The US is out. Who can beat us now?

Don Juan

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Dec 5, 2003
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The semifinals have shrunk to four teams. DR, Cuba, Korea, Japan.
Nobody expected Korea to be in it but their pitchers posted the lowest ERA in the classic..... My question is: who do you fear most (against us) and why?

Potato salad: What say you?
 

Potato_Salad

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Oct 13, 2005
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I think the Dominican Republic is the team to beat.

The Dominican Republic has a very impressive line-up. I would love to see a finals showdown between the Dominican Republic and Korea.

I wish the U.S. was in the semifinals.
 

trina

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Jan 3, 2002
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The US proved they were NOT the team to beat. I'm a little scared of Cuba, and a lot scared of Korea, for obvious reasons.
 

Cleef

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Feb 24, 2002
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Hasn't worked out for me.

I haven't been able to see (actually watch on TV) but a couple innings of the entire affair.

I thought the US would have very little trouble getting to the semi-finals - and once on that stage - would be victorious.

I will mention that I thought the managing of the U.S. team was rather bizarre, but without actually "seeing" what was going on, I'll leave it at that.

However, I think managing these ML'ers is more difficult than probably any other team in the classic. It's an odd collection considering the egos involved, the timing of the event and such. But whatever, the better teams won, and thankfully most of all, the questionable calls that went US's way have no bearing on anything.

I wanted the DR to win, and I think they have a great chance, but no one has been able to figure out the Koreanitos, and good for them!
 

trina

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Cleef said:
I will mention that I thought the managing of the U.S. team was rather bizarre, but without actually "seeing" what was going on, I'll leave it at that.

Trust me, the US had an easier time "managing" the umpires than they did their players!
 

NY1

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El_cubano said:
We'll kick dominican ass this saturday, watch!


Like they did this past week? That ball Ortiz hit, could have carried a few of the Cubans to freedom had they hopped on board. ;)
 

trina

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NY1 said:
Like they did this past week? That ball Ortiz hit, could have carried a few of the Cubans to freedom had they hopped on board. ;)


Now that's funny.

I think every Latino, now that the US is no longer a factor, would love to see a DR/Cuba final. I think the Koreans will have something to say about that, though.
 

NY1

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trina said:
I think every Latino, now that the US is no longer a factor, would love to see a DR/Cuba final. I think the Koreans will have something to say about that, though.

Unfortunately, that's not possible.
MLB made the tourney seedings to try and get a USA vs DR/Venezuela/Cuba final. Thus the reason there are no re-seedings. The last thing MLB wanted to see was the USA and DR/Venezuela/Cuba play in the semis. Thus DR/Cuba game will be the semifinal, not a final. The finals will be Latin America vs Asia.
 

trina

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NY1 said:
Unfortunately, that's not possible.
MLB made the tourney seedings to try and get a USA vs DR/Venezuela/Cuba final. Thus the reason there are no re-seedings. The last thing MLB wanted to see was the USA and DR/Venezuela/Cuba play in the semis. Thus DR/Cuba game will be the semifinal, not a final. The finals will be Latin America vs Asia.


Ohhhhhhhh. That's just wrong...too bad. Thanks for the explanation!
 

Potato_Salad

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El_cubano said:
We'll kick dominican ass this saturday, watch!


Cuba vs. The Dominican Republic is going to be an AWESOME game to watch!!!

I really look forward to seeing it!!! :bunny:
 

Potato_Salad

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NY1 said:
Unfortunately, that's not possible.
MLB made the tourney seedings to try and get a USA vs DR/Venezuela/Cuba final. Thus the reason there are no re-seedings. The last thing MLB wanted to see was the USA and DR/Venezuela/Cuba play in the semis. Thus DR/Cuba game will be the semifinal, not a final. The finals will be Latin America vs Asia.


Interesting information. Thank you for sharing it with us! :classic:
 

Marilyn

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May 7, 2002
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NY1 said:
Like they did this past week? That ball Ortiz hit, could have carried a few of the Cubans to freedom had they hopped on board. ;)


I heard the ball landed on a fishing vessell in the South Pacific after re-entered the atmosphere, a melted core was all that was left...


Joke aside, the Cubans are tough, we need to bring out heavy artillery to beat them, after all, like we say: "la pelota es redonda y viene en caja cuadrada", meaning "the ball is round and comes in a square box" anything can happen, I think both teams have great possibility of winning, there's no David against Goliath here, may the best team win.
 

toneloc24

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Mar 8, 2004
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Cleef said:
I thought the US would have very little trouble getting to the semi-finals - and once on that stage - would be victorious.

I will mention that I thought the managing of the U.S. team was rather bizarre, but without actually "seeing" what was going on, I'll leave it at that.

