Diaz will ask Seattle for permission topitch in championship game
He needs clearance after throwing two innings this morning in the semi-final against Holland

Puerto Rican closer Edwin Díaz will request permission from his team in the majors, the Seattle Mariners, to be available to pitch in the World Baseball Classic championship game .

"I'm ready to pitch Wednesday. I will try to talk to the organization to ask permission for Wednesday, as it is the last game and I have a day of rest since tomorrow we are free, "Diaz said at the post-gameh press conference.

Diaz pitched the last two innings in the semi-final game that Puerto Rico won 4-3 against the Netherlands.

Baez's otherworldly play nabs Dutch runner at plate
Puerto Rico second baseman's throw, tracked at nearly 90 mph by Statcast, prevents go-ahead run in semifinal win

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Rosario's sac fly sends PR to title game
Twins' outfielder delivers walk-off RBI in 11th inning

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Puerto Rico eyes crown in Classic run

LOS ANGELES -- If there's a sense of unfinished business from four years ago, Team Puerto Rico doesn't seem to have it. It's back to the championship game of the World Baseball Classic again Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium against a different team, in a different place and in a much different situation.

In 2013 at AT&T Park in San Francisco, Puerto Rico faced a juggernaut of a Dominican Republic team that beat it to win all eight games and the tournament.

This time, it's the Puerto Ricans, who are 7-0 after defeating the Netherlands, 4-3, in a thriller of an 11-inning semifinal game on Monday night.

The winner of Tuesday night's Team USA-Japan semifinal awaits them. Both games are slated for a 9 p.m. ET start on MLB Network and MLB.TV. In Wednesday's final at 9 p.m. ET, Puerto Rico, which will start right-hander Seth Lugo of the New York Mets, will be the home team vs. the U.S. should America advance, and if the P.R. meets Japan, the home-road teams will be determined by a coin flip.

The Netherlands similarly bowed out in a 2013 semifinal game against the raging Dominicans that was hardly as close as Monday night's affair, which ended on Eddie Rosario's bases-loaded sacrifice fly.

And it was Dutch manager Hensley Meulens who gave Puerto Rico the nod to win it all. Japan also stands undefeated at 6-0.

"Well, you've got to give them the advantage," Meulens said. "You know, they've got the undefeated record still. They're going to have a day off Tuesday so they can rest some guys, and then play whoever comes their way on Wednesday. I think they're the strongest team we've faced in the tournament. Obviously, their record indicates that. But I wish them luck. They played a great game, and I wish Japan and USA luck as well."

Puerto Rico won not because of its vaunted power and strong pitching, but because its players did all the little things. It was a festival in Chavez Ravine where a crowd of 24,865 felt more like 50,000. It was joyous. The sound of congas, music and timbales filling the air all evening. It will be the same scene with an even larger crowd on Wednesday night.
Carlos Correa crushes a two-run home run to left-center field, tying the game for Team Puerto Rico in the bottom of the 1st

"This game, it was a great game," said Edwin Rodriguez, Puerto Rico's manager. "It was very well played, both sides. And the defense and execution won the game today. So it was very important for us to be able to bring the fundamentals of baseball. That's what got us the win today. We turned four double plays. We bunted the ball well. We pitched to contact. We made contact with a runner on third, less than two outs.

"So although we've been pretty much overpowering everybody throughout the tournament, today we played very good fundamental baseball, and that's what got us the win."

Ground-ball double plays were key to Puerto Rico squirming out of four of the last five innings. And in the 10th, Edwin Diaz struck out the side. His inside 1-2 pitch to Wladimir Balentien was a tad too close causing Diaz and Balentien to jaw at each other.
Edwin Diaz strikes out the heart of Team Netherlands' lineup in order to keep the game tied in the 10th inning

Tempers flared in what had become a taut and dramatic game. And as it all seemed to be reaching the boiling point, catcher Yadier Molina blocked Balentien from heading to the mound. Plate umpire Lance Barksdale let Molina act as peacekeeper and turned his attention elsewhere. That's something one doesn't see very often.

Molina handles pitchers, picks off baserunners, as he did earlier in the game, but he also generates so much respect for the person he is.
Yadier Molina puts on a master defensive clinic and delivers with the bat for Team Puerto Rico in the 2017 World Baseball Classic

Calm returned. Balentien settled back in the box. Diaz punched him out looking with a nasty pitch just above the knees.

"Well, to me, it's just emotions pouring into that one at-bat," Meulens said. "That's what I take from it. Nothing else."

