Cleveland Sports Forum

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USA's title defense meets 4-0 Venezuela for spot in semis (7 p.m. ET, FOX)


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Top 10 games in World Baseball Classic history, ranked

Thomas Harrigan

March 17th, 2023

Since its inception, the World Baseball Classic has been baseball's premier international tournament, bringing top stars the world over together on one stage.

Previously held in 2006, 2009, 2013 and 2017, the WBC came back with a vengeance this year, with Mexico's electrifying 5-4 quarterfinal win over Puerto Rico standing out as the best game of the tournament so far.

Over the years, the WBC has given us plenty of big-time performances, unforgettable comebacks and shocking upsets, setting a high bar for iterations to come. Here's a ranking of the top 10 games in World Baseball Classic history.



1) Japan defeats South Korea 5-3 in 10 innings (2009 final)


A crowd of 54,846 witnessed a classic showdown at Dodger Stadium when Japan and South Korea met in the 2009 WBC final. It was a rubber match of sorts for the two countries after Japan eliminated Korea from the 2006 WBC and Korea returned the favor when the two teams matched up in the semifinals at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Japan was one out away from victory in the bottom of the ninth inning before Bum-ho Lee singled home the tying run against Yu Darvish, sending the game to extra innings. However, Ichiro Suzuki played the hero for Japan in the top of the 10th, lacing a two-out, two-strike single to center field that ultimately gave Japan its second straight WBC title.



2) United States defeats Dominican Republic 6-3 (2017 second round)


In a game best remembered for Adam Jones’ iconic catch to rob Manny Machado of a would-be homer in the bottom of the seventh inning, the United States knocked off the Dominican Republic to eliminate the defending WBC champs. With its dramatic loss to the D.R. earlier in the tournament fresh in its mind, Team USA fell behind 2-0 in the first but tied it up in the third and took a 4-2 lead on Giancarlo Stanton’s two-run homer in the fourth, a 117.3-mph missile off the Western Metal Supply Co. building in left field at Petco Park. Machado led off the bottom of the seventh with a deep fly ball that appeared to be headed over the wall in right-center field, but Jones soared through the air for an unforgettable grab, momentarily keeping Team USA’s lead at two runs before Robinson Canó followed with a solo blast to left. The U.S. added some insurance in the top of the eighth and held on for the victory, advancing to the semifinals en route to the WBC title.



3) United States defeats Puerto Rico 6-5 (2009 second round)


Days after Puerto Rico handed the U.S. a humbling mercy-rule loss, the two teams met again with a spot in the semifinals up for grabs. Just when P.R. looked poised for another victory, taking a 5-3 lead into the ninth, Team USA put together a thrilling rally that ended on a walk-off, two-run single from David Wright, who’d earn the nickname “Captain America” for his WBC exploits in 2009 and 2013.




4) Netherlands defeats Dominican Republic 2-1 in 11 innings (2009 first round)


With a loaded roster led by MLB All-Stars such as Robinson Canó, David Ortiz and Hanley Ramírez, the Dominican Republic was the team many expected to win the WBC crown in 2009. But the Netherlands made sure the Dominican team didn’t even make it out of the first round. After the Netherlands edged the D.R. 3-2 earlier in the first round, the two countries matched up again in a win-or-go-home game that saw neither score for the first 10 innings. José Bautista broke the scoreless tie in the top of the 11th, but the Netherlands tied it up on Eugene Kingsale’s RBI single in the bottom of the frame and walked it off after D.R. first baseman Willy Aybar misplayed a sharp grounder behind the bag.



5) Israel defeats South Korea 2-1 in 10 innings (2017 first round)

Making its World Baseball Classic debut, Israel pulled off the biggest upset in WBC history with a dramatic victory over South Korea in Seoul to open the 2017 tournament. Scott Burcham delivered the go-ahead knock for Israel with two outs in the top of the 10th, and Josh Zeid threw three scoreless frames to earn the win. Israel continued its magical run with wins over Chinese Taipei and the Netherlands to advance from Pool A and won its first game of the second round before bowing out with losses to the Netherlands and Japan.