However, I think managing these ML'ers is more difficult than probably any other team in the classic. It's an odd collection considering the egos involved, the timing of the event and such. But whatever, the better teams won, and thankfully most of all, the questionable calls that went US's way have no bearing on anything.

YOU know that I've been completely wrong about the results of this thing. But who really would've thought it would play out like this? Seriously.

The managing was poor at best. I have no idea how Buck Martinez got the job, or who's pole was stroked. I'm sure there are a list of better-qualified, proven track record of winning, available (not currently working) managers for the USA team. The players? There was plenty of talent on the USA team. Dude really didn't know how to use it.

As for injuries, luckily for all, it's been minimal, but Steinbrenner and Sheffield were both right. It's one thing to get injured or hurt during spring training, as Mark Prior just did. It's completely another to get hurt during some MLB farce, as Johnny Damon and Derek Lee just did.

In finality, on umpiring, Bob Davidson is shameless. I thought maybe one call (Japan) might have been iffy. I gave him the benefit of the doubt. But this dude was biased. The Jorge Cantu thing.... enough was enough. There's a reason he's not back in MLB.
 

rellosk

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Mar 18, 2002
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toneloc24 said:
In finality, on umpiring, Bob Davidson is shameless. I thought maybe one call (Japan) might have been iffy. I gave him the benefit of the doubt. But this dude was biased.
It's not possible that he was just incompetent? I bet in 2009 they use only major league (or the Japanese/Korean equivalent) umpires.
 

Musicqueen

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Jan 31, 2002
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NY1 said:
Like they did this past week? That ball Ortiz hit, could have carried a few of the Cubans to freedom had they hopped on board. ;)

MY GOD...THIS IS PRICELESS!!! I CAN'T STOP LAUGHING!!!!

Thus DR/Cuba game will be the semifinal, not a final. The finals will be Latin America vs Asia.

Now this I don't understand...You seem so smart with the Cuban joke...but this...come on, like we already didn't know that!!! :paranoid:

Oh, well...never mind...I can't decide who I want to win the DR/Cuba game...

Of course I would love DR to win the whole thing, but just to SHUT the fu**ing Miami Mafia's mouths I would like to see the 'AMATEUR' team win the first WBC...

They kept saying how Cuba wasn't gonna get anywhere 'cause they're 'amaterus', and they were gonna find out what it was really like to play against a 'professional' team, etc, etc, etc...:bored:

Where is the PROFESSIONAL USA TEAM now??? Oh, yes...home...resting...and tending to their bruised 'egos'...The only one I feel sorry for is Derreck Lee...he's a nice guy, very good person...not like the rest of those fools on that team...maybe now once and for all the US will see that there is a WORLD out there that could be better than them and start playing nice with the rest of the kids on the block...

Oh, just a comment I heard this morning on talk radio...'THE ONLY THING THE US IS GOOD AT RIGHT NOW IS FOOTBALL...AND THAT'S 'CAUSE IT'S THE ONLY GAME NOBODY ELSE PLAYS!!!"

I thought it was an awesome observation!!! How true!!

MQ
 

trina

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Jan 3, 2002
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Musicqueen said:
Now this I don't understand...You seem so smart with the Cuban joke...but this...come on, like we already didn't know that!!! :paranoid:

Oh, well...never mind...I can't decide who I want to win the DR/Cuba game...

MQ


Hi MQ! Actually, that was directed at me. I thought fourth round was actually a pool once again, with the two best teams emerging for the finals - I don't like or agree with the format they currently have. I don't understand why it should be one part of the world against the other, depending on pool you were originally placed in. I think it would be much better to have the two best teams in the world, not two best teams geographically, competing in the final.
 

Musicqueen

Miami Nice!
Jan 31, 2002
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Hi, friend...

trina said:
Hi MQ! Actually, that was directed at me. I thought fourth round was actually a pool once again, with the two best teams emerging for the finals - I don't like or agree with the format they currently have. I don't understand why it should be one part of the world against the other, depending on pool you were originally placed in. I think it would be much better to have the two best teams in the world, not two best teams geographically, competing in the final.

Well, I think that the reason this turned out like that is just the luck of the draw...Those are the teams that won, and those are the teams that get to be in the finals...People are just making it seem like it's the east against the west in the finals...but...anyone could have won and would have been playing this Monday in San Diego...

COULD have been USA vs. DR or Cuba...but it's just the way it turned out...I don't think anyone, not even BUD thought it could turn out this way...

And yes, CUBA could end up winning it all...the Cuban players train with the Koreans, as I was told by some of the Cuban Mafia here in Miami...so they know how to play against them if they have to...

Watch out...great games tomorrow!!! I think they will be even better than the actual finals on Monday!!!

MQ