2013 World Baseball Classic

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  • SouthwestAmAZins
    Playertobenamedlater
    • Apr 2007
    • 2226

    While we wait for more news, answer the following:
    Which player(s) do you want to see play for...

    Canada- as many members of the 2011 Pan Am team as possible
    Germany- anyone fluent in German
    Great Britain- anyone who grew up watching cricket
    Czech Republic- anyone fluent in Czech

    Spain- anyone born in Spain
    Israel- Gabe Kapler
    South Africa- Gift Ngoepe
    France- Joris Bert & Fredric Hanvi -The first few French born players to sign with MLB clubs

    Taiwan- Chien-Ming Wang- The most popular player from Taiwan playing in front of his home crowd.
    Philippines- Geno Espineli-
    New Zealand- Scott Campbell- Closing out his career in his Nation's debut on International baseball's biggest stage
    Thailand- Krissada Heebthong- This Japanese Industrial leaguer is Thailand's secret weapon

    Panama- Mariano Rivera, but realistically Ruben Tejada
    Nicaragua- Everth Cabrera
    Colombia- Julio Teheran & Ernesto Frieri
    Brazil- Yan Gomes & Andre Rienzo

    Comment

    • island slugger
      Registered User
      • Apr 2010
      • 127

      Players I want to see...
      Canada- 2011 Pan am team
      Germany- OF Donald Lutz, OF Max Kepler
      GB- C Mike Nickeas(he's not actually british but, to make everything competitive), though most players born and raised in GB
      Czech Rep- SP Jan Blazek, C Petr Czech (I think the two players used to be in MLB farm system)

      Spain- CF Alejandro Sanchez Martinez (Atlanta Braves farm system)
      Israel- OF Gabe Kepler, OF Shawn Green (two former MLB players)
      South Africa- IF Gift Ngeope, IF Anthony Phillips
      France- OF Frederic Hanvi, IF Felix Brown

      Taiwan- SP Chien-ming Wang, SP Wei-yin Chen (righty and lefty combo)
      Philippines- Anyone from Philippines
      New Zealand- IF Daniel Lamb-hunt, C Te Wera Bishop
      Thailand- Anyone from Thailand

      Panama- RP Mariano Rivera(lets hope he joins Panama!), OF Carlos Lee(again lets hope!),
      Nicaragua- IF Everth Cabrera, Sp Vicente Padilla
      Colombia- Edgar Renteria, Orlando Cabrera(two great SS from Colombia), RP Ernesto Frieli
      Brazil- IF Yan Gomez

      Comment

      • Unit312J
        Registered User
        • Dec 2007
        • 462

        Taiwan- Chien-Ming Wang- The most popular player from Taiwan playing in front of his home crowd.
        Philippines- Geno Espineli-
        New Zealand- Scott Campbell- Closing out his career in his Nation's debut on International baseball's biggest stage
        Thailand- Krissada Heebthong- This Japanese Industrial leaguer is Thailand's secret weapon

        I broadcasted a game in Taiwan in which Krissada Heebthong pitched. I liked his stuff.....Held down the Netherlands for a little while..

        Scott Campbell is hurt and retired from baseball....not sure if the injury is enough to keep him from playing in this competition. In the conversations I've had with the head of the NZ federation, and when I met Scott in New Zealand I did not hear if he would actually be playing. I hope so....

        Comment

        • TheInternationalGame
          Registered User
          • Feb 2012
          • 91

          Originally posted by island slugger View Post
          New Zealand- IF Daniel Lamb-hunt, C Te Wera Bishop
          Dont forget the Moanaroa brothers.

          Comment

          • island slugger
            Registered User
            • Apr 2010
            • 127

            KBO(korean baseball organization) has agreed to increase the number of teams from 9 to 10 as early as 2015. Team Korea will most likely participate in the 2013 WBC!
            韓国最大の発行部数を誇る朝鮮日報の日本語ニュースサイト。朝鮮日報の主要記事をはじめ、社会、国際、北朝鮮、政治、経済、スポーツ、芸能など、韓国の幅広いニュースを速報で届けています。

            Comment

            • Rally Monkey
              Registered User
              • Jul 2006
              • 1043

              Some interesting news about Team Israel from a blogger who used to play with the IBL and is now a semi-pro third baseman in NYC. A few nuggets: The players know about as much as we do. Meaning nothing. LHP Scott Schoeneweis (who retired in 2010) will play and likely be the pitching coach. Josh Satin, an infielder for the Mets' Triple-A Buffalo Bisons, looks to have a roster spot. And, in the biggest news (which undoubtedly will be unpopular in these parts), Kevin Youkilis has apparently agreed to play for Team Israel if they make it to the main tournament.

              Comment

              • PLowry
                Registered User
                • Jan 2007
                • 590

                Conjecture on the WBC --- there are only two months until it begins, but there is very little information set in concrete or publicly announced. Corrections and/or other ideas welcomed.