Puerto Rico had the edge, too, on the rules governing play from the 11th inning on. In the final inning, both teams started with runners automatically on first and second. Both teams bunted the runners over. Both teams walked a batter intentionally to load the bases.

Puerto Rico induced Curt Smith to ground to second into a double play. Rosario slashed a line drive to center, allowing Carlos Correa to score. The throw from Jurickson Profar was off line.
Eddie Rosario sends Team Puerto Rico to the finals of the World Baseball Classic with a walk-off sac fly in the 11th, scoring Carlos Correa

And just like that, like a World Cup soccer game ending on a shootout goal, Puerto Rico had moved on.

"It's not the way I would have done it," Rodriguez said. "What's the hurry? Play it out."

Those are the rules and the remaining three teams will play it out in the same way over the next two games. Japan and the U.S. will certainly knock heads. As far as professional baseball is concerned, they are the pre-eminent baseball playing countries in the world.
Eddie Rosario discusses what it feels like to hit the walk-off sacrifice fly to help send Puerto Rico to the World Baseball Classic finals

Puerto Rico is a U.S. commonwealth with baseball also in its life blood. Roberto Clemente, Roberto Alomar, Orlando Cepeda, Pudge Rodriguez. All Hall of Famers, with Molina on his way.

It doesn't matter who his team plays this time around, Rodriguez said. Japan, U.S., they are two different teams, but professionally they are very much the same.

"From defeat we learned, but we learned more from the great success we had in 2013," Rodriguez said. "In 2013, nobody said we were going to go beyond the first round in Puerto Rico and we were able to reach the final game. We have the talent, we have the staff, and we were able to execute the plays as they should be executed. That's what we learned from 2013.

"I don't have a favorite for Wednesday. Whoever wins, we'll be here ready for them."

MLB Tonight talks about how pitcher Tanner Roark will take the mound for Team USA in their game against Japan in the semifinals

Roark ready for Japan in biggest start of career
Team USA righty set to get call in WBC '17 semifinals

LOS ANGELES -- Nationals right-hander Tanner Roark is starting what he said is the most important game of his career tonight, for Team USA against Japan in the semifinals of the World Baseball Classic at Dodger Stadium.

The winner will play undefeated Puerto Rico, a 4-3 winner over the Netherlands on Tuesday, in the championship game on Wednesday. The Japanese have been there twice, winning the first two Classic titles. The U.S.? Never.

The semifinal and championship games are at 9 p.m. ET and will be broadcast live on MLB Network and MLB.TV.

The biggest game of Roark's career?

"So far, yes, I'd say so, considering the single-elimination nature of it," he said. "We're just going to go out, do our thing, have fun and give it our all."

If the U.S. avenges its 9-4 semifinal loss to the Japanese right here in 2009, Marcus Stroman will get the call in the final. Chris Archer, the top U.S. starter on the staff when the tournament began, will be pitching on his regular six days' spring spacing for the Rays against the Orioles in Sarasota, Fla.
Chris Archer, who just returned to camp from the Classic, discusses the experience as well as how he is preparing for the 2017 season

Archer, who's slated to start Opening Day at Tropicana Field against the Yankees on April 2, was told on Sunday to remain with the Rays.

"I received a message this morning that I am no longer needed to pitch in the final round of the WBC. I will not be leaving camp as I thought," Archer tweeted.
Everything is fine, Team USA manager Jim Leyland said before the U.S worked out on Monday. There's no controversy. Nothing to see here.

"I think this is a good day to get this all out of the way and cleared up," Leyland said. "I want to make it clear to everybody, there are absolutely no issues with the Archer situation. In fact, it absolutely worked out really, really well."

Archer missed the second round of the tournament. He went back to the Rays and threw in a Minor League game on March 16, pitching 4 2/3 innings and 74 pitches against Double-A Chattanooga. He started the first game of the tournament against Colombia in Miami, pitching four perfect innings, striking out three and throwing 41 pitches, a matter that caught Leyland by surprise, he said on Monday.

Leyland had to use seven pitchers that game, which the U.S. won on an Adam Jones walk-off single in the 10th.
Chris Archer throws four flawless innings against Colombia while recording three strikeouts

"The only confusing issue involving the Archer situation for me was the very first game, when he threw 40 pitches and it was four innings and I was assuming that he was going to throw the 65 pitches," Leyland said. "But evidently there was something, some pact between him and his club, the Tampa Bay Rays, that he needed to throw four innings or 65 pitches. That was the only thing that was confusing to me at all.

