I didn’t think that I would see a better game than Game 7. I still haven’t, but it was still a fantastic baseball game. Two stacked teams chock full of All Stars and top MVP vote getters paired off against each other. Paul Skenes, Aaron Judge, and Team USA were to face off against arguably the greatest offense put together in the history of the WBC, Vlad Guerrero Jr, Juan Soto and the Dominican Republic.
This game had it all. Great pitching. Elite defense. Clutch hitting.
Skenes retired the side in order in the first, thanks to a great defensive gem by 2B Brice Turang on a Juan Soto ground ball headed to RF.
Skenes got the first two batters in the 2nd before Junior Caminero hit an 0-2 pitch for a HR. No Bums, he is not getting traded for at least 4 years.
USA was in business in the 3rd with a one-out single by Bobby Witt Jr., and a double by Bryce Harper putting runners on 2nd and 3rd with Aaron Judge and Kyle Schwarber coming up. DR’s starting pitcher, Luis Severino, dialed it up a notch, and struck out both USA batters out to end the threat.
USA got their 2nd defensive gem in the bottom of the 3rd. With one out, Geraldo Perdomo was HBP. Fernando Tatis Jr. grounded into a force out. With two outs, Ketel Marte singled to RF, and Judge fired a missile on a line to Henderson at 3B to tag out Tatis Jr. for out #3, and Juan Soto coming up.
But it was what two batters did in the 4th. Two players who were not regulars and did not get the hype, both hit solo HR’s. Gunnar Henderson hit a HR off Severino, and with 2 outs, 22 year old Roman Anthony put USA up 2-1 with a solo HR off Gregory Soto.
DR loaded the bases off Skenes in the 4th, but could not tie the score.
In the 5th, two DR batters reached with one out. USA Manager, Mark De Rosa came out to get Skenes and brought in Tyler Rogers who just joined the team. He got Juan Soto to hit into an inning double play.
15 USA batters struck out. They did not get a hit after Kyle Schwarber in the 5th. Their last base runner was Schwarber who walked in the 7th.
Team USA got some outstanding relief from Griffin Jax and Garrett Whitlock. In between, David Bednar walked a tight rope AGAIN with allowing runners to reach 2nd and 3rd with 1 out. He struck out Tatis Jr, and Marte to end the threat.
In the 9th, Mason Miller was called on to close it out, and it looked like he was going to come easy after dominating Caminero with a K. He then walked Julio Rodríguez. Rodriguez moved to 2nd on a WP and to 3rd on a ground out. Geraldo Perdomo worked the count to 3-2 and then seemingly got Ball 4, only for the umpire to call it a strike.
It was clearly a ball, and it was the second pitch in the same location that was called a strike. Juan Soto struck out on a Whitlock pitch in the 8th in the same location. Maybe we Dodgers fans can give credit to Will Smith for great framing.
Maybe it ended on a controversial call, but it still was a great win for Team USA. Paul Skenes did not have an overpowering game. Mason Miller did not dominate as he has throughout the tournament. Judge struck out twice, but had a great throw. Smith struck out twice, but called a magnificent game against an offensive juggernaut.
Smith is the last Dodger to still be playing in the WBC. Hyeseong Kim got into one of the split squad games on Sunday and went 1-4 with a SB. Shohei, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Edwin Díaz are all due back with the Dodgers and should get extended playing time the next two weeks.
In their quarterfinal game, Yama pitched 4.0 innings and threw 69 pitches. He is on pace to pitch LAD opener vs Arizona in March 26. Ohtani is ready for the season to start. He went 6-13 with 3 HRS, 7 RBI, 5 runs, and an OPS of 1.842.
Diaz walked one batter and struck out two over a scoreless inning for Team Puerto Rico in an elimination loss to Team Italy in the quarterfinals on Saturday. Overall, he pitched three scoreless frames and posted a 7:1 K:BB.
It was a great Semi Final win, but I am ready for March 26, and the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Exciting game and a little nerve wracking. Dionysus, your prediction was way off, time for you to retire from predictions. Here’s mine, US has a rematch against Team Italia in the final.
On it, chief
DR wuz robbed!!!
How so???? They choked big time when it mattered most. That strike call at the end of the game was one of several bad calls by the home plate ump. Both sides had some bad calls against them.
Best quote of the night
“It looked a little down. Yes, I’m glad we had no ABS,” U.S. outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong said. “I’m happy that the human element was in full effect.”