6) Puerto Rico defeats Netherlands 4-3 in 11 innings (2017 semifinal)

While this game went 11 innings, the turning point for Puerto Rico came in the first. The Netherlands jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the opening frame, but P.R.'s deficit could have been much worse if not for catcher Yadier Molina, who threw out two runners on the bases. The first out came after Molina caught Andrelton Simmons straying too far off second base, starting a rundown that ended when Simmons was tagged out between second and third. Jurickson Profar followed with a single to put runners on the corners with one out, but as he celebrated his hit, Molina threw behind him at first base to catch him off the bag. The next batter, Wladimir Balentien, swatted a two-run homer to put the Netherlands on the board, but Puerto Rico quickly knotted it up on a big fly by Carlos Correa in the bottom of the first. The two teams played to a 3-3 tie into extras before Eddie Rosario lifted a sacrifice fly to center field in the 11th, scoring Correa and putting Puerto Rico in the final.



7) Mexico authors a comeback for the ages against Puerto Rico (2023 quarterfinal)

Team Mexico’s quarterfinal matchup against Puerto Rico went about as poorly as it could have gone for them, as Puerto Rico jumped out to an early 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning behind home runs from Javier Báez and Eddie Rosario on back-to-back pitches. But Team Mexico never blinked, thanks in large part to Isaac Parades. After getting Team Mexico on the board with a solo home run in the bottom of the second inning, Parades played hero in the seventh inning in the form of a two-out, two-run single to knot the score at 4 before Mexico took the lead a batter later on a Luis Urías single. Team Mexico was able to hold onto the lead and take home the win, with Randy Arozarena's incredible catch at the warning track and Giovanny Gallegos clinching the save with runners on first and second serving as the highlights from the final innings.



8) Dominican Republic defeats United States 7-5 (2017 first round)

Though the stakes were higher when these two teams squared off in the second round, this game deserves attention as well. After falling behind 5-0, the D.R. fought back to cut Team USA’s lead to two runs and pulled ahead on Nelson Cruz’s three-run homer off Andrew Miller in the bottom of the eighth inning. The win, part of an undefeated opening round for the D.R., made it clear the defending champs were going to be a tough out again.



9) Dominican Republic defeats Colombia 10-3 in 11 innings (2017 first round)

The third game on this list involving the 2017 Dominican team, this one was much closer than the final score makes it seem. Colombia tied the game on Jorge Alfaro's solo homer in the bottom of the eighth and was inches away from dealing the D.R. its first WBC loss since the 2009 tournament, but José Bautista’s accurate throw from left field and Welington Castillo’s slick tag at the plate prevented Oscar Mercado from scoring the game-winning run on a would-be sac fly in the bottom of the ninth. Two innings later, the D.R. erupted for seven runs to put Colombia away and earn its 11th straight WBC victory.



10) Italy defeats Mexico 10-9 (2017 first round)

After an early exit from the 2013 WBC due in part to a shocking loss to Italy in the first round, Mexico saw history repeat itself in the 2017 tournament, this time on its home turf. Facing Italy at Estadio de Béisbol Charros de Jalisco, Mexico took a 9-5 lead into the bottom of the ninth but was unable to put its counterpart away. Italy rallied for five runs, capped by a walk-off, two-run single from John Andreoli, to stun Mexico again.


Honorable mentions

Canada defeats United States 8-6 (2006 first round)

Despite having a roster consisting mostly of Minor Leaguers, Canada stunned heavily favored Team USA in the opening round of the inaugural World Baseball Classic. The Canadian squad raced out to an 8-0 lead, four of them driven in by Adam Stern, who had an inside-the-park homer in the fifth inning.

United States defeats Japan 2-1 (2017 semifinal)

Though it sent the defending champs packing with its win over the Dominican Republic in the second round, Team USA still had work to do to reach its first WBC final. Up next was Japan, unbeaten in its first six games of the tournament. Tanner Roark (four scoreless innings) and five relievers combined to hold Japan to one run on four hits, and the U.S. took the lead in the eighth on Adam Jones’ RBI groundout, continuing its march toward history.

Venezuela defeats Italy 11-10 in 10 innings (2017 first round)

One game after its remarkable comeback win against Mexico, Italy played another thriller, coming out on the losing end against Venezuela. The Venezuelan squad erased a 5-0 deficit and pulled ahead for good on Martín Prado’s 10th-inning double (his fifth hit of the day) after squandering 8-5 and 10-8 leads. The two teams would play again in a tiebreaker game two days later, and Venezuela prevailed in another one-run game after a ninth-inning rally to eliminate Italy and advance to the second round.

Puerto Rico defeats Japan 3-1 (2013 semifinal)

Facing the two-time defending champs, Puerto Rico ensured there wouldn't be a three-peat with a close win over Japan in the 2013 semis. Alex Rios had the big blow for P.R., crushing a two-run homer in the top of the seventh inning.

