As we near the World Baseball Classic, I’ll be collecting news and notes about it. Due to length, it starts after the jump.
Early WBC News for Feb. 13, 2013
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Category Archives: MLB
(Not Exactly) Famous For Something Else: Josh Booty
Tonight, MLB Network debuts a new show called The Next Knuckler, in which Tim Wakefield and MLB Network’s resident goofball Kevin Millar will host a group of ex-quarterbacks, who they will try to teach the magic of the knuckleball, with the winner having a chance to pitch in a spring training game with the Diamondbacks. The ex-QBs include Doug Flutie, John David Booty, David Greene, Ryan Perriloux and, my guess on the odds-on favorite to win: Josh Booty.
Josh Booty? Who is this Josh Booty you say? Well, Josh Booty played quarterback for Louisiana State, and then was a third-string quarterback/practice squad member from 2001-2007 for the Seahawks, Browns and Raiders.
But before his football career, he was a baseball prospect. In fact, he was a big-time prospect, the fifth-overall pick of the 1994 draft by the Florida Marlins. He made it up for three separate cups of coffee with the Marlins:
| Year | Age | Tm | Lg | G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | TB | GDP | HBP | SH | SF | IBB | Pos | Awards | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 21 | FLA | NL | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .500 | .500 | .500 | 1.000 | 169 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | /5 | |
| 1997 | 22 | FLA | NL | 4 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .600 | .667 | .600 | 1.267 | 243 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | /5 | |
| 1998 | 23 | FLA | NL | 7 | 22 | 19 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 8 | .158 | .273 | .211 | .483 | 33 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | /5 | |
| 3 Yrs | 13 | 30 | 26 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 9 | .269 | .367 | .308 | .674 | 85 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 162 Game Avg. | 162 | 374 | 324 | 37 | 87 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 50 | 0 | 0 | 50 | 112 | .269 | .367 | .308 | .674 | 85 | 100 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||
If you are interested, here’s how he did in the minor leagues at the plate:
| Year | Age | Tm | Lg | Lev | Aff | G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | TB | GDP | HBP | SH | SF | IBB | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 19 | 2 Teams | 2 Lgs | Rk-A- | FLA | 14 | 58 | 52 | 6 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 12 | .231 | .298 | .308 | .606 | 16 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1994 | 19 | Marlins | GULF | Rk | FLA | 10 | 42 | 36 | 5 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 8 | .222 | .317 | .306 | .623 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1994 | 19 | Elmira | NYPL | A- | FLA | 4 | 16 | 16 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | .250 | .250 | .313 | .563 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1995 | 20 | 2 Teams | 2 Lgs | A–A | FLA | 105 | 434 | 396 | 39 | 74 | 20 | 1 | 7 | 43 | 5 | 4 | 30 | 130 | .187 | .251 | .295 | .547 | 117 | 13 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 1995 | 20 | Elmira | NYPL | A- | FLA | 74 | 313 | 287 | 33 | 63 | 18 | 1 | 6 | 37 | 4 | 4 | 19 | 85 | .220 | .278 | .352 | .630 | 101 | 12 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 1995 | 20 | Kane County | MIDW | A | FLA | 31 | 121 | 109 | 6 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 45 | .101 | .182 | .147 | .329 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1996 | 21 | Kane County | MIDW | A | FLA | 128 | 529 | 475 | 62 | 98 | 25 | 1 | 21 | 87 | 2 | 3 | 46 | 195 | .206 | .275 | .396 | .670 | 188 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 0 |
| 1997 | 22 | Portland | EL | AA | FLA | 122 | 480 | 448 | 42 | 94 | 19 | 2 | 20 | 69 | 2 | 2 | 27 | 166 | .210 | .254 | .395 | .649 | 177 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| 1998 | 23 | 2 Teams | 2 Lgs | AA-AAA | FLA | 109 | 409 | 374 | 37 | 68 | 11 | 3 | 13 | 50 | 1 | 2 | 27 | 118 | .182 | .235 | .332 | .567 | 124 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 2 |
| 1998 | 23 | Portland | EL | AA | FLA | 71 | 273 | 247 | 28 | 50 | 8 | 3 | 10 | 39 | 1 | 1 | 20 | 74 | .202 | .261 | .381 | .642 | 94 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| 1998 | 23 | Charlotte | IL | AAA | FLA | 38 | 136 | 127 | 9 | 18 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 44 | .142 | .184 | .236 | .420 | 30 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 5 Seasons | 478 | 1910 | 1745 | 186 | 346 | 76 | 7 | 62 | 252 | 11 | 11 | 135 | 621 | .198 | .256 | .356 | .613 | 622 | 54 | 8 | 3 | 19 | 3 | |||||