And then there’s this
Aaron Judge proclaimed the World Baseball Classic had grown into the sport’s biggest event.
“It’s bigger and better than the World Series,” the U.S. captain said after a 2-1 semifinal win over the Dominican Republicthat came down to Sunday night’s final pitch. “The passion that these fans have, representing their country, representing some of their favorite players, there’s nothing like it.”
No wonder Judge thinks WBC is bigger than the WS. He would like to forget how he made a horrible error to let LA go on to win it. It’s like saying my new girlfriend is prettier than my last girlfriend who dumped me.
Savage
She is prettier Daniel. Forget that other one.
I don’t mind the DR’s exuberance but I am not a fan of the stare-downs when they bat.
Drysdale and Gibson would put ‘em on their asses if they tried that with them.
I don’t mind the exuberance of the team either. It’s the individual hot dogging that bothers me. We know the difference.
Juan Soto, Manny Machado, and Fernando Tatis Jr. have always been like that. Geraldo Perdomo and Ketel Marte are not far behind. But that has not changed from the regular season. David (Big Papi) Ortiz was another Dominican who made sure he stood out. As was Manny Ramirez. But if you ask my son, you could not ask for two better teammates. Not that different than Kevin Millar. Yes Manny cheated, but that did not change how he treated my son. I do not remember Vlad Jr., Julio Rodríguez, or Junior Caminero acting boorish.
How different is Bryce Harper than Soto or Tatis Jr.? There have been numerous times where Harper would stare back at the pitcher and show him up as he rounded the bases. And you can bet that Harper would have been on his back side with Drysdale and Gibson. I think it was Monday who said that Nolan Ryan would not react to a batter as long as that batter did not show him up. Different eras.
We are used to the exuberance of Alex Vesia and Brusdar Graterol. Or that silly little Freddie Dance when players reach base. Silly to me, but not to the players. You don’t think that players and fans get upset with some of Kiké Hernández’s antics on the mound? They are having fun, just like the DR players. Not everybody plays like Miggy Ro or Mookie or Freddie or Will. Muncy can get feisty when provoked. Just ask MadBum.
Fans used to get upset with bat flips, but we now see anytime we want, one of the great bat flips (animated drop) from Freddie and we cheer it every time. Muncy has had his share of dramatic flips.
I exclude Machado in any of this, because I think he plays dirty. Ask Jesus Aguilar. Soto has fun. Tatis Jr. is surly and cocky, but not dirty. If Tatis Jr. was a Dodger, I wonder how many Dodger fans would truly be against his antics.
Yep, act like you’ve been there before.
Macho posturing when you haven’t won a thing looks foolish.
But I’m not worth a half-billion and the best at the world at something so who am I to say?
From the previous thread. Sorry for the redundancy but I can’t remove it from that thread
subjective: existing in the mind; belonging to the thinking subject rather than to the object of thought
objective: not influenced by personal feelings, interpretations, or prejudice; based on facts; unbiased:
If baseball insists on putting the strike on tv, for millions of people to see, then it’s imperative to use ABS on any and all calls, ESPECIALLY those that affect outcomes.
On check swings Rick Monday keeps referring to the rule book saying “if the batter attempts to swing”. That’s subjective. I’ve read the rule book more than a few times and I disagree with Monday on that one. As a former umpire, working from Little League to Legion to JC to Semi Pro, I was taught that if the bat passes through any part of the strike zone it’s a a strike. With the help of the first base umpire that call can be made objectively.
Pitch framing. Ask any umpire at any level and they will give you the same answer. Bullsh*t. The strike zone is over the plate. Where the catcher receives it has nothing to do with whether it’s a strike or not.
And lastly, all of us, old timers like me included, have to accept that AI is here to stay and it will only expand. Better get used to that fact. It’s there now for baseball to use it. Stop embarrassing yourself. Use it.
Per MLB.com there is no definition for “check swing” in the Official Baseball Rules. The closest thing comes in the Definition of Terms where the first example of a strike is a pitch that “is struck at by the batter.” It’s up to the umpire to decide what “struck at” means. Rule 8.02(c) gets into how managers and catchers can ask for umpire help on “half swing” calls but does not expand from there.
I do not think Rick Monday is incorrect by saying attempted to swing vs “is struck at by the batter.” I also do not think you are wrong in your definition. MLB.com goes on to say that:
There is new technology from Hawk-Eye that was used in the Arizona Fall League. MLB uses the following guideline:
Here is an article on the check swing challenge system.
https://www.mlb.com/news/mlb-testing-check-swing-challenge-in-arizona-fall-league
The article also includes vudeo on the first check swing challenge in the Arizona Fall League.