Dominican Republic defeats United States, 3-1 (2013 second round)

After an early exit from the 2009 World Baseball Classic, the D.R. came back with a vengeance in 2013, winning all eight games it played on its way to its first WBC title. The United States gave the Dominican team one of its toughest matchups, as the two sides played to a 1-1 tie through eight innings in this second-round game. The D.R. rallied against Craig Kimbrel in the top of the ninth, with Erick Aybar and José Reyes delivering RBI singles after Nelson Cruz doubled to lead off the frame.

Dominican Republic defeats Italy 5-4 (2013 second round)

Despite Italy’s best efforts, the Dominican team’s undefeated run through the 2013 WBC continued as it stormed back after falling behind 4-0 in the first inning. After José Reyes and Robinson Canó hit solo homers in the third and sixth, respectively, the D.R. pulled ahead with a three-run seventh capped by Nelson Cruz’s go-ahead single.

Cuba defeats Dominican Republic 3-1 (2006 semifinal)

After narrowly edging Puerto Rico in San Juan to advance to the semifinals, Cuba won another close one against the D.R., scoring three times in the seventh and holding on for the victory to move on to a championship game matchup against Japan.

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Returning Rays still buzzing from Classic atmosphere

March 18, 2023 3:18 PM CDT

ST. PETERSBURG --

There was a buzz in one corner of the Rays’ clubhouse early Saturday morning with Wander Franco, Francisco Mejía and Harold Ramírez back from the World Baseball Classic. They had teammates to catch up with and plenty of stories to tell.

Four Rays players were still active in the Classic as of Saturday afternoon: reliever Jason Adam with Team USA, plus Randy Arozarena (taking the tournament by storm), Isaac Paredes (who had a big game Friday night) and Jonathan Aranda with semifinal-bound Mexico. But four others returned over the past few days: Christian Bethancourt (Panama), then Ramírez (Colombia), then Mejía and Franco (Dominican Republic).

Even with the Dominican club dealt a disappointingly early exit, each player raved about his experience competing on an international stage in high-stakes games in front of crowds that surpassed even what they’ve witnessed in the postseason.

“I don't think I'm ever going to feel nervous again,” Mejía said through interpreter Elvis Martinez. “I think my ears are still ringing from all the noise in the crowd. … It’s like you’re playing in a concert or something.”

Franco, who has played in a pair of postseason series, said the Classic atmosphere was even more intense than the playoffs. Noting the big crowds full of fervent fans, Ramírez said it was “the first time I’ve played in the United States with a game like that.”

“It was definitely a dream come true for any Dominican player to be able to represent the country,” Franco said through interpreter Manny Navarro.

It was a family affair for many players. Franco said his brothers and father were in Miami to watch the Dominican squad. Between games, Bethancourt and his wife played tourist, riding Taiwan’s high-speed rail and trying different food everywhere they went. Ramírez’s parents made the trip to Phoenix to see him play, and he sent his mom home with all his souvenirs: jerseys, baseballs and other Classic memorabilia.

Franco will keep his Dominican Republic uniform. Same for Mejía, who asked All-Star teammates Manny Machado and Juan Soto to sign some gear. Bethancourt saved his uniform, a handful of Classic baseballs and one ball signed by Panama’s entire team.

“Probably the best experience I’ve had in a very long time, other than last year playing in the playoffs for the first time,” Bethancourt said. “I'm very proud of that group that we had. … Then we made history by winning our first ever World Baseball Classic game, so that was so cool.”

More important than any gifts they brought home, though, was the emotional experience of representing their countries.

Bethancourt said he shed some tears when he heard Panama’s national anthem while warming up in the bullpen before the team’s first game. Franco spent a lot of time with Machado, who shared advice about playing under pressure. The magnitude of the moment hit Mejía in his first at-bat against Puerto Rico.

“It was a really good experience, regardless of the results,” Mejía said through Martinez. “I had conversations with a lot of veterans in the clubhouse in the dugout, and I think I did a lot of learning. It didn't end the way that we wanted to, but it was a good experience.”

Shane’s start

Presumptive Opening Day starter Shane McClanahan breezed through a five-inning outing in Tampa Bay’s 3-1 win over a split-squad Boston roster full of prospects and Minor League call-ups.

McClanahan struck out six (including one automatic strikeout on a pitch timer violation), walked two and allowed only two hits: a solo homer, and an infield single that was immediately negated when Taylor Walls started a smooth 5-4-3 double play. The lefty threw 67 pitches, including 42 strikes, and generated 11 swinging strikes while throwing everything in his four-pitch arsenal.

