2013 World Baseball Classic

[Rally Monkey]

Looks like Team Canada's starting shortstop will be...Russell Martin?

http://bats.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/1...lay-shortstop/

[brewcrew82]

So it seems serious consideration could be given to South Africa and Australia using cricket grounds in the future. Anyone got video or photos of baseball in cricket grounds?

Not sure why Australia was mentioned here. There are numerous baseball only facilities that could handle the qualifiers.

[cutchemist42]

Not sure why Australia was mentioned here. There are numerous baseball only facilities that could handle the qualifiers.

I just thought since MLB was looking to put the Dodgers there that it appears MLB might be ok with its properties playing on converted cricket grounds.

[Tadasimha]

As for attendance...I'm not sure why MLB would expect attendance in Florida, or anywhere else. It just doesn't happen for International Baseball when the home team is not playing. Shoot, that's been proven in some of the WBC games themselves the last time around.

As for expansion, I've been told flat out by some people in the know it will NOT happen. Some teams may be switched around. There is a chance of one or two teams being added, but I was told the decisions for these countries to participate were made by MLB with the feelings that they have established leagues of some quality or are showing the willinigness and desire to start one.....Thailand and the Philippines may be the exception. By the MLB would love to be in New Zealand, and would love to be in Israel (more so than Sweden and even Russia I was told)

Philippines have had an established pro league since 2007.

[NewEnglandAmazins]

According to the following article, Mexico knows their opponents and also the rest of the WBC Pools. Canada in Phoenix, Taiwan in Taichung, Spain in Fukuoka and Brazil in San Juan. Is it me, or does the WBC seem to prefer that their information be leaked rather than announcing it themselves?
Source: http://hoylosangeles.com/news/2012/n...asico-mundial/

[Rally Monkey]

Spain in Fukuoka sets up some interesting storylines. Spain against Cuba will be a game to watch. I expect Spain ain't have any trouble with China.

[NewEnglandAmazins]

Miguel Cabrera will play in the 2013 WBC

Source: http://ligadom.com/cmb/7688-miguel-c...l-sea-como-sea

[brewcrew82]

I just thought since MLB was looking to put the Dodgers there that it appears MLB might be ok with its properties playing on converted cricket grounds.

That story seemed like it was wishful thinking from an Australian point of view rather than an actual plan of MLB or the Dodgers.

[Rally Monkey]

That story seemed like it was wishful thinking from an Australian point of view rather than an actual plan of MLB or the Dodgers.

I took it more as a leak during ongoing primilinary negotiations. Suffice to say, it is interesting that MLB has apparently been considering the feasibility of using cricket pitches in traditional cricketing nations to host baseball games. As I recall, there were rumors last year that MLB was considering playing regular season games at Lord's Cricket Ground in London.

[PLowry]

Rally Monkey, you won the Fall 2012 WBC Qualfiers Predictions Contest by 25 points over the runner-up contestant. I would like to ship your winning prize to you now. Please let me know via e-mail to plowry1176@aol.com which book you prefer --- Green Cathedrals or Baseball's Longest Games --- and what postal address to send it to. Thank you.

[Rally Monkey]

Rally Monkey, you won the Fall 2012 WBC Qualfiers Predictions Contest by 25 points over the runner-up contestant. I would like to ship your winning prize to you now. Please let me know via e-mail to plowry1176@aol.com which book you prefer --- Green Cathedrals or Baseball's Longest Games --- and what postal address to send it to. Thank you.

Thanks, Phil. I sent you a private message here. If you check your inbox, it should be there.

And, because I already have Green Cathedrals, I'll take the Longest Games! Very, very kind of you.

[OllieNYY]

I took it more as a leak during ongoing primilinary negotiations. Suffice to say, it is interesting that MLB has apparently been considering the feasibility of using cricket pitches in traditional cricketing nations to host baseball games. As I recall, there were rumors last year that MLB was considering playing regular season games at Lord's Cricket Ground in London.

Supposedly MLB confirmed there were no negotiations. The London Cricket Ground was discussed years ago, and those rumors merely resurfaced last year. It was a given they would not drum up enough interest on either side of the North Atlantic to stage it there (thankfully)

Congrats on winning the competition!!!

[OllieNYY]

I took it more as a leak during ongoing primilinary negotiations. Suffice to say, it is interesting that MLB has apparently been considering the feasibility of using cricket pitches in traditional cricketing nations to host baseball games. As I recall, there were rumors last year that MLB was considering playing regular season games at Lord's Cricket Ground in London.

Supposedly MLB confirmed there were no negotiations. The London Cricket Ground was discussed years ago, and those rumors merely resurfaced last year. It was a given they would not drum up enough interest on either side of the North Atlantic to stage it there (thankfully)

Congrats on winning the competition!!!

[Rally Monkey]

Supposedly MLB confirmed there were no negotiations. The London Cricket Ground was discussed years ago, and those rumors merely resurfaced last year. It was a given they would not drum up enough interest on either side of the North Atlantic to stage it there (thankfully)

Congrats on winning the competition!!!