                FALL 2012 QUALIFYING ROUND

                POOL ONE, Sep 20-24, Armin-Wolfe-Arena, Regensburg, Germany; Germany hosts Canada, Czech, Britain; Germany should advance but Canada and Czech have a fair chance.
                POOL TWO, Sep 19-23, Roger Dean Stadium, Jupiter, Florida; Spain, South Africa, France, Israel; Spain should advance.
                POOL THREE, Nov 15-18, Xinzhuang Stadium, New Taipei City, Taiwan; Taiwan hosts Thailand, the Philippines, New Zealand; Taiwan is certain to advance.
                POOL FOUR, Nov 14-18, Estadio Rod Carew, Panama City, Panama; Panama hosts Nicaragua, Colombia, Brazil; Nicaragua should advance but Panana has a fair chance.

                Note --- By scheduling Pool Two for a Single A ballpark in Jupiter, Florida seating only 6800, MLB has dramatically downplayed their expectations for attendance at the Qualifying Round. Bloggers on this blog have also speculated that attendance for the Qualifying Round will be very low. I think that the Qualifying Round will draw well. Especially in Germany (9000 per game ?), Taiwan (15,000 per game?), Panama (12,000 per game?).

                MARCH 2013

                FIRST ROUND

                POOL A, the Big Egg Tokyo Dome, Tokyo, Japan; Japan hosts South Korea, China, and presumed Qualifying Pool winner Taiwan; South Korea and Japan should advance
                POOL B, Estadio Hiram Bithorn, San Juan, Puerto Rico; Puerto Rico hosts the United States, Italy, and presumed Qualifying Pool winner Germany; the United States and Puerto Rico should advance
                POOL C, Estadio Cibao, Santiago, the Dominican; the Dominican hosts the Netherlands, Venezuela, and presumed Qualifying Pool winner Nicaragua; Venezuela and the Dominican should advance
                POOL D, somewhere in the southern USA or Caribbean; Cuba, Mexico, Australia, and presumed Qualifying Pool winner Spain; Cuba and Mexico should advance but Australia has a fair chance

                SECOND ROUND

                POOLS ONE AND TWO, somewhere in the southern USA or Caribbean, possibly Houston's Minute Maid Park or Arlington's Rangers Ballpark; Cuba, the United States, South Korea, Japan, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Mexico, the Dominican --- Note that in the Final Eight there are FIVE teams from the Caribbean, TWO teams from Asia, and ONE team from North America. This fact might persuade MLB to schedule more pools in the Caribbean. In the scheduling listed above, I have tried to take this fact into account by giving one First Round pool to Estadio Cibao in Santiago, the Dominican.

                SEMI-FINALS ROUND

                Definitely NOT in either San Diego or Los Angeles according to the Commissioner at the All-Star Game; possibly at Marlins Park, Miami, Florida; South Korea defeats Cuba, the Dominican defeats Japan

                FINAL CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE GAME

                At the same location as the Semi-Finals, the Dominican defeats South Korea

                Comments --- a First Round pool in Mexico could happen again as it did in 2009 but there is so much violence that MLB will probably stay away from Mexico; at some point if they really want the WBC to be a WORLD Baseball Classic, MLB will have to hold the Semi-Finals Round and the Title Game somewhere outside of the USA, probably in Japan; even though Japan would probably like that idea at first thought, upon reflection, it might hurt the Japan team in terms of jet lag if they played the First Round in Japan, then came to the States for the Second Round, and then had to fly back to Japan for the Semi-Finals; in both 2006 (San Diego) and 2009 (Los Angeles) both the Semi-Finals Round and the Title Game have been played in the same city, MLB could change that and put them in different cities; after the 2006 WBC both Japan and South Korea requested that the schedule for the Semi-Finals Round not put them against each other in the Semi-Finals and their request was followed, resulting in the them playing each other in the Title Game in 2009, I wonder whether that request will be followed again in 2013.

                Comment

                • Unit312J
                  Registered User
                  • Dec 2007
                  • 462

                  Note --- By scheduling Pool Two for a Single A ballpark in Jupiter, Florida seating only 6800, MLB has dramatically downplayed their expectations for attendance at the Qualifying Round. Bloggers on this blog have also speculated that attendance for the Qualifying Round will be very low. I think that the Qualifying Round will draw well. Especially in Germany (9000 per game ?), Taiwan (15,000 per game?), Panama (12,000 per game?).

                  If there is more than 5,000 for any game not involving Taiwan I would be STUNNED. There were maybe a thousand for a gold medal game between Cuba and the USA in 2007. I don't what the listed attendance said, but I was in the stadium so I can tell you 1000 may be generous. Nobody, NOBODY, will be there to watch New Zealand play the Philippines, in my opinion

                  And I don't see Santiago getting the games over Santo Domingo. They did an awful job with the Caribbean World Series and nobody wants to be in the center of the country. Both of those would really really surprise me.