“I feel like I'm in a good spot,” McClanahan said. “I feel like last Spring Training was so short and so quick, and we've had the opportunity in this camp to stretch out and kind of figure some stuff out and not feel so rushed.”

Siri’s speed

Center fielder Jose Siri put his “electric” speed on display in the second inning. Siri smacked a hard ground ball by third baseman Matthew Lugo and reached on an error. He promptly stole second and third, then dashed home when catcher Caleb Hamilton’s throw skipped into the outfield.

Two errors, two stolen bases, one run.

“Special player,” Cash said. “We’re going to win games because of his foot speed.”

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WBC Pool B: Japan Sweeps Through


Thursday, March 9 vs. China

Starting Pitcher: Shohei Ohtani

Leadoff hitter Lars Nootbaar stroked the first pitch he saw into shallow center, and after that, the Chinese starting pitcher threw twelve straight balls, resulting in Nootbaar scoring. Somehow, the road team got out of the first inning without any further damage. Three innings later, Nootbaar and Kensuke Kondoh reached base safely, and Shohei Ohtani, who had finished his evening on the mound with four shutout innings, hit a double to the left-center wall, scoring the two runners. China put up their lone run in the top of the sixth off Shosei Togo, but Team Japan added a run in the seventh (a Shugo Maki solo home run to right) and four in the eighth (Tetsuto Yamada RBI single, Sosuke Genda bases-loaded walk, Takuya Kai 2-RBI double). Japan wins, 8-1!


https://youtu.be/l9MDvVTet54


Friday, March 10 vs. Korea

Starting Pitcher: Yu Darvish

Korea broke open the scoring with a two-run home run off Darvish in the top of the third, followed by an RBI double that same inning. However, in the bottom of the inning, Japan retaliated with four runs: Nootbaar and Kondoh each drove one run in, and Masataka Yoshida brought two home with a single to center. In the fifth, Kondoh led off with a home run, and Yoshida hit a sacrifice fly later in the inning to push the lead to three. After Korea got one back in the top of the sixth (off Shota Imanaga), Japan padded their lead further with five runs: a bases-loaded walk from Kondoh, an RBI single from Ohtani, a sacrifice fly from Munetaka Murakami, and RBI singles from Yoshida and Kazuma Okamoto. They would add two more the next inning on a wild pitch and a bases-loaded walk. Once again, Japan wins handily, 13-4!


https://youtu.be/8OHJ9lRSjuU


Saturday, March 11 vs. Czech Republic

Starting Pitcher: Roki Sasaki

Somehow, the Czechs scored the opening run (coming on an error), and held the lead until the bottom of the third. In that inning, Yoshida hit a two-run double and came home on Tetsuto Yamada’s ensuing single. In the fourth inning, Nootbaar, Kondoh, and Ohtani each collected an RBI hit, and Yoshida picked up his third RBI of the game on a sacrifice fly. In the fifth, the Czechs scored another run (off Hiroya Miyagi), but Japan got it back in the bottom of the frame on back-up player Taisei Makihara’s first RBI of the games. In the bottom of the eighth, Maki hit his second home run of the round robin, and Hotaka Yamakawa hit a sacrifice fly. Another convincing win for Japan, 10-2!


https://youtu.be/m86ECeZOks0


Sunday, March 12 vs. Australia

Starting Pitcher: Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Yamamoto was virtually untouchable, allowing just one hit while striking out 8 in four innings of work. His mates provided him offense before he even stepped on the mound, though. Ohtani hit the deepest home run of the games so far, driving in three runs in the top of the first. In the second, Nootbaar continued to endear himself to the fans by driving in a run, and he also stole a base and scored on Kondoh’s double. In the fourth, Japan added a run on an Ohtani bases-loaded walk, and picked up their final run of the game in the next inning when catcher Yuhei Nakamura stroked a double to right. Australia got its lone run of the game on a ninth-inning home run (off Hiroto Takahashi). Perfect record for Japan, as they win 7-1!


https://youtu.be/A9jn75kxM5w


So there you have it. Up next for Japan is Pool A second-place finisher Italy, The game will take place on Wednesday, as will Cuba vs. Australia. The winners of those games will travel to America to play in the semi-finals against the vanquishers of Pools C and D. We’ll be back with another newsletter at the end of the games. Have a great week!


