Sorry about the lack of updates last night. So, after the jump, the latest World Baseball Classic News:
Early WBC news for Feb. 15, 2013
Reply
Category Archives: Baseball
Picture of the day: Valentine was big in Japan back in the day
In honor of Valentine’s Day, here’s a picture of an advertisement of Bobby Valentine selling food in Japan back in 2007:
This is under a Creative Commons license, and was taken by “Jpellgen”.
Early WBC news for Feb. 14, 2013
Today’s World Baseball Classic news is available after the jump (due to length):
A little bit of late WBC news for February 13, 2013
Go here for earlier news of the day on the World Baseball Classic.
Cuba’s national team roster has been confirmed completely for the WBC now. The only way it will now change will be if there is a last-second injury:
The roster is the following:
Catchers: Frank Camilo Morejon Reyes (IND), Yosvani Peraza (PRI), and Eriel Sanchez Leon (SSP).
Infielders: Jose Dariel Abreu Correa (CFG), Jose Miguel Fernandez Diaz (MTZ), Erisbel Arruebarruena Escalante (CFG), Yulieski Gourriel Castillo and newcomers Raul Gonzalez (CA), Luis Felipe Rivera and Andy Ibañez, both from Isla de la Juventud.
Outfielders: Alfredo Despaigne Rodriguez (GRA), Frederich Cepeda Cruz (SSP), Guillermo Heredia Molina (MTZ), Alexei Bell Quintero (SCU), and Yasmani Tomas (IND).
Hurlers: Odrisamer Despaigne Orue (IND), Freddy A. Alvarez Saez (VCL), Ismel Jimenez Santiago (SSP), Vladimir Garcia Escalante (CAV), Yadier Pedroso (ART) Norberto Gonzalez Miranda (CFG), Alexander Rodriguez Matos (GTM), Yander Guevara Morales (CAV), Danny Betancourt (SCU), Leandro Martinez (Gr), Diosdani Castillo (Vcl), Raciel Iglesias and Wilber Perez, both from IJV.
Victor Mesa will be the manager of the team.
What will Barry Larkin do before managing Team Brazil in the WBC? Why, he’s going to India to teach baseball as part of a State Department program. Between doing these while also doing work for ESPN and watching his son tear it up for the University of Miami basketball team, I must wonder: does he ever sleep?
More news tomorrow….
Picture of the Day: Fukuoka Dome
The Fukuoka Dome will be the site of the Pool A games of the 2013 WBC, and normally is the home of the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks. Here’s what it looks like during a between-innings celebration:
This image is used under a creative commons license and was taken by “toooooool“.
Early WBC News for Feb. 13, 2013
As we near the World Baseball Classic, I’ll be collecting news and notes about it. Due to length, it starts after the jump.
(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 Baseball Continuum 