| A (2 seasons) | A | 159 | 650 | 584 | 68 | 109 | 27 | 1 | 22 | 93 | 3 | 3 | 57 | 240 | .187 | .257 | .349 | .607 | 204 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 0 | ||||
| AA (2 seasons) | AA | 193 | 753 | 695 | 70 | 144 | 27 | 5 | 30 | 108 | 3 | 3 | 47 | 240 | .207 | .257 | .390 | .647 | 271 | 22 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 1 | ||||
| A- (2 seasons) | A- | 78 | 329 | 303 | 34 | 67 | 19 | 1 | 6 | 38 | 4 | 4 | 19 | 89 | .221 | .277 | .350 | .626 | 106 | 13 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||||
| Rk (1 season) | Rk | 10 | 42 | 36 | 5 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 8 | .222 | .317 | .306 | .623 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| AAA (1 season) | AAA | 38 | 136 | 127 | 9 | 18 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 44 | .142 | .184 | .236 | .420 | 30 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | ||||
And so, since he’s, to my knowledge, the only guy in this MLB Network show who actually has played professional baseball, he should be considered the favorite.
BREAKING NEWS: All of the WBC Games on MLB Network will be live- except for Korea vs. Netherlands
I mentioned in one of my World Baseball Classic Q&As that MLB Network was going to broadcast the WBC, but noted that there was only one MLB Network and sometimes there might be more than one game going on.
So, to find out, exactly, whether all of the games on MLB Network were going to be live, I decided to… write to MLB Network. Here is their response:
Dan,
Thank you for your interest in MLB Network and the World Baseball Classic. All games will be aired live with the exception of the Korea vs. Netherlands game on Saturday, March 2 at 6:30 am ET. This game overlaps with the Japan vs. Brazil game at 5 am ET, so it will air in full starting at 8 am ET on Saturday, March 2.
Thank you,
MLB Network
I also wouldn’t be shocked if some games end up getting joined “already in progress” if some games go long, but that is so standard that I think we can assume that even if it’s not confirmed.
To the best of my knowledge, this is the first time that it’s been confirmed that all of the WBC games (save for Korea vs. Netherlands) will be live on MLB Network, although it made sense to presume so beforehand. So, I guess I can say that this is the first news ever broken by the Baseball Continuum, unless I missed a sentence somewhere in a press release awhile ago.
So, there you have it: MLB Network will be the LIVE home of every World Baseball Classic game, except for the Korea-Netherlands game, which will be on tape delay.
Well, that was quick…
Earlier today, I had a list of 15 things that were going to happen in Spring Training. But, well, it was only a few hours late and it turns out that number five on the list isn’t going to happen, since Michael Bourn has signed with the Indians.
So, uh, I guess it’s only 14 things that are going to happen in Spring Training now. Whoops.
The COMPLETE Grand World Baseball Classic Question and Answer
If you don’t want to read the WBC Q&A posts one by one, feel free to go below the jump to see the whole thing. In addition, don’t forget that Joe Connor’s WBC Guide remains on sale.
The grand World Baseball Classic Question and Answer (Part 4: Miscellaneous)
15 things guaranteed to happen in Spring Training
The following things are guaranteed to happen during spring training:
1. At least one player per team will be declared to be in the best shape of his life.
2. On at least one day, basically every Grapefruit League game will be cancelled due to rain.
3. You will check the box score of every exhibition game against a college team, just to see if any MLB players were struck out by a college pitcher or a college pitcher got a hit off a MLB pitcher.
4. At least one game will be delayed due to a weird reason, like a tornado warning or a large swarm of bees.
5. At least one person will write an article questioning whether Michael Bourn‘s continued free agency is a sign of collusion, as opposed to the reality, which is that the Minnesota Twins basically removed Washington and Philadelphia- two of the most likely destinations for Bourn- when they traded Denard Span and Ben Revere, unintentionally destroying the demand for Bourn in the process.