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Baseball: Japan to face Mexico in WBC semis, Roki Sasaki set to start

KYODO NEWS KYODO NEWS

March 18, 2023 - 20 hours ago

Miami, Fl

MIAMI, Florida (Kyodo) --

Samurai Japan touched down Friday ahead of a World Baseball Classic semifinal showdown against Mexico in Miami, where 21-year-old pitching sensation Roki Sasaki is tipped to start for the two-time champions.

The Lotte Marines star was among the Japan players who took part in the team's first practice after arriving on a charter flight in the early hours.

"We're here to win the championship, so of course I'll do my best to win the next game," Sasaki said of Monday's do-or-die semifinal.

Pool C winner Mexico came back to beat Pool D runner-up Puerto Rico 5-4 in a thrilling quarterfinal Friday at LoanDepot Park, where both semis and the final will also be played.

Trailing 4-2 with two out in the bottom of the seventh, Mexico tied then went ahead on consecutive singles from Isaac Paredes and Luis Urias.

Javier Baez and Eddie Rosario homered back-to-back in the top of the first to give 2017 WBC runner-up Puerto Rico a 4-0 lead that Mexico cut into with runs in the second and fifth.

Puerto Rico rallied to put runners on first and second with two out in the ninth before closer Giovanny Gallegos clinched the save for first-time semifinalist Mexico.

Looking to claim its first WBC crown since 2009, Japan topped Pool B with a perfect 4-0 record before dominating Italy 9-3 in Thursday's quarterfinal at Tokyo Dome.

The tournament's only other unbeaten side, Pool D winner Venezuela, will meet defending champion and Pool C runner-up the United States on Saturday for a place in the following day's semifinal against Cuba.

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What a Turner of events! Go-ahead slam sends USA to semifinals

By Alden Gonzalez ESPN Staff Writer

March 18, 2023 20 minutes ago

MIAMI –

MIAMI -- Trea Turner didn't jog his way to first base. He hopped. Pranced. Flexed. Roared. With his team trailing by two in the eighth inning of its World Baseball Classic quarterfinal game against Venezuela, the Philadelphia Phillies' shortstop and Team USA catalyst unleashed a prodigious grand slam, providing the two-run lead that proved to be the definitive blow in an emotional, back-and-forth 9-7 victory at loanDepot Park on Saturday night.

Team USA, champions the last time the WBC was staged in 2017, will advance to play Cuba in the semifinals on Sunday night.

The U.S. began the game by stringing together five consecutive hits against Texas Rangers left-hander Martin Perez, jumping out to an early three-run lead. After Venezuela cut their deficit to one with a two-run homer by Luis Arraez in the bottom of the first -- his first of two -- the U.S. tacked on a couple of insurance runs with a sacrifice fly by Mookie Betts in the fourth and a solo home run by Kyle Tucker in the fifth.

And shortly after Venezuela captured its first lead with a four-run bottom of the fifth - the product of a disastrous performance by Daniel Bard, who plunked Jose Altuve in the right hand, forcing his exit, and uncorked two wild pitches - they came back for good.

Team USA loaded the bases with none out in the top of the eighth against left-hander Jose Quijada, who surrendered a walk to Tim Anderson, a single to pinch-hitter Pete Alonso and a hit by pitch to J.T. Realmuto. Turner, the $300 million shortstop who bats ninth in this lineup, was up next, prompting Venezuela manager Omar Lopez to turn to right-hander Silvino Bracho. Bracho began the count 0-2 but left a changeup right out over the heart of the plate, and Turner deposited it 407 feet to left field.

Most of Turner's Team USA teammates had spilled out of the dugout by the time the baseball landed. A sold-out crowd followed shortly thereafter. It marked the first time all night that the U.S. cheers had drowned out those for Venezuela.

In the ninth, as Ryan Pressly navigated through a save, the "USA" chants filled the air.

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With one mighty swing, Turner slams USA into semifinals

March 18, 2023 26 minutes ago

MIAMI –

Jason Varitek did it in 2006. David Wright did it in 2013.

A decade had passed since the last Team USA player had hit a grand slam in the World Baseball Classic. And when Trea Turner did it on Saturday night at loanDepot park, he punched the USA’s ticket to the semifinals and handed Venezuela its first loss of the tournament.

https://youtu.be/pFvmlnX9v54

Turner pummeled a 407-foot grand slam to left field on an 0-2 pitch from Silvino Bracho in the eighth inning to send Team USA to the semifinals against Cuba with a 9-7 comeback victory.