                  Anything is possible I guess, but I just don't see it. And yes, I expect attendance for these qualifier, outside of Germany or the host country, being LOW

                  Comment

                  • TheInternationalGame
                    Registered User
                    • Feb 2012
                    • 91

                    Originally posted by Unit312J View Post
                    Note --- By scheduling Pool Two for a Single A ballpark in Jupiter, Florida seating only 6800, MLB has dramatically downplayed their expectations for attendance at the Qualifying Round. Bloggers on this blog have also speculated that attendance for the Qualifying Round will be very low. I think that the Qualifying Round will draw well. Especially in Germany (9000 per game ?), Taiwan (15,000 per game?), Panama (12,000 per game?).

                    Anything is possible I guess, but I just don't see it. And yes, I expect attendance for these qualifier, outside of Germany or the host country, being LOW
                    Agreed. We had talked about it before: max crowd for host team games, and 25% capacity for the rest. That puts average attendance around the 60-75% of total possible, depending on how far the host gets. Jupiter doesn't have a host, but de facto two (Israel, Spain) by demographics. I think they'll fill it up, because there will be loads of North Americans on all the teams.

                    I'm sticking with my guess that Japan gets a Second Round hosting, and again that Houston, Texas, and Miami are likely hosts for groups including Central American and Caribbean teams.

                    MLB has shown that if they're going to take a risk, they'll lean towards growing the game in a market with opportunity, so I translate that as: Asia, Europe. Not that Europe would get a first round host...too cold, but maybe there is a large enough stadium in a Dutch protectorate?

                    MLB players '11-'12 by country of birth...

                    Comment

                    • wbcno1fan
                      Registered User
                      • Mar 2011
                      • 159

                      Originally posted by TheInternationalGame View Post
                      Agreed. We had talked about it before: max crowd for host team games, and 25% capacity for the rest. That puts average attendance around the 60-75% of total possible, depending on how far the host gets. Jupiter doesn't have a host, but de facto two (Israel, Spain) by demographics. I think they'll fill it up, because there will be loads of North Americans on all the teams.

                      I'm sticking with my guess that Japan gets a Second Round hosting, and again that Houston, Texas, and Miami are likely hosts for groups including Central American and Caribbean teams.

                      MLB has shown that if they're going to take a risk, they'll lean towards growing the game in a market with opportunity, so I translate that as: Asia, Europe. Not that Europe would get a first round host...too cold, but maybe there is a large enough stadium in a Dutch protectorate?

                      MLB players '11-'12 by country of birth...
                      http://www.everyoneelseisdoingit.com/maps/MLB_2012.html
                      Is there a Spanish community in Florida,and if there is,how interested would they be in watching The baseball Spanish national team compete,Spain by far is a soccer country.

                      Comment

                      • titorondon
                        Registered User
                        • Jan 2008
                        • 230

                        Originally posted by wbcno1fan View Post
                        Is there a Spanish community in Florida,and if there is,how interested would they be in watching The baseball Spanish national team compete,Spain by far is a soccer country.
                        There is a large Cuban community, and many players have recent ancestors from Spain, such as the Figueroa brothers (Baltimore and U Miami), Yoel Hernandez and others. Plus there is an occasional Cuban from the island that defected and acquired Spanish citizenship. And I even saw an American playing for Spain (ancestry), his last name was Stella I believe.

                        But no, I do not anticipate large crowds, especially since the best players will not be allowed to compete, thereby defeating the whole Classic concept...

                        Comment

                        • SDL
                          Who the hell is Stan Papi
                          • Sep 2006
                          • 3650

                          Instead of Jupiter, they could use Ft. Lauderdale Stadium. Israel and Spain would be guaranteed larger crowds instead of playing in Jupiter.
                          sigpicMan, do I *HATE* the Yankees!!!!!!

                          Comment

                          • USA101
                            Registered User
                            • Dec 2010
                            • 219

                            I think if the U.S. has to host the final 8 pools, they should not be able to host a first round pool. Venezuela has been discussed, but it is pretty much "pick your poison" between Mexico and Venezuela. So I'm fine with the U.S. hosting a first round along with 2 second rounds as long as they play in the first round pool they host.

                            If that makes any sense.

                            Comment

                            • Unit312J
                              Registered User
                              • Dec 2007
                              • 462

                              Originally posted by USA101 View Post
                              I think if the U.S. has to host the final 8 pools, they should not be able to host a first round pool. Venezuela has been discussed, but it is pretty much "pick your poison" between Mexico and Venezuela. So I'm fine with the U.S. hosting a first round along with 2 second rounds as long as they play in the first round pool they host.

                              If that makes any sense.
                              The head of MLB groundskeeping, that routinely visits fields ahead of tournaments involving MLB players, is currently in Santo Domingo.... So, is that a potential teaser????

                              Comment

                              • Rally Monkey
                                Registered User
                                • Jul 2006
                                • 1043

                                I've been meaning to write a long screed here explaining how wrong and crazy TheInternationalGame has been in predicting that Japan would get to host both a first round and SECOND round pools. But I'm glad I didn't. Because, according to this report, it just might.

                                Comment

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