I believe the challenge system will be used in the Pacific Coast League this year. I am guessing that this topic will be included in the next CBA negotiations.
I think the wording should be past 1st and 3rd base instead of lines.
That would be the bat entering the strike zone. So, that works.
It is a joke that they are not using ABS full time and get all the calls correct.
Yup, been sayin that since this whole Challenge Business was first brought up. And if ABS isn’t in use, get the super-imposed rectangle off the TV screen. Once again, that’s information Cory Blaser didn’t have.
I don’t know why this has to be so hard.
Badger, we’ve had this conversation before. Pitch framing should not impact the HPU’s balls and strikes call, what-so-ever.
The check swing needs to be addressed. I forget who said it, maybe Monday, that if the bat passes baseline, it’s considered a swing. Wow that a 3/4 swing, to me. I think the front of the plate is more like it. And no strike calls on a batter spinning out of the way to avoid being hit by a pitch, should never be called a swing.
I really dislike this DR team and I’m glad they lost. Badger mentioned Drysdale and Gibson’s response to all the hot-dogging and show-boating. I use the Ted Williams Rule. What would Ted have thought of all the chains and jacket wearing after a dinger.
Some call it fun, I call it showing up the opposition.
But it’s not like that behavior is new for Machado, Soto, Tatis and those DR players.
I absolutely am passionately old-school about that kind of bullshit. I don’t like it and never will. It’s disrespectful to the opponent and the game.
Maybe somewhere between Ted and flamboyant?
I am with you on all the show-boating and stupid HR celebrations.
The challenge system is pointless
It is ridiculous. They have the means to get every call correct and are not doing it. Total BS.
Can’t wait to see the first game at Uniqlo Field! Wonder how many zero’s in that check?!!!!!!
Of course players from other teams might think WBC games are better than the WS. Only the Dodgers get to win that tournament!
If it helps pay for Tucker, I’m for it.
A shocker to nobody.
Landon Knack must be pretty upset!
Sure would be nice to see Glasnow go 4-5 innings today without giving up more than 1 run.
Two years ago I made my drool for the untouchable Bobby Witt Jr and last year it was PCA. It’s 9 months too early to make my next drool but, yes Jeff, you came up with a good candidate with Junior Caminero.
I enjoy watching people have fun as long as they stay off my grass. Keep it clean and safe. I live enough moments with a stick up my butt without adding my rules for baseball celebrations.
I don’t know they have already decided Rush is the backup, but I’m not so sure Alfonso isn’t a more productive catcher. Hope is still a long way out if you ask me.
I was going to post the same thing. I would consider trading Rushing for a 3b of equal development. Hope doesn’t look close at the plate.
Treinen looks just about done.
Yes he does.
The Packers are crushing the Rams as we speak
Doc must be up to 20,000 steps in the game today.
Robby Porco was the last LAD pitcher. He went undrafted last year, signed with an Independent League team, Falmouth Commodores, on June 14, was released by the Commodores on July 15, and signed by the Dodgers July 25. He did not pitch for the ACL Dodgers last year. After Glasnow left with 4.1 IP, it took eight LAD pitchers to complete 4.2 IP.
A real pig out
Just now able to see a little clearly. They dilated my eyes today before I got my eye injection. Starting in April, they will be doing the right eye also since there is a blind spot forming there. Injections will slow its progress. Watched the game as well as I could, listened to it actually, until Treinen’s first two pitches. Hit batter, grand slam, ball game. Johan Rojas of the Phillies suspended 80 games for PED use. Will these guys never learn? Profar will miss the entire season because of his second suspension. Buehler tossed five shutout innings today in the Padres win. I am very impressed with Erhard. Kid is a gamer. Musgrove and Darvish will both open the season on the Padres IL.
The Dodgers have optioned Paul Gervase and Michael Siani, who was on the waiver wire yo-yo over the offseason, down to the minor leagues.
Additionally, Los Angeles has reassigned another six players to minor league camp: pitcher Cole Irvin, righty Ryder Ryan, infielder Noah Miller, outfielders Zach Ehrhard, Zyhir Hope, and James Tibbs III.
Gervase had a good spring. We’ll see him this year.
Kelly still holding onto hope, along with Hurt.
Venezuela says, Ciao baby to Italian team..
Yep, I suck at predictions.
Most of us do.