USA trailed 7-5 after Venezuela capitalized on the pitching miscues of Daniel Bard for a four-run fifth inning, and Luis Arraez hit his second homer of the game in the seventh.




https://youtu.be/iO_k4ulPJSw

Tim Anderson opened the eighth inning by drawing a walk against José Quijada, and Pete Alonso delivered a pinch-hit single. Quijada hit J.T. Realmuto to load the bases with none out for Turner, who had been 0-for-3 on the evening.

Venezuela called for a pitching change to have Bracho face the shortstop. In an 0-2 count, Turner crushed an 85.5 mph changeup at 103.3 mph deep into the left-field seats.

USA will pursue its quest to win consecutive WBC titles on Sunday night against Cuba (7 p.m. ET on FS1).

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Cuba, US square off for trip to Classic title game (7 p.m. ET, FS1)

Jessica Camerato

12:51 AM CDT

MIAMI -- Following Saturday’s riveting back-and-forth quarterfinals showdown between USA and Venezuela, the U.S. advanced to face Cuba on Sunday night in the World Baseball Classic semifinals (7 ET on FS1).

Right-hander Adam Wainwright of Team USA will take the mound against left-hander Roenis Elías of Team Cuba. Pitching depth will be a factor in this game: Wainwright has not pitched since the Americans' WBC opener, but Team USA called on six relievers on Saturday; Cuba has not played since ousting Australia on Wednesday.



"He's pitched in every big game known to man," USA manager Mark DeRosa said of Wainwright. "We can cover [the innings]. … We have some starters that can go. We'll check with some guys with the potential of maybe going back-to-back days. We'll see tomorrow where that stands."

A win for Team USA would bring it one step closer to defending its WBC title. Meanwhile, Sunday's game is the farthest Cuba has advanced in the World Baseball Classic since it was the runner-up in 2006.

Here are the keys to Sunday’s matchup:

When and where:

Sunday at 7 p.m. ET at loanDepot park in Miami.

How you can watch:

The game between Cuba and Team USA will be live on FS1. Every game can be streamed online in the FOX Sports App. For international viewing options, click here.

How you can listen:

Live audio coverage of all games will be carried on Sirius XM, TuneIn, MLB.com and in the MLB App.

What’s at stake:

The winner will advance to the championship round on Tuesday night (7 ET on FS1). That team will face the victor of the Mexico-Japan semifinal being played Monday at 7 p.m. on FS1.

Matchup history:

This will be the first matchup between Team USA and Cuba.





https://youtu.be/7J9Eo7_MxuI



Key players to watch:

Yoán Moncada, 3B, Cuba:

Moncada enters semifinals action slashing .421/.522/.737 with a 1.259 OPS in the Classic. He hit one of his three WBC doubles in Cuba’s quarterfinals win.


Trea Turner, SS, USA:

Turner has the hot bat in the WBC after belting a game-winning grand slam in the quarterfinals. Less than 24 hours later, he will take the field where he mashed a no-doubter 407 feet out to left field.


[ THIS ONE SHOULD ATTRACT A SELLOUT AND A LOT OF NOISE. MIAMI HAS A VERY LARGE CUBAN PRESENCE. CUBA WILL BE WELL REPRESENTED WITH WIHTE SOX PLAYERS. ]

[ WATCH OUT FOR THE WHITE SOX THIS YEAR ]


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Cuba preps for Classic semis after long journey from Asia

By Jessica Camerato

March 19, 2023 32 minutes ago

MIAMI --

For weeks, Team Cuba prepared for World Baseball Classic pool play in Taichung, Taiwan. It was a 12-hour time zone difference from Miami, where the single-elimination tournament they were pursuing was scheduled to be played.

Cuba arrived on Thursday to begin preparing for its Sunday semifinal at loanDepot park. The Cubans will face Team USA after its dramatic victory over Venezuela on Saturday.

“In my experience, you need at least one week to get used to the new time,” outfielder Alfredo Despaigne said Saturday. “But we are warriors. We're going to go out and fight.”

Cuba overcame an 0-2 start in Pool A to emerge from a five-way tiebreaker. They edged out Australia, 4-3, in the quarterfinals on Wednesday to move on to the semifinal round in Miami (Sunday at 7 p.m. ET on FS1).

“These days off shouldn't affect us,” said Despaigne. “... We are trying to make some adjustments. We're trying to be awake during the day to be a hundred percent tomorrow [for] the game. Yes, we needed some rest. We trained yesterday, by the way, and today, as well. Yesterday, training was optional, but some players said, ‘No, we have to make our adjustment,’ and we went to practice.”