"So I want to make sure that everybody knows this. There is no controversy here. There are no issues here. We respect him. He wanted to play. He came out, he pitched great for us, and as it turns out, everybody should be happy."

The spacing issues began in the second round, when the U.S. wasn't scheduled to play last Thursday, Archer's throw day. Instead, Leyland started Drew Smyly, Stroman and Danny Duffy in the three games at Petco Park.

Smyly was taken off the roster for the Championship Round and was replaced by Giants closer Mark Melancon. Archer still remains on the U.S. roster.

"Unless you really have to add somebody, because of a slight injury or something, you dance the dance with the guy or girl who brought you," Leyland said. "This team, in a short period of time, has really become a close-knit group of guys. And I think that we've accomplished that one thing, no matter how this turns out."
USA pitcher Tanner Roark discusses his performance against the Dominican Republic

Leyland's philosophy applies to Roark, who hasn't pitched since the second game of the opening round, relieving Stroman in a loss to the Dominican Republic. Roark worked 1 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on three hits and walking two. The Dominicans came from behind in that one.

The U.S. turned the tables on them this past Saturday night in San Diego, coming from behind to beat the Dominicans and move on to the Championship Round for only the second time in the history of the tournament.

Leyland said on Monday that he had no hesitation about starting Roark, whose only postseason experience is a relief appearance for the Nationals in 2014 and a Game 2 start against the Dodgers last October in the National League Division Series. Roark wasn't the pitcher of record in a 5-2 Washington win.

"Well, we piggybacked him in a game, and he struggled a little bit," Leyland said. "He threw 41 pitches. I think he's an outstanding pitcher. He's gotten the short end of the stick a little bit so far, to be honest with you, the way things worked out.

"But he deserves this start. There is no doubt in my mind about it. I feel great about it. He's been a trouper. He signed up for this event, and I'm pitching him. I feel very, very comfortable about it."

Marlon Anderson joins 12:25 Live with Alexa to preview the semifinal game between the United States and Japan in the World Baseball Classic

Team USA one win from Classic breakthrough
Takes on two-time champ Japan in semifinal tonight, 9 p.m. ET

Regardless of how it plays out, Team USA has done itself proud in this World Baseball Classic. That's the thing these players will take with them for the rest of their lives.

To watch the Americans play is to be caught up in their resolve and emotion. In an incredibly short period of time, a bunch of guys from all around the Major Leagues have been transformed into a cohesive, emotional, close-knit team.

This simply does not happen very often, and so it's a tribute to these players and to their manager, Jim Leyland, the guy who filled out 3,499 lineup cards during 22 seasons as a Major League skipper.

"We want this to be a memory for them," Leyland said. "And believe me, it's going to be a memory for them no matter how it turns out. It's been absolutely fantastic."

That it has. The Americans have rallied from two-run deficits in three of their four victories. They let a five-run advantage slip away in one game, dusted themselves off and got an 8-0 victory the next day.

And then, on Saturday night, they delivered one of those moments that surely resonated in the hearts of every baseball fan.

With the game on the line, Adam Jones made one of the great game-saving defensive plays of all-time, leaping against the wall in center and robbing Manny Machado of a home run.
Adam Jones runs to the center-field wall, leaps and robs his O's teammate Manny Machado of a possible homer, who tips his cap out of respect

Now here are the Americans with a chance to do something no Team USA has ever done in the Classic -- play for the gold medal.

That's what's on the line in the U.S.-Japan semifinal game at 9 p.m. ET tonight at Dodger Stadium (on MLB Network and MLB.TV). The winner will play Puerto Rico -- 7-0 in this tournament and the 2013 runner-up -- in the final on Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET, also on MLB Network and MLB.TV.
Robert Flores and Jon Paul Morosi look ahead to Japan and the USA's semifinal, discussing the pitching matchup and more

"As far as atmosphere and energy goes, this is comparable to a playoff game, to a World Series game," Team USA first baseman Eric Hosmer said. "Honestly, as players, this is the type of atmosphere of games you dream about playing in."

In three previous appearances in the World Baseball Classic, the Americans didn't make it to the medal stand.

Every player, manager and coach involved with Team USA is aware of that history. They speak of how close they've come and of the emotions they've felt in games that have been played amid raucous crowds.

"We've got more people on board with the WBC," Jones said. "I think when USA is still in it, I think people are like, 'OK!' They jump on board and think that we can do something special. So hopefully, we can just continue to ride this wave and grind it out."