6. Somebody will try to liken something going on in Spring Training to the going-ons in Vatican City, and it won’t make for a good metaphor.
7. A MLB player will tweet out a picture of what his NCAA bracket looks like.
8. There will be confusion when a player on a World Baseball Classic team plays an exhibition against his usual team.
9. While watching stock footage of players doing routine workouts, you will inexplicably get the theme from The Rookie stuck in your head.
10. Somebody will have an embarrassing injury that will have more to do with their own stupidity or bad luck then some sort of baseball activity.
11. After the Astros lose a Cactus League game, somebody on Twitter will declare that they have been mathematically eliminated from playoff contention.
12. We will hear about some humorous clubhouse prank.
13. At least one notable veteran will announce their retirement.
14. The Yankees will be declared doomed, the World Series favorites and a Wild Card contender… possibly all on the same day.
15. Everyone in Tampa, at Yankees’ camp, will be on 24/7 Alex Rodriguez watch.
World Baseball Classic Update: Gio Gonzalez upgrades the USA rotation
With Kris Medlen and Andy Pettitte out and Justin Verlander still making up his mind, the Team USA rotation was down to R.A. Dickey, Ryan Vogelsong and Derek Holland. Hardly a rotation of slouches (you could do very well in MLB with a front three that looked like that), but not exactly the names to strike fear into the hearts of the world’s hitters.
Well, yesterday, Team USA got an upgrade: Gio Gonzalez of the Washington Nationals. Although currently under a cloud of suspicion due to his name being on the Biogenesis papers (but apparently not linked to any banned substances), Gonzalez instantly gives Team USA’s rotation a good shot in the arm. He won 21 games last season while leading the NL in strikeouts per 9 IP and fewest HR per 9 IP. He’s left-handed, young, and a two-time All-Star.
And, more importantly, it gives Team USA two aces, not just one, as well as two left-handed starters, not just one.
And, what’s more, if Verlander decides to play, it could allow Team USA to have a rotation of Verlander, Dickey, Gonzalez, Vogelsong and Holland.
And that rotation would strike fear into the hearts of the world’s hitters.
World Baseball Classic update: In which Felix Hernandez drops out and Venezuela doesn’t take it well
Not wanting any type of freak injury or something mess up his mega-contract negotiations, Felix Hernandez has dropped out of the World Baseball Classic.
Venezuela, which takes the WBC very seriously, is not happy. At all. How not happy are they?
Well, here’s an image of what a sports newspaper in Venezuela looks like today. According to Google Translate, that headline basically says that Felix has devalued Venezuela, or no longer appreciates Venezuela, or something like that. The news also is on the front page of the two Venezuelan newspapers on the Newseum website, and Venezuelan journalist Efrain Ruiz Pantin tweeted that for many Venezuelans it was a bigger deal than that country’s recent currency devaluation. Another Venezuelan journalist reported that the chairman of the Venezuelan Baseball Federation wants to veto/ban any teams from signing Venezuelans if they won’t collaborate with international competitions. It is presumably only a matter of time before Hugo Chavez himself comments on the situation, assuming that he isn’t in the hospital again.
And this is what leads to a tough situation for Latino players in the WBC: they have left their homelands, where they often lived in poverty, for riches in America. They are literally playing for a way to have their families have a better way of life. So they cannot be blamed for passing on the WBC when it could possibly endanger the riches that could keep help their family for generations. This is (more or less) what Felix Hernandez himself tweeted out shortly after the news came out: the financial security of his family was what was coming first.
But, on the other hand, the WBC is a big deal in the Caribbean, and if a player backs out, they appear ungrateful to the nation that had been supporting them and has been holding the player as a national hero. You could not blame a player for risking a big contract to play for such passionate fans.
And so, players like King Felix are in a no-win situation. Don’t play in the WBC, and an entire nation questions his patriotism (or worse). Play in the WBC, and you could run a risk- however small- of ruining the chance to have yourself and your family being set for life.
Felix made his choice. It will be interesting to see what follows.
The Baseball Continuum 