Veteran left-hander Roenis Elías will get the start for Cuba. The opposing starting pitcher will be determined after the USA-Venezuela matchup. While Cuba does not yet know who they will face, the team is expecting a different style on the mound than it had seen in earlier Classic action.

“The pitching over there was not the same as here,” Despaigne said. “There are more high-speed pitchers here. They use more breaking balls over there. We are now in America, we are no longer in Asia. We have to change the mindset. I will have to make some adjustments to the speed of the pitchers -- and we are doing that. I hope we have as good [success] batting as we had in Asia.”

Cuba is coming off a seven-hit performance against Australia wherein its runs were driven in by a collaborative effort of three different players (Despaigne, Yoelkis Guibert and Luis Robert Jr.).

“I think that they have learned with each other,” manager Armando Johnson said. “They have great skills and I think that we have a good engagement to face the pitching. It's difficult for the hitters, of course, but we have high quality players and I believe that they can make those adjustments to face the pitching here in Miami.”

Sunday’s semifinal contest is the farthest Cuba has advanced in the WBC since finishing as the runner-up in 2006. Cuba was sixth in ‘09, fifth in ‘13 and seventh in ‘17.

“We believe we have that dream of raising the trophy,” said Johnson. “We recognize, however, the quality of the teams we have to play. But one game or two games, anyone could win.”


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'It's as if he's throwing his soul': Get to know Japanese ace Roki Sasaki

March 19, 2023 15 minutes ago

Every baseball fan should know the name Roki Sasaki.

He's the 21-year-old sensation from Japan who's already the most electric pitcher in Nippon Professional Baseball. He's a once-in-a-generation talent in the class of Shohei Ohtani.

He's finally on the global stage at the World Baseball Classic, where he'll start Japan's semifinal showdown with Mexico. And in a few years, Sasaki could be the next big thing in Major League Baseball.

If you saw his dazzling WBC debut against the Czech Republic, you probably want to know about one of the most exciting young baseball players in the world.

"It's hard to explain," Japan manager Hideki Kuriyama said after Sasaki's start, "but to me, it's as if he is throwing his soul, not the baseball."

Here's a primer on Roki Sasaki.


ROKIE SUSAKI 17 PERFECT INNING STREAK
https://youtu.be/VUjgwFNOAQk


ALL 19 STRIKE OUTS INCLUDING 13 IN A ROW IN PERFECT GAME
https://youtu.be/ptEOiHuO23w


He's one of the big three NPB rising stars

Japan has three young superstars who are taking the baseball world by storm: Munetaka Murakami, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Sasaki. All three are on Samurai Japan for WBC '23.

The 23-year-old slugger Murakami hit 56 home runs in 2022 to break Sadaharu Oh's NPB single-season record of 55 by a Japanese-born player.

The 24-year-old ace Yamamoto won his second straight pitching Triple Crown, Sawamura Award and Pacific League MVP Award.

And then there's the 21-year-old Sasaki, born on Nov. 3, 2001 -- the youngest of the trio, and maybe the most game-breaking talent. Sasaki went 9-4 with a 2.02 ERA and 173 strikeouts in 129 1/3 innings (12.0 K/9) for the Chiba Lotte Marines in his first full season in NPB.

He throws as hard as Shohei Ohtani ...
Here's what we mean when we say Sasaki is electric.

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Turner, Goldschmidt power Team USA past Cuba, into WBC final

Jeff Passan, ESPN

March 19, 2023 10:55 pm

MIAMI --

The best No. 9 hitter in the world helped send Team USA to the World Baseball Classic finals.

One day after his go-ahead grand slam saved their tournament, Trea Turner hit a pair of home runs and drove in four runs Sunday to lead the United States past Cuba, 14-2, in front of a highly charged, sold-out crowd of 35,779 at LoanDepot Park.

On a night where chants of "Libertad!" rang throughout the stadium intermittently and a protestor ran onto the field in the top of the sixth inning holding a banner calling for the freedom of prisoners from the July 11, 2021 anti-government protests in Cuba, the United States dismantled a Cuban team whose appearance in the semifinals exceeded pre-tournament expectations.

Protesters holding Cuban flags crashed the field in the seventh and eighth innings as well, highlighting the tension prompted by Cuba's national team playing here for the first time.

The night on the field belonged to Turner, the 29-year-old shortstop who signed an 11-year, $300 million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies over the winter and has spent the last four WBC games hitting ninth for a team filled with superstars. On his first swing following the eighth-inning grand slam that pushed the U.S. past previously undefeated Venezuela on Saturday, Turner hammered a second-inning solo home run that staked the U.S. a 3-1 lead. Turner's his three-run blast in the sixth turned a game teetering on the precipice of a blowout into an undoubted one, putting Team USA ahead, 12-2.