Thanks.

MLB didn't broadly say there were no negotiations. A spokesman simply said, "We are not currently exploring the possibility with the Dodgers or any team to play in Australia." That doesn't foreclose the possibility that MLB and Australian promoters are talking about the idea of opening the season in Australia. It just means it hasn't gotten to the point where specific teams are in the running.

As for Lord's Cricket Ground: In fact, MLB International is on the record saying that MLB is exploring playing a regular season series in Europe. And London is one of sites that MLB has considered. (That's where its European offices are located.) As Paul Archey explained in that article, MLB's been investigating whether baseball could be played at London's new Olympic stadium, "but there's also other locations in places that we've also been looking at and talking [about]." So it's not right to say that it's a given that they wouldm't drum up enough interest.

[cutchemist42]

Whats the stadium being built in Amsterdam like? (Mentioned in the article Rally Monkey posted)

[Rally Monkey]

This one:

http://www.mister-baseball.com/mlb-n...e-game-europe/

Update: More here.

http://www.park21.info/en

The ballpark broke ground earlier this year and will have permanent seating for 700 spectators. The idea, I think, is that it'll have room to expand with temporary seating to up to 30,000 seats.

[NewEnglandAmazins]

USA Baseball has announced its coaching staff for the 2013 World Baseball Classic under the leadership of manager Joe Torre.

Torre's staff will include Larry Bowa (bench coach), Marcel Lachemann (bullpen/pitching coach), Greg Maddux (pitching coach), Dale Murphy (first-base coach), Gerald Perry (hitting coach) and Willie Randolph (third-base coach). Lachemann and Maddux will oversee Team USA's pitching staff.

Source: http://web.usabaseball.com/article.j...news_usab&gid=

[PLowry]

Rally Monkey, I admit that I am not very computer-literate when it comes to how to receive your private message. How do you receive such a message ? When I get that, your signed copy of Baseball's Longest Games will be on its way to you.

[Rally Monkey]

Rally Monkey, I admit that I am not very computer-literate when it comes to how to receive your private message. How do you receive such a message ? When I get that, your signed copy of Baseball's Longest Games will be on its way to you.

Extremely awesome. Thanks!

You should see the "Private Messages" link under the "Forum" tab above.

[PLowry]

I am not quite sure why the permanant seatimg in the new Dutch ballpark would be only 700, rather than at least 2000 or 3000 ?

Most US minor league parks, with one deck and a wide concourse, seat between 6000 and 9000.

[Rally Monkey]

I am not quite sure why the permanant seatimg in the new Dutch ballpark would be only 700, rather than at least 2000 or 3000 ?

Most US minor league parks, with one deck and a wide concourse, seat between 6000 and 9000.

I think the largest baseball park in the Netherlands seats no more than 2000 people. Why nothing bigger? Easy: Despite what we may sometimes think, honkball is still just a small, niche sport in Holland.

[NewEnglandAmazins]

I don't think it's too shocking, but Ernie Whitt will be managing Canada.

Source: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sport...rticle5763510/

[NewEnglandAmazins]

I tried to create a ranking system only using all of the WBC and Qualifier results and here is what came out:

 1. Japan                 601.36
 2. South Korea           475.92
 3. Cuba                  425.33
 4. Puerto Rico           396.57
 5. Venezuela             383.45
 6. Dominican Repubic     367.74
 7. United States         359.86
 8. Mexico                346.46
 9. Netherlands           273.91
10. Italy                 268.92
11. Canada                252.26
12. Brazil                246.24
13. Spain                 243.54
14. Taiwan                230.67
15. Australia             218.37
16. China                 197.95
17. Israel                186.28
18. Panama                185.88
19. Germany               163.96
20. Colombia              163.04
21. Nicaragua             135.88
22. South Africa          132.95
23. New Zealand           131.88
24. France                111.24
25. Great Britain         107.52
26. Philippines            91.20
27. Czech Republic         85.40
28. Thailand               70.34 

I will update it once again after the 2013 WBC. How much should the 2006 WBC results degrade (percentage wise) after the 2013 WBC?

[Pere]

How do Nicaragua and France, with no wins, rank ahead of GB and Philippines?

[NewEnglandAmazins]

How do Nicaragua and France, with no wins, rank ahead of GB and Philippines?

The WBCQ teams’ ranking value is made up of 70%-80% of their Statistical Performance with respect to their group Statistical Performance and also factored in each groups’ statistical competitiveness. Group placement only accounts for 20%-30% of the WBCQ ranking value and about 1% is made up of a win-loss value offset based on game results. Canada, Taiwan, South Africa and Panama have their WBCQ rankings averaged with their previous WBC ranking values. In a nutshell Nicaragua and France played in more competitive groups than Great Britain and the Philippines did, and received more points for doing so, but receved less placement points.