World Baseball Classic 2023

[PackLandVA]

Netherlands and Cuba in game 1.

Cuba has MLBers for first. Time ever. They load the bases with one out (3 BBs and a Robert K) only to hit into an inning ending DP.

Who the hell has the car horn and why is it allowed.

[PackLandVA]

And finally an actual meaningful* game!

*sort of

[TomtheBombadil]

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/as-the-wbc- ... ould-know/

Nice roundup of who to look out for...If I had to pick One Man as the most interesting in the tournament for Cubs, it would be this guy:

Jung-hoo Lee, Korea

If you haven’t already heard of Jung-hoo Lee, now is the time to familiarize yourself with him. Perhaps the very best player in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), Lee is going to make an even bigger name for himself in this tournament. At 24 years old, he is reaching the peak of his career and is is expected to be posted to MLB following his 2023 season with the Kiwoom Heroes. After winning the league’s Most Valuable Player award with a .349/.421/.575 slash line in 142 games, he has taken the baseball world by storm. His presence on the international stage couldn’t be timelier. He will lead his country’s offense as they strive to secure an elimination round bid and upstage one of the tournament favorites in Japan, which also plays in Pool B.

https://www.mlb.com/news/jung-hoo-lee-n ... erstar-mlb

While Lee's next goal is to win the World Baseball Classic for Team Korea, he's got his sights set on coming to the Major Leagues at the end of the KBO season. His team has already committed to posting him and teams will likely be lining up to recruit the young outfielder. Assuming Shohei Ohtani opts out of his contract with the Angels and is free agent target No. 1, then Lee won't be far behind on every team's wishlist.

"Even though he hit 20-plus homers in the KBO last year, I think the concern is whether he can handle that 95-plus [velocity] on an everyday basis. Then you get to the bullpen, you see 100 mph," Yoo said. "You just don't get that kind of velocity in the KBO. So he's been working on a swing change to make sure he can handle those fastballs."

Kim's far from worried, though: He already has his sights set on loftier goals than simply making an Opening Day roster.

"Ha-Seong [Kim], my old teammate, has been doing fantastic in the Majors and I think what he's proven as a player and as a Korean player is that we have that fight in us and we never give up," Lee said. "I want to emulate him as a former teammate and a friend. When I get there, I want to plant the same kind of ideas to the fans. Personally, I want to lead the league in batting average and make history."

He should be a high priority FA with Happ and Bellinger both likely out after the season, even if Crow-Armstrong shows up or they trade for someone like Chisholm (not unlikely) or Tucker (unlikely,..O's?). Is it partially because the Cubs need to be more an international presence and he's a huge name in baseball market with real potential? Yes, I noticed the GBs. Still, I'd like to see an OF setup more like the Rays or Astros, who roll 4-5 deep on the active roster even with good starting talent. Well...I wouldn't like to see it: would prefer less catering to Vegas and don't care for The Man's obsession with efficiency and high performance, but in a "when in Rome" sense I'd like the Cubs to load up and let playing time fall as it falls. If he's following Kim's track until he can blow past it then I'm expecting to see a good defensive OFer who makes alot of contact and can make the adjustments towards hitting flyballs against velo

[PackLandVA]

Was watching a little bit of Korea/Australia and they brought up Lee and him possibly being the “next big thing” in MLB.

[Bertz]

Was watching a little bit of Korea/Australia and they brought up Lee and him possibly being the “next big thing” in MLB.

I read something that his numbers against fastballs 93+ were pretty pedestrian. Considering the average MLB fastball is now bumping 94 I'd be really concerned.
Honestly for that reason I'd guess the WBC here is gonna either make or lose him a ton of money.

[PackLandVA]

Jung-Hoo Lee may not get much more of an opportunity as Sout Korea is 0-2 so far. Not completely certain of the tie breakers for their pool, but having already lost to 2-0 Australia, they may be eliminated already. My guess is his still be highly sought after in next year's FA class.

[PackLandVA]

Stroman starts Puerto Rico's opening game and goes 4.2 with 2 Ks, 0 BB, 2 H, 1 HR, 1 ER.