Up and down the lineup, American stars shone. Leadoff hitter Mookie Betts went 3 for 6 and scored twice. Paul Goldschmidt, whose two-run home run in the first gave the U.S. a lead it never relinquished, had a pair of hits and drove in four. Cleanup hitter Nolan Arenado went 2 for 3 with two runs before leaving the game after being hit by a pitch. (X-rays were negative.) Cedric Mullins homered to account for the final run. Turner's line was best of all: 3 for 5 with four RBIs to give him a tournament-best 10. Turner also set a U.S. record for home runs in a WBC (four) and tied the mark for home runs in a WBC game with Ken Griffey Jr., who is serving as Team USA's hitting coach.

Cuba, for the first time fielding a team in an international tournament with players from Major League Baseball, looked overmatched for most of the night, though its hot start riled up a crowd filled with supporters of the team if not its government. Three infield singles off U.S. starter Adam Wainwright loaded the bases with no outs and an Alfredo Despaigne walk gave Cuba a 1-0 lead.

Wainwright wriggled out of the jam and didn't look back, throwing three scoreless innings after that before giving way to his St. Louis Cardinals teammate, Miles Mikolas, who followed with four more innings, working around trouble to allow only a run-scoring Andy Ibanez single in the fifth.

Next up for Team USA is the winner of Japan and Mexico, who play Monday night. Japan will start its flamethrowing 21-year-old phenom, Roki Sasaki, and also plans to throw Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who has won the Sawamura Award -- Japan's equivalent of the Cy Young -- each of the last two seasons. Mexico, which handed the U.S. its only WBC loss and beat a game Puerto Rico team in the quarterfinals, will start Los Angeles Angels left-hander Patrick Sandoval.

After winning the first two WBCs in 2006 and 2009, Japan lost in the semifinals in 2013 and 2017, the latter to the U.S. team that won the tournament. Mexico never has made the final four of the tournament.

By using Wainwright and Mikolas, U.S. manager Mark DeRosa narrowed the options to start the finals to Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Merrill Kelly, Kansas City right-hander Brady Singer, Colorado Rockies left-hander Kyle Freeland or a reliever serving as opener.

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[ THIS IS SHAPING UP TO BE A "CLASSIC" CONFRONTRATION BETWEEN TEAM USA AND TEAM SUMARAI JAPAN....
TEAM SUMARAI JAPAN WILL HAVE ITS WORK CUT OUT FOR THEM TOMORROW NIGHT AGAINST TEAM MEXICO....
SHOULD BE ANOTHER GOOD ONE ]

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Japan walks off Mexico and into final in an all-time Classic

MIAMI -- Munetaka Murakami, it turns out, was due.

Murakami, the star Japanese third baseman who owns the nation's home run record and is coming off a Triple Crown, struck out in his first three plate appearances of Monday night's World Baseball Classic semifinal. But he came through when it mattered most, delivering a two-run double in the ninth inning that sent Japan to a thrilling, 6-5 walk-off victory against Mexico at a sold-out LoanDepot Park.

Japan, which won the first two World Baseball Classics, in 2006 and 2009, will face reigning champion Team USA in the finale Tuesday night.

Japan fell behind Mexico early when Roki Sasaki, the 21-year-old pitching sensation, left a splitter up to Luis Urias for a three-run homer in the fourth inning. Japan's hitters weren't able to muster much offense against Patrick Sandoval, the Los Angeles Angels left-hander who allowed only three baserunners in the first four innings. But Japan's offense finally came alive late.

Masataka Yoshida tied the score at 3 with a three-run homer off the concrete beam beyond the right-field foul pole in the seventh off JoJo Romero. Mexico took the lead again with RBI singles from Alex Verdugo and Isaac Paredes in the top of the eighth, but Japan added on another run in the bottom half and came all the way back against Giovanny Gallegos in the ninth.

Shohei Ohtani led off with a double to the right-center gap, showing rare emotion as he reached second base and signaled toward his dugout. Yoshida followed by drawing a walk, and Murakami launched a 94 mph fastball down the middle to deep center field, scoring the two runs that once again sent Japan into the championship.

It was the ninth walk-off hit in World Baseball Classic history and the first that occurred in the semifinals.

Munetaka Murakami Double Walks It Off

https://twitter.com/i/status/1638010107198939136

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