For the Japanese, this experience is nothing new. They won the World Baseball Classic in 2006 and '09, and they will be making their fourth straight appearance in the semifinals.
Japan is 6-0 this year despite having just one Major Leaguer (Norichika Aoki of the Astros). Japan has had a slightly easier path to the finals, with Korea eliminated in the first round.

But Japan has homered 10 times in six games, and three of those homers are from Yoshimoto Tsutsugoh, the 25-year-old left fielder who led Japan's Pacific League with 44.

Tomoyuki Sugano, the ace of the Yomiuri Giants, will get the ball for Japan. Though Sugano has allowed five earned runs in 8 1/3 innings in the World Baseball Classic, he is coming off a season in which he struck out 189 batters in 183 innings while posting a 2.01 ERA.

With a berth in Wednesday's championship game at stake, Leyland on Monday said he wanted his players to embrace all they've done right and the relationships they've built.
Team USA manager Jim Leyland discusses the club's 6-3 win over the Dominican Republic and advancing in the 2017 World Baseball Classic

In three previous Classics, virtually every American who participated said it was one of the great experiences of their careers -- not just the international competition but being able to see the game from another angle, with a new group of teammates.

"The team that's been assembled, it's just a cohesive unit," Jones said. "Everybody wants to be there for the next person. It's not like an I, I, I. Everything that's been spoken in that clubhouse has been 'we,' and you see the sacrifice the individuals are making for the greater good of this team."

One more victory would make the whole thing even more special. As Hosmer said, "We feel like this is what brings the best out in us."
The World Baseball Classic runs through Wed

FULL GAME HIGHLIGHTS PUERTO RICO 4 NETHERLANDS 3 ABOUT 2 MINUTES AND 30 SECONDS

https://youtu.be/XGMB2yGknY8

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PHOTO GALLERY NETHERLANDS VS PUERTO RICO

Wonder why no major league team is interested Wladimir Balentien???

Mariners clear Diaz for WBC 2017 title game
Closer fired 19 pitches in 2 innings of Puerto Rico's semifinal victory

PEORIA, Ariz. -- The Mariners understandably want to be cautious with their young closer, Edwin Diaz, but general manager Jerry Dipoto has granted permission for Team Puerto Rico to use the hard-throwing right-hander in the World Baseball Classic title game in Los Angeles (Wednesday at 6 p.m. PT, live on MLB.TV and MLB Network).

Diaz threw two innings and was the winning pitcher in Monday's 11-inning semifinal victory over the Netherlands, and he has thrown in four of the team's seven games, racking up a win and two saves in 5 1/3 innings.

Diaz, who celebrates his 23rd birthday on Wednesday, asked the Mariners if they'd allow him to go one more time if the situation arises, and the club agreed after his 19-pitch outing.

"He was electric last night," manager Scott Servais said. "As I said before, he was probably the one who was going to benefit from the WBC more than anybody else, and I think we're seeing that play out. Luckily, he didn't throw too many pitches in that second inning and it all worked out well. I'm sure they'll use him if they need him."

Diaz was hitting 99-100 mph with his fastball in the two-inning performance. He showed that same velocity last year after taking over as Seattle's closer in the final months of the season, when he racked up 88 strikeouts in 51 2/3 innings with 18 saves.

It is unusual for a closer to be used for two innings in the spring or to be quite so amped up this early, but the experience in front of packed houses with emotions running high and big games on the line can't be duplicated, and Servais figures that is invaluable at this point in Diaz's career.

"What he's going through right now should be a big, big benefit for him," Servais said. "The only way to go through that is to experience it, and hopefully we'll benefit from that quite a bit down the road."

Controlling his emotions is part of the process and Diaz displayed plenty of fire in Monday's outing, which included a brief flareup after a pitch high and tight on Wladimir Balentien.

"I don't expect the emotion you're seeing now all the time. If he gets 50 saves this year, are we going to see that 50 times? Probably not," Servais said. "I hope there are some three-run saves in there, too. But we saw some of that last year, with the bases loaded in Anaheim and [Kyle] Seager makes the great play down the line.

"I like players to show emotion. I don't think that's a bad thing at all. If the guys in the other dugout have an issue with it, that's their issue. It's how the game should be played."

The Mariners had 12 players competing in the Classic, but Diaz and Minor League teammate Emilio Pagan -- another reliever for Puerto Rico -- are the only ones still in the tournament.

I thought it never rains in Southern California?? Raining the entire ball game! Last rain out at Dodger stadium was 17 years ago!