[TomtheBombadil]

Seeing Baez and Lindor in the MIF didn't make me sad or anything because I know that's not a proper Future

[champaignchris]

Watching Puerto Rico beat Nicaragua in the WBC at a road side shack while tossing back Medallas in Rincon, PR will go down as one of my favorite baseball memories.

[Bertz]

For a team that's not historically a baseball powerhouse Mexico's team is pretty loaded. Columbia's up but this feels like a very precarious lead.

[17 Seconds]

the wbc is such a perfect appetizer for the mlb season. i hope it never goes away again

[TomtheBombadil]

BJ Murray leading off for Great Britain, K’d against Wainwright in the first

Wainwright’s low-mid 80s, already gave up a HR

[TomtheBombadil]

Ump is squeezing Worley, booooo

Pitched out of it too

[PackLandVA]

So I guess it’s an upset, but Venezuela just pretty much handled the D.R. 5-1.

[Thurman Merman]

Damn I miss schwarber. I wish we hadn't given up on him (fully understanding that it was him leaving that might have been necessary to fix him). Nothing better than the no doubter homers he hits.

[bukie]

What in the world were those Great Britain uniforms? Did Nike forget they were in the WBC until this morning and someone just laser screened the country over the front?

[PackLandVA]

USA is stacked offensively and defensively, and relief pitching looks pretty solid. But if they fail to make/win the WBC, I think it will be due to their very pedestrian starting pitching. Wainright, Mikolas, and Lynn don’t really do it for me. I do like Merrill Kelly, though.

[JudasIscariotTheBird]

Heh. Pretty fun.

https://www.mlb.com/world-baseball-classic/news/shohei-ohtani-strikes-out-against-electrician-in-world-baseball-classic?partnerId=zh-20230312-849630-mlb-1-A&qid=1026&utm_id=zh-20230312-849630-mlb-1-A&bt_ee=cvF%2BbsPblXq3YSeUjCZV9dlqldXGtknKYx1HiUpLbXai0H6vdypzj0NV%2Bb9y4XUZ&bt_ts=1678637161404

[PackLandVA]

Caissie with a line drive RBI single to right in his first WBC AB. Mervis did the same (minus the RBI) earlier today. Two really hard hit balls.

[Stu]

Caissie with a line drive RBI single to right in his first WBC AB. Mervis did the same (minus the RBI) earlier today. Two really hard hit balls.

that Cassie at-bat — 2-0, fouls a pitch, just off, then laced the next one

[chopsx9]

Caissie with a line drive RBI single to right in his first WBC AB. Mervis did the same (minus the RBI) earlier today. Two really hard hit balls.

that Cassie at-bat — 2-0, fouls a pitch, just off, then laced the next one

HRs in his next at bat and threw out a runner at 3B yesterday. Making some noise.

[Stu]

Caissie with a line drive RBI single to right in his first WBC AB. Mervis did the same (minus the RBI) earlier today. Two really hard hit balls.

that Cassie at-bat — 2-0, fouls a pitch, just off, then laced the next one

HRs in his next at bat and threw out a runner at 3B yesterday. Making some noise.

Granted that it’s some of the worst pitching in the tournament,, but his ABs certainly are intriguing. Is his upside anything more than fourth outfielder with some nice power off the bench?

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Granted that it’s some of the worst pitching in the tournament,, but his ABs certainly are intriguing. Is his upside anything more than fourth outfielder with some nice power off the bench?

Caissie has first division starter upside, there's a reason some evaluators are pretty bullish on him. And he doesn't turn 21 until July and will likely be in AA, so there's time for him to make adjustments and tap into that more than he has in pro games so far. Personally I'm more bearish on him, I think with his size and current defensive reports he's gonna be a 1B/DH at the MLB level, and the bar there is so high(and his MiLB performance has enough red flags) that a good outcome is more in the Vogelbach/Tellez realm of production.

[champaignchris]

Sal Perez looking like an early favorite for tourney MVP. He’s knocking the ball all over the place.

[soccer10k]

All 5 teams in Group A finished 2-2 so the tiebreaker was runs allowed